Abramovich refuses to lay Chelsea Pep talk to rest
ROMAN ABRAMOVICH is refusing to accept defeat in his attempts to persuade Pep Guardiola to be the next Chelsea manager.
The club’s Russian owner, having given up on the idea of luring Jose Mourinho back to Stamford Bridge, has intensified his efforts to recruit Guardiola and is prepared to leave Roberto Di Matteo in limbo while he waits for an answer.
Guardiola, the Barcelona coach, plans to take a sabbatical when he leaves his post at the Nou Camp this month, but various intermediaries have informed him in recent days of Abramovich’s determination to employ him on whatever terms he likes.
The chances of a ‘‘yes’’ remain slim, but Abramovich hopes that the obsessive and determined nature of his pursuit will prompt a rethink once the 41-year-old has had time to take a holiday.
Sources close to Abramovich indicate that he has told Guardiola he is happy to wait as long as it takes for him to accept, even if, realistically, the pressure to make an appointment will increase as the weeks progress.
It leaves Di Matteo, the interim first-team coach, in a difficult position as he prepares to guide Chelsea into the Champions League final against Bayern Munich next weekend.
But the former West Bromwich Albion manager has at least received indications that he will be a leading candidate if, as is widely expected, Guardiola rejects Abramovich’s advances.
Abramovich made serious inquiries about the possibility of appointing Mourinho to the role he left in acrimonious circumstances in September 2007, but the Portuguese has now finally agreed to stay at Real Madrid.
Of the other candidates who were previously considered, Rafael Benitez and Fabio Capello are no longer in contention, while Laurent Blanc, David Moyes, Joachim Low and Harry Redknapp are regarded, as is Di Matteo, as possible fall-back options.
Responding to reports that Di Matteo was already ‘‘resigned’’ to missing out on the full-time job, Ron Gourlay, the Chelsea chief executive, said: ‘‘The club said from Day 1, when [Di Matteo] came in as interim manager, that we would assess things at the end of the season.
‘‘We’ve not changed our approach. Robbie is completely on board with that. The last person who’s going to put any pressure on the team at this stage is me.’’
Gourlay also revealed the club planned further contract discussions with Didier Drogba, whose existing deal expires on June 30.
‘‘We continue to have conversations,’’ Gourlay said.
‘‘Didier loves Chelsea and the fans and we all love him.’’