Chelsea "in talks with Pochettino but CUT Luis Enrique from shortlist"

CHELSEA have reportedly contacted former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino about their vacant managerial position.

The 51-year-old Argentine has been out of work since he was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season - with SunSport confirming back in January that he was on Chelsea's radar.

But now he is being linked as a permanent replacement for Graham Potter at Stamford Bridge.

According to The Telegraph, the Blues have contacted Pochettino about the role.

The ex-Spurs head coach joins Julian Nagelsmann on Chelsea's shortlist of managers that the club could go for.

But Luis Enrique has NOT been placed among the top candidates for the position.

The Spaniard, 52, flew to London for talks with club bosses two weeks ago, but things have not progressed since then.

And that could leave the door open for Spurs - who are keen on the ex-Barcelona man despite Daniel Levy previously holding reservations about his lack of Premier League experience.

Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim is also now seen as an outsider for the Chelsea role.

Nagelsmann held discussions with the West London club last week and is understood to have impressed during his interview.

But individuals at the club are reluctant to name him as the favourite.

Pochettino was interviewed by Chelsea owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali before they went with Potter.

Potter, 47, lasted just seventh months in the job before being dismissed.

And defender Thiago Silva claimed following Chelsea's Champions League exit on Tuesday night that the players need to start looking at themselves rather than blaming the manager.

He told TNT Sports Brazil: "I think the first step has been made, an incorrect step, but it has been made.

"We can't be blaming the managers if we don't take responsibility. It's a hard period for the club, with a lot of indecision.

"Change of ownership, new players arriving – we had to increase the size of the changing room because it didn't fit the size of the squad.

"A positive point is that there are amazing players in the squad but on the other hand there are always players that are going to be unhappy.

"There is always going to be someone upset because not everyone can play. The manager can only pick 11 from a squad of 30-something – that's tough.

"Some can't make the squad, we signed eight in January, we need to stop and put a strategy in place otherwise next season we could make the same mistakes."

Chelsea will look to end a seven-game winless run when they host Brentford on Wednesday.

Interim boss Frank Lampard has lost all four matches since taking over earlier this month.

It leaves the Blues 11th in the Premier League table, ten points adrift of a European place with just seven games remaining.