Chelsea are reportedly interested in recruiting coach Diego Simeone amid suggestions that he could quit his Atletico Madrid post next summer.
Jose Mourinho's future is poised to suffer further scrutiny after the Premier League champions lost 1-0 at Stoke City on Saturday for their seventh league loss in 12 games.
Simeone is under contract until 2020, but the Argentine has the option of a break clause in his deal, and the Blues will swoop should he activate it, according to The Mirror.
The 45-year-old defied the odds in 2014 as Atleti broke Real Madrid and Barcelona's dominance in La Liga by winning the Primera Division, and guided them to a Champions League final in the same campaign.
Ex-Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, who was sacked by the Reds last month, is considered a short-term solution at Stamford Bridge if owner Roman Abramovich axes Mourinho.
The Northern Irishman previously coached Chelsea's youth and reverse teams 10 years ago. Simeone joined the Vicente Calderon club in 2011.
Shane Callaghan
