Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp has emerged as a strong candidate for the Chelsea managerial role, according to reports.
Klopp guided Dortmund to the Bundesliga title last season, and has overseen the emergence of an exciting crop of youngsters at the club, who boast home-grown stars such as Mario Goetze, Mats Hummels, Sven Bender and Marco Reus.
The Daily Mail reports that the 44-year-old is considered as an alternative option should neither Pep Guardiola or Jose Mourniho answer Roman Abramovich's calls to join, or return to, Stamford bridge.
Klopp has been identified in Germany as the next Bayern Munich manager, as rumours persist that 66-year-old incumbent Juup Heynckes will be sacked this summer. Bayern have however scored 20 goals in their last three games, to offer Heynckes some respite.
Interim Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo has overseen four victories from four games since his appointment in the wake of Andre Villas-Boas' sacking.
However the Italian was said to be unpopular amongst squad members during Villas-Boas' short reign, and John Terry's vocal performance after his withdrawal against Napoli last week would suggest he is already being undermined.
The Brazilian, and former team-mate Falcao, have both been identified as options to add extra power and potency to Chelsea's strike-force, which has struggled this season.
Ironically, the duo played under Villas-Boas and were heavily linked last summer, yet Colmobian Falcao left Oporto for Atletico Madrid as Diego Forlan's replacement.
Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou are out of contract at the end of the season, and with Frank Lampard's current deal set to expire in June 2013, pressure is on Abramovich to herald a fresh new era at the club in light of his latest managerial discharge.
Player power has allegedly been behind a series of coaching dismissals at Stamford Bridge, and with the west London club 21 points adrift of leaders Manchester United and outside the Champions League places, a change of the playing guard is arguably warranted.