Blackburn boss Hughes among bookies' front-runners for Chelsea job (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Blackburn boss Hughes among bookies' front-runners for Chelsea job

9:38am Monday 26th May 2008 in Sport

Blackburn Rovers manager Mark Hughes is one of the front-runners to replace Avram Grant as Chelsea boss, according to bookmakers.

Hughes was last night installed as 8-1 fourth favourite to take over at Stamford Bridge.

Telegraph Sport understands Chelsea have not approached Rovers, and at the moment, stories linking Hughes to a move to London appear to be pure speculation.

Blackburn chiefs are used to Hughes being linked to top clubs, with Newcastle and Spurs being touted in the past year.

The manager himself reiterated just a few months ago that he was happy at Blackburn, and speculation linking him to jobs elsewhere was just a measure of how successful Rovers have been over the past few years.

Former Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard is favourite for the job with leading bookmakers, who made him 2-1 favourite after Grant was sacked on Saturday.

Inter Milan coach is second favourite at 3-1, while Russia coach Guus Hiddink is 5-1.

Hughes is 8-1 alongside Sven Goran Eriksson and Phil Scolari.

Hiddink may have the edge as he is a good friend of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovic, who played a big part in making the Dutchman the new boss of Russia.

Abramovic famously courted Eriksson too when Jose Mourinho left Stamford Bridge earlier this season.

Blackburn's stance will be not to comment on any speculation involving Hughes, unless any type of official approach is made.