The 39-year-old played for the Blues in the 1999/2000 season and as a manager led Monaco to the 2004 Champions League final before guiding Juventus back to Serie A after they had been relegated following the match-fixing scandal.

However, he resigned in May 2007 and has now told Monaco-based radio station RMC: "Three or four managers are on the list and I am one of them. It would be hard to refuse Chelsea. I want to return to coaching."

He added: "I needed to rest, but I feel capable of achieving good things now."

Meanwhile, Chelsea's assistant coach Henk ten Cate insists he still has a future at Stamford Bridge following Grant's departure.

The Dutchman's position has been in the spotlight ever since the 53-year-old Israeli was shown the door on Saturday.

But he told Voetbal International: "Half an hour before Chelsea made the message about Grant officially known, I was called by the chief executive Peter Kenyon.

"He informed me that the departure of Grant will not affect me. I'd rather go on that (than speculation). I have a contract until 2010."