Sun still tipping Zidane to take over at Chelsea

Some of the stories in Saturday’s newspapers involving Chelsea…

Zinedine Zidane remains in line to take over as Chelsea boss and could have £200m to spend this summer despite the club being hit with a transfer ban, The Sun claim.

The Sun have recently been linking Zidane with the Blues job amid reports that head coach Maurizio Sarri is close to being sacked after a dismal run of results.

Fifa announced on Friday that Chelsea had been placed under a transfer embargo for the next two windows for breaching rules regarding the signing of youngsters.

The club will appeal against the ruling and could be able to sign players this summer while the appeal is heard.

The Sun say former Real Madrid boss Zidane is therefore undeterred and would be happy to take over at Stamford Bridge, spend heavily on players and then stick with the revamped squad if an embargo then comes into effect.

It is claimed that Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi is likely to be brought in and that Zidane also wants Real’s Isco, Porto’s Alex Telles and Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly.

The Daily Telegraph, on the other hand, say Chelsea will consider the club’s former assistant first-team coach Steve Holland – now England manager Gareth Southgate’s assistant – if Sarri is axed.

The Telegraph also suggest Chelsea’s transfer ban will make Eden Hazard even more likely to leave.

The newspaper say the embargo will “only harden his desire to join Real Madrid” and that Chelsea lodging an appeal means they will be under greater pressure to sell Hazard while they can reinvest the money.

Meanwhile, The Sun continue to claim that Chelsea want Barcelona’s Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic.