Chelsea, the "Blues," are reportedly preparing to appoint this undefeated coach to lead the team in place of Enzo Maresca, who has been dismissed.
On 2 Jan 2026 GMT+7, following Chelsea's decision to dismiss Enzo Maresca as manager due to ongoing issues with the board and lack of support, as well as winning only one of the last seven matches.
As a result, Chelsea has been linked with several talented coaches including Liam Rosier from Strasbourg, Xavi Hernandez, the former Barcelona manager currently unemployed, Oliver Glasner of Crystal Palace, and former Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, now managing Como.
However, the latest report from The Telegraph, a prominent British media outlet, states that one of the young managers who has most impressed Chelsea's board is Francesco Farioli, the 36-year-old Porto manager.
Farioli has led FC Porto to an outstanding performance, remaining unbeaten in 16 matches and currently topping the Portuguese league.
Farioli took over as Porto's manager at the start of the season and has since transformed Portuguese football, ending Sporting Lisbon's long-standing dominance. Previously, he managed Ajax and Nice.
If Chelsea wants to secure this deal, they will have to pay a release clause believed to be around £13 million. Chelsea has previously suffered setbacks from paying large sums for new managers who failed to succeed, such as Graham Potter.
