'Chelsea have had new manager lined up for some time'

Mark Bosnich has claimed that Chelsea already had their new manager lined up even when Carlo Ancelotti was still in charge of the club.

The former Blues goalkeeper believes the new boss at Stamford Bridge will be Guus Hiddink with Marco van Basten joining the club as a coach.

Speaking to the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show, he said: “I think they’ve had someone lined up for quite some time.

“If you look over the quotes from Ancelotti in the last two for three months, it did sound like a dead man walking.

“They’ll have someone lined up and they’ll be under strict confidentiality agreements where they can’t say anything, number one not to undermine Carlo Ancelotti and number two because the people they are talking to will probably be in a job as well.

“From what I’ve heard Chelsea’s new manager will be Guus Hiddink with Marco van Basten joining in a coaching role and then looking to take over from him.

“Big clubs will have four or five options and will be playing them off against themselves to get the best deal for the club.

“They’ll go for what they think is the best thing for the club for the time being, with Chelsea’s record I don’t think long-term comes into their vocabulary.”