Despite securing Champions League football for next season and winning the Europa League, it appears that Maurizio Sarri will only last 12 months at Chelsea.

The Italian has been heavily linked with a move back to his home country and the latest reports suggest that he is just days from being announced as the new head coach of Juventus. 

The Blues are now planning for a future without Sarri and they have already drawn up a six-man shortlist to replace him. 

According to the Mirror, those contenders are:

Frank Lampard, ex-Juve manager Massimiliano Allegri, England No.2 Steve Holland, Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, Nuno Espirito Santo and Watford's Javi Gracia.  

There's plenty of strong candidates on that list, but whoever takes over at Stamford Bridge may have a very tough task on their hands. 

Chelsea are currently appealing their two-window transfer ban with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but have not yet asked for the ban to be frozen while they appeal.

That means as of now, they cannot sign any players this summer and if the ban is upheld, they won't be able to buy anyone until the summer of 2020 - which is three windows away.

Even though the club faces transfer limbo and have just lost star man Eden Hazard to Real Madrid, according to the Mirror, the board will still demand Champions League qualification again.  

The competition is worth around £70 million to each club that qualifies and with Financial Fair Play rules so tight, it's critical that the Blues don't fall out of the top four. 

Chelsea have only featured in the Champions League once in the last three seasons and that has been costly to the club - so the top brass will not accept failure to qualify in 2020. 

Whether it's Lampard, Allegri, Holland, ten Hag, Nuno or Garcia, whoever takes over at Stamford Bridge will have their work cut out.