Blanc tipped to take over and Chelsea are linked with Butland

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

Laurent Blanc is in pole position to become Chelsea boss, it is claimed.

It comes after reports claimed Chelsea would try to tempt Zinedine Zidane to Stamford Bridge and that his fellow Frenchman Blanc would be the front-runner for the Blues job if Zidane was not interested.

And amid reports Zidane is set for a job in Qatar after recently quitting Real Madrid, The Sun say former Paris St-Germain boss Blanc is in the frame to replace Antonio Conte.

Chelsea are widely expected to axe Conte, who has a year remaining on his contract.

Maurizio Sarri, who recently left Napoli, had been tipped for the Chelsea job but is now reported to be all but out of the running.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail say Stoke and England keeper Jack Butland is being lined up as a possible replacement for Thibaut Courtois.

It comes after reports that Chelsea have broken off contract talks with Courtois and that the Belgian, who has been linked with Real Madrid, is set to leave.

Roma’s Brazilian keeper Alisson has also been linked with a move to the Bridge.