Carlo Ancelotti would prefer a return to the English Premier League to continue his management career after being sacked by Bayern Munich.
The 58-year-old Italian was expected to leave Bayern at the end of this season, with Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann lined up to replace him, but was dismissed this week after months of growing discontent at the club.
That culminated in the 3-0 Champions League defeat away to Ancelotti's former club, Paris Saint-Germain, with Bayern's chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge saying: "The performance of our team since the start of the season did not meet the expectations we put on them."
Ancelotti's assistant, the former Bayern defender and French international Willy Sagnol, was put in charge at Bayern.
The writing has been on the wall for Ancelotti for some time despite him winning the German title last season, his first at the club, with Bayern only reaching the last eight of the Champions League and the semifinals of the German Cup. Bayern are currently third in the Bundesliga.
Ancelotti, with his outstanding record, having won league titles in Italy, England, France, Spain and Germany, and the Champions League three times as a coach, will certainly be in demand.
It is understood that Ancelotti would still like to return to England, if the right club becomes available, having spent two seasons at Chelsea where he became the first manager there to win the league and FA Cup double.
West Ham United did make contact with Ancelotti before they hired Slaven Bilic as their manager and with Bilic in the final year of his contract and under pressure, it could be that they move for him once again.
Manchester United were keen to hire the Italian as first Alex Ferguson's replacement and then after David Moyes was sacked, but José Mourinho is in a rock-solid position...