Hiddink to replace Arnesen at Chelsea next summer?

Frank Arnesen was promoted to his role as Sporting director at Chelsea when Guus Hiddink was manager at the club, but now, according to todays Mail, he is likely to be sacked in the summer, and replaced by Hiddink!

The article says: Guus Hiddink is in line for a dramatic return to Chelsea next summer, with Frank Arnesen’s future as sporting director still in doubt.

After an extraordinary week in which chief executive Peter Kenyon left his full-time role to be replaced by Ron Gourlay, Hiddink is now ready to come back as an executive director after he has taken Russia to the World Cup finals.

The return of Hiddink would be enormously popular with fans and players, who warmed to his engaging style in the five months in which he took over the first team last season, which culminated in Chelsea winning the FA Cup.

Hiddink has always said that he might return to Chelsea as an adviser, though only after he has fulfilled his responsibilities with Russia who, under Hiddink’s guidance, are on the verge of qualifying for 2010.

Hiddink’s contract expires in the summer and at that point he will be free to assume a role in the Chelsea boardroom and may even be appointed sporting director to replace Arnesen.

Ironically, Hiddink and Arnesen had a fruitful working relationship at Chelsea last season even though they had fallen out working together at PSV Eindhoven. During Hiddink’s brief tenure at Chelsea, Arnesen was promoted to his role of sporting director.

Hiddink may argue for Arnesen to be retained, though the failure of his youth academy to produce enough players for the first team has made him vulnerable and his job prospects are likely to hinge on the Gael Kakuta case.

Arnesen was instrumental in moving the 16-year-old to Chelsea, which resulted in the club receiving a one-year transfer ban, after being found guilty by FIFA of inducing Kakuta to break his contract.

Obviously all Chelsea fans would love to see Hiddink back at the club, but would that undermine Carlo Ancelotti? If Ancelotti doesn’t win any trophies like he has promised, then we would all like to see him come back as manager, but to have both Hiddink and Ancelotti alongside each other?

I don’t think so!

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