Former Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers would be the ideal pick as next Chelsea boss, according to former Arsenal star and pundit Paul Merson.

The former Chelsea youth coach was sacked by Leicester City last Sunday and Merson thinks Rodgers is the ideal Chelsea manager, despite the Blues being linked with some big names like Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique.

“I would like to see Brendan Rodgers in at Chelsea. Either Rodgers or Mauricio Pochettino, who would have to get off to a flyer at Stamford Bridge given his previous allegiances with Tottenham. If he lost his first two games, there would be mayhem,” Merson wrote for Sky Sports.

“I’m a big Brendan Rodgers fan. Unfortunately, things have gone horribly wrong at Leicester. In football it all comes down to timing, and let’s be honest, if Leicester were where Brighton are now, everyone would be calling for Rodgers to go to Chelsea.

“Rodgers ticks every box; he plays on the front foot, he started his coaching career at Chelsea and knows the club. But the timing of the Chelsea job coming up this time hasn’t worked in his favour, with him getting the sack at Leicester four hours before Potter was relieved of his duties.

“Chelsea fans will question why they should turn to a manager who has just been sacked by Leicester, but if you look at the all-round picture, Rodgers is a good manager who has worked at top clubs like Liverpool and Celtic, won trophies at Leicester and put them on the brink of Champions League qualification. I just think Rodgers is the one.”