Chelsea's search for a new manager is underway following the sacking of Graham Potter, and former Bayern Munich boss Julien Nagelsmann is reportedly being lined up as his replacement.
Potter arrived at Chelsea in September following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel, but the Englishman suffered the same fate as his predecessor just 31 games into his career as Blues manager. Just four wins since the start of 2023 led to Potter's dismissal, with Chelsea sitting 11th in the Premier League.
football.london understands that Nagelsmann is a favourite for the Chelsea job, but the hiring process won't be rushed, with Todd Boehly wanting to get the right man for the job. Nagelsmann was sacked as Bayern Munich's manager last month, and Tuchel replaced the German at the helm.
READ MORE: Three things that will 'definitely' happen to Arsenal if Julian Nagelsmann is appointed at Chelsea
So, could Nagelsmann lead Chelsea to a European finish this season? We simulated the rest of the Blues' Premier League campaign to try and find out.
Chelsea's final nine Premier League games of 2022/23 season with Julien Nagelsmann as manager simulated
We used Football Manager 2023 to update the Premier League table to its current state, with Chelsea in 11th, 11 points off the top four. We then simulated until the end of the season to see if Nagelsmann could lead his side to a spot in a European competition next season.
April 8: Wolves (A)
In his first game in charge, Nagelsmann lead Chelsea to a point in his dugout debut. Away to Wolves, the relegation fighters snatched a 1-1 draw against the Blues, with Ruben Neves cancelling out Reece James' opener.
April 15: Brighton and Hove Albion (H)
High-flyers Brighton were up next for Chelsea, and Nagelsmann picked up another point in his first game at Stamford Bridge. Goals from Raheem Sterling and Joao Felix saw the Blues come from behind twice in a 2-2 draw.
April 26: Brentford (H)
Nagelsmann made it three games unbeaten, this time beating another team near them in the table in Brentford. Ivan Toney opened the scoring after six minutes, but a Kai Havertz brace secured the three points.
April 29: Arsenal (A)
Chelsea were handed their toughest test under Nagelsmann just four games in, a trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal. The Blues opted to sit back and absorb pressure against the Gunners, and they left north London with a point after a 0-0 draw.
May 6: Bournemouth (A)
A second consecutive away trip for Chelsea, Nagelsmann faced Bournemouth who were in the relegation battle. A poor first half saw the hosts go two ahead with Dominic Solanke scoring twice, and despite Denis Zakaria's goal in the 70th minute, the Blues fell to a 2-1 loss.
May 13: Nottingham Forest (H)
Nagelsmann had the chance to return to winning ways as Chelsea hosted Nottingham Forest, and they did just that, albeit narrowly. A tense affair was decided in the 81st minute as Marc Cucurella scored a late winner.
May 16: Manchester United (A)
The first of two trips to Manchester in a short space of time, the Blues faced Manchester United who were battling for a spot in the Premier League top four. Like the Forest game, it was a very even battle at Old Trafford, but Nagelsmann was able to pick up a vital three points after Havertz's 25th-minute strike secured a 1-0 win.
May 20: Manchester City (A)
Chelsea entered the clash against City without a win or a goal in their last five meetings against them, and that continued in the simulation, with Nagelsmann's side falling to a 1-0 defeat. It was a respectable performance from Chelsea though, with the Blues managing a higher xG than City.
May 28: Newcastle United (H)
In the final game of the season, Chelsea hosted Newcastle United, who were also battling for a European spot. Sterling scored after 12 minutes to put the Blues ahead, and they managed to hold out for a huge victory.
Final standings
In Nagelsmann's nine games as Chelsea boss, the German won four, lost two and drew three whilst also keeping four clean sheets in that time. But, the German would've needed an almost perfect run of results to enter the European spots, with Chelsea only able to finish eighth in the Premier League.
The Blues did improve, but it wasn't enough to break into the European spots, with Brighton finishing two points ahead in seventh, Newcastle seven points ahead in sixth, Liverpool nine points ahead in fifth and Spurs 10 points ahead in fourth. Chelsea did end the season with the fourth-best defensive record though, conceding just 35 goals all season.
Overall, FM23 predicts that Nagelsmann could help Chelsea improve in a short space of time, but it may not be enough to claim a European spot due to the position he took over in. Defensively, the Blues were solid, and with a bit of time, Nagelsmann could potentially be a good fit for Chelsea.
Do you think Nagelsmann could lead Chelsea to a spot in Europe next season? Let us know in the comments below!
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