Exclusive – Frank Leboeuf: Jose Mourinho was perfect for Chelsea, but he shouldn’t return

Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has told talkSPORT that Jose Mourinho shouldn’t return to the club to replace Rafa Benitez, because he was so good in his previous spell.

With the Spanish interim boss set to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, Roman Abramovich will need to employ his tenth manager in ten years in the summer.

And, as Pep Guardiola is joining Bayern Munich in July, options could be thin on the ground for the Russian owner resulting in him possibly rehiring the Portuguese gaffer.

Asked if the current Real Madrid supremo should be Abramovich’s number one choice, Leboeuf replied: “It’s tricky. I really like Jose Mourinho. I think he was the perfect coach and the best one for Chelsea.

“[But] I don’t think it is a very good idea to take somebody who has been so successful [at Chelsea] because you can’t get something better than you got [before].

“Pep Guardiola was maybe the right one but he’s going to go to Bayern Munich.”