Former Nigeria captain has tipped his ex-Chelsea teammate to become the club's next permanent manager following the dismissal of Liam Rosenior.
Rosenior was sacked last week after a run of five Premier League defeats without scoring, including a 3-0 loss to Brighton, just four months after replacing Enzo Maresca in January. Chelsea have placed academy coach Calum McFarlane in interim charge, and he oversaw a 1-0 FA Cup semi-final win over Leeds United.
Mikel Obi made the recommendation on The Obi One Podcast as Chelsea weigh up several candidates, including Cesc Fabregas and Andoni Iraola. He argued it would be too early for Fabregas to take the Stamford Bridge job. Instead, he praised Luis for the clear identity shown by his Flamengo side at the Club World Cup. "He is a fantastic manager and his team played fantastic football in the Club World Cup and had an objective of how they wanted to play. There was a clear structure, playing with purpose, that's how you know someone can become a top manager," Mikel Obi said, adding that Luis would be his pick.
Luis, 40, has emerged as a surprise contender after winning multiple trophies with Flamengo and posting a win rate close to 70 percent. He was named South American Coach of the Year and is admired for his attacking, organised style.