Former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann is "edging the race" to become Chelsea's next boss, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Have Chelsea found their next manager?

The Blues have been a mess this season, sitting in the bottom half of the Premier League and finding themselves with nothing to play for the rest of the campaign. Their Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madrid on Tuesday ended any hopes of silverware, not that progression past the reigning European champions ever felt overly likely.

Frank Lampard has now lost all four matches since replacing Graham Potter, and it is clear that the 44-year-old has almost no chance of being Chelsea's manager beyond this summer. Instead, the search to find his successor is ongoing, with a host of top names thought to be in the running.

Nagelsmann has been at the forefront of many recent reports, with the German recently sacked as Bayern boss, in a move that surprised many. Now, a new update has emerged that further suggests he could the next man in the Stamford Bridge hot seat.

Is Nagelsmann the man to take charge?

Writing in a column for Give Me Sport, Jones revealed that the 35-year-old is in pole position to land the Blues job, though he mentioned Luis Enrique as another strong contender:

"Chelsea are narrowing down their options for the next manager and there is a feeling Julian Nagelsmann is edging the race to come in as boss."

Nagelsmann could be the standout option for Chelsea this summer, considering his reputation as one of the most exciting and talented young managers in the game. He is actually younger than both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but has already managed a club of Bayern's stature, which speaks volumes.

While some could point to inexperience being an issue because of his age, it is only a number and he has already been at a high level for years, even managing Hoffenheim in the Champions League when he had only just turned 30. The one-time Bundesliga champion has also dealt with big egos and characters at Bayern, so dealing with similar at Chelsea shouldn't daunt him.