Inter's Mancini is lined up to take Grant job

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Mancini, 43, who will win his third straight Serie A title today if Inter beat Parma, has emerged as favourite to take over at Stamford Bridge ahead of Frank Rijkaard, who has left Barcelona.

Mancini is regarded as having the right profile for Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, being young but experienced and a serious yet charismatic coach.

For all Grant's success in steering the club to their first Champions League final, against Manchester United in Moscow on Wednesday, Abramovich wants to reclaim the Premier League title from United.

News of the Mancini link has emerged at an awkward time for Grant as he prepares for Wednesday's game, which will be the biggest in Chelsea's history and probably his last as firstteam manager. The Israeli remains well-liked by Abramovich, who wants to keep him within the organisation.

Mancini tried to resign from Inter after his side were eliminated from the Champions League by Liverpool earlier this season but he was persuaded to stay on by club president Massimo Moratti.

However, Moratti is believed to have lined up the former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho for next season and, with Mancini's agents alerting the football world to his availability, a well-placed source says Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has been in contact.

The former Italy international striker would come with the seal of approval of Sven Goran Eriksson, who recommended players to Abramovich when the Russian first took over at Chelsea and was once lined up to be manager himself.

Eriksson is a great admirer of Mancini, whom he coached at Sampdoria and Lazio before encouraging then Leicester boss Peter Taylor to sign him in 2001 at the end of his playing career.