Paul Merson has predicted that Marco Silva may pip Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola to the Chelsea job.

Liam Rosenior was shown the door recently, and Chelsea are yet to bring in a permanent replacement for him. Marco Silva has done an outstanding job at Fulham, helping them cement their place as a mid-table Premier League club with consistent performances.

There is no doubt that the Portuguese manager is good enough to take the next step in his career, and joining a big team would be exciting for him as well. Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs in the world, and they have the resources to sign the best players. Silva will be tempted to join them, and he will look to win trophies with the London club in future.

Chelsea have been linked with Xabi Alonso as well, but the Spanish manager is more likely to join Liverpool, according to Paul Merson. The Blues have been linked with Andoni Iraola as well, but Merson feels the Bournemouth manager might not be too keen on managing Chelsea because of their tendency to slack in terms of defending and pressing.

Merson told , “You always think Xabi Alonso is going to be the next Liverpool manager – I’d keep Slot, because of what he did last year. But unless he’s been told he’s not getting the Liverpool job, he might say yeah it’s a good fit.

“He was brilliant at Leverkusen, he messed with the wrong people at Real Madrid. You can’t do that, messing with Vinicius Junior, so it’ll be interesting. I like him, he was a special player and did great in Germany but not so much in Spain. Plus, he hasn’t managed in the Premier League.

“I think it could be Marco Silva. He ticks the boxes. Iraola won’t like what he sees with Chelsea being outrun in every game, I don’t know how he’d turn that around. Silva’s only up the road too, wouldn’t have to move, he’s been in the Premier League a long time and is steady. He’s done a really good job at Fulham.”

Can Chelsea get the deal done for Marco Silva?

It remains to be seen whether Chelsea decide to make their move for Silva at the end of the season. The West Londoners have a quality squad, but they need to bring in a manager who can get the best out of them. The Blues have endured a disappointing campaign, and they are likely to miss out on UEFA Champions League qualification. A club of their stature should be fighting for major trophies regularly.

Silva will hope to help them bounce back next season. Meanwhile, his departure from Fulham will be a huge blow for the club. He kept them competitive in the Premier League with limited resources, and replacing him will not be easy.