Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is leaning on Serbian agent Vlado Lemic in his search for a new manager.

The Times says Lemic is understood to have played an important role in setting up meetings between the West London club's owner and Carlo Ancelotti, the AC Milan coach, and with Luciano Spalletti, the AS Roma coach, last week and will continue to advise the Chelsea owner until the process is complete.

Lemic is believed to have become close to Abramovich in recent months as a result of the patronage of Piet de Visser, the owner's personal scout, and Frank Arnesen, Chelsea's director of scouting and youth development.

Working with his brother, Zoran, and several agents in South America, Lemic also represented Alcides and Alex, two Brazilian defenders, in deals funded by Chelsea, before taking the latter to West London last summer, and was also involved in the signing of Branislav Ivanovic, the Serbia defender, from CSKA Moscow in January.