Chelsea owner in contact with Carlo Ancelotti?

Premier League holders Chelsea have reportedly made contact with Carlo Ancelotti over a proposed return to the English top-flight next summer.

The 58-year-old is currently out of work after he was dismissed from the head coach role at Bayern Munich in September due to their underwhelming start to the campaign.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Ancelotti has been approached by both Chelsea and Arsenal with the former considering the position of manager Antonio Conte.

Conte is said to have strained relationship with the Blues' hierarchy since the summer after the club missed out on signing key targets including Fernando Llorente and Alex Sandro whilst also letting Nemanja Matic join fierce rivals Manchester United.

The Blues are currently nine points adrift of leaders Manchester City, and the Italian's position is likely to come under pressure in the coming months, should the club drift further away from the top.

As a result, the Premier League holders appear to be weighing up a potential replacement for next season with Ancelotti the prime candidate on their list.

The former AC Milan boss guided Chelsea to Premier League and FA Cup success during his two-year spell at Stamford Bridge between 2009 and 2011.