Report: Carlo Ancelotti to Be Considered by Chelsea If Manager Leaves Real Madrid

Chelsea is reportedly considering bringing back Carlo Ancelotti for a second stint as the club's manager if the Italian leaves Real Madrid at the end of the 2022-23 season.

According to ESPN's Mark Ogden, Chelsea is lining up as many as seven candidates for the managerial position after firing Graham Potter last week and replacing him with Frank Lampard on an interim basis.

Ancelotti's future at Real Madrid is reportedly in question, and he could become available if Real Madrid fails to win the UEFA Champions League title.

Ancelotti managed Real Madrid from 2013 to 2015 before leaving for runs at Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton. He returned to Real Madrid in 2021, and Los Blancos have enjoyed major successes under his guidance, including winning the 2021-22 La Liga title and UEFA Champions League title.

Real Madrid has dropped off slightly this season, as it is in second place in La Liga behind a Barcelona club that has gone a remarkable 23-2-2.

Even so, Real Madrid has reached the knockout stage of the Champions League this season and is fittingly set to face Chelsea in the quarterfinals, with the first leg taking place Wednesday.

Ancelotti's first stint at Chelsea ran from 2009 to 2011, and it came on the heels of the Italian manager leading AC Milan from 2001 to 2009.

With Ancelotti at the helm, Chelsea won the English Premier League and FA Cup in 2010, although a Champions League title eluded them.

Chelsea has long been among the dominant forces of English football, but the Blues have not won a domestic league title since 2017. They did win the Champions League in 2021, but they are still left searching for answers at the EPL level.

Since last winning the EPL, Chelsea has finished inside the top five in the EPL five years in a row but never better than third. Chelsea is trending toward its worst finish in years this season, though, sitting in 11th with just 39 points.

While Ancelotti typically doesn't stay long when he is hired at a club, he has proved capable of turning things around quickly, which would perhaps make him a perfect fit at Chelsea if he becomes available.

Per Ogden, Chelsea is also considering Julian Nagelsmann, Luis Enrique and Mauricio Pochettino for the managerial vacancy should it not have the opportunity to pursue Ancelotti.