Ferguson ‘was offered Chelsea job’

CHELSEA boss Claudio Ranieri’s position appeared seriously undermined yesterday after it was claimed that Alex Ferguson was approached during the summer to take over his job.

According to reports, Ferguson was sounded out shortly after Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s takeover at Chelsea, but the United boss rejected the overtures and said yesterday it would take “something catastrophic” to make him leave Old Trafford.

The news casts more doubt on Ranieri’s long-term future at Chelsea, with England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson also having been linked with the Stamford Bridge job.