LONDON (DF) -- Chelsea stand poised to send shockwaves throughout the footballing world by sacking under-fire manager Carlo Ancelotti and re-appointing revered former boss Jose Mourinho to the job he vacated nearly three and a half years ago.
Sources within the club described a change as "imminent," but refused to speculate whether the managerial realignment would occur before or after Chelsea officially miss out on next season's Champions League to Tottenham and Manchester City.
Real Madrid coach Mourinho has long been rumored as the only possible successor to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, with the Portuguese himself confessing his love for England the English game at every opportunity.
"It's always important for me and my family to be happy and I love English football and my family love England," Mourinho said in January. "In the Premier League we did great things and created history for Chelsea with a great contribution to some great moments in this incredible football country. I have always maintained I will return one day but maybe it will come sooner than I expected."
With Chelsea's struggles in the Premier League well documented and an embarrassing fourth round FA Cup exit at home to Everton now in their back pocket, many senior players feel a change at the top is necessary for the club to push on and attempt to salvage what little is left of their season, echoing concerns from the terraces.
"It should have been us lifting the trophy in Madrid last year," charged one Chelsea supporter outside Stamford Bridge on Saturday, referring to Mourinho's Champions League victory with Inter. "I don't know if we have much chance left for anything with this lot. The way we played against Everton, Copenhagen look like a tough task."
"Hopefully we'll still snag a Europa League place this season," he continued. "That competition seems more at our level."
Chelsea currently sit fifth in the table, two points adrift of Tottenham in the fourth and final Champions League place.
