France coach Laurent Blanc is now top of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's managerial shortlist. Le Parisien says Abramovich has settled on the former Manchester United and Barcelona defender as his No1 target.

Chelsea have already tabled a contract offer understood to be worth £220,000-a-week to Blanc, who has confessed to family relatives he is genuinely interested in the job.

For Abramovich he ticks all the boxes: his attacking style of football, his experience of the Premier League and success with Bordeaux has convinced the Russian Blanc is the man for Chelsea.