Frank Arnesen

[the wes 7,212]

The Danish Football Federation may be willing to offer Frank Arnesen a route away from Chelsea after indicating it considers him "a natural candidate" to succeed the current coach, Morten Olsen, when he leaves the national team.

Arnesen, lured controversially from Tottenham Hotspur in 2005 to become chief scout and head of youth development, has come under increasing pressure to justify his £2m-a-year position as Chelsea have struggled to bring through young talent capable of making a mark in the first team.

That has prompted the hierarchy to seek to re-structure their scouting department and recruitment strategy, a process accelerated by the financial climate.

Some 15 members of the club's 25-man scouting network were released last month, including the former Scotland Under-21 coach and Germany international Rainer Bonhoff, with Roman Abramovich and his chief executive, Peter Kenyon, seeking a more focused and deliberate approach in future. The onus has been placed on Arnesen to unearth domestic talent, although the Dane did recently admit he might be tempted to take up a role with his country's national set-up if that opportunity arose.

Denmark top Group One of World Cup qualifying, albeit after only three games, under Olsen but the coach will depart when his contract expires in 2010. His exit would be sooner should the Danes fail to reach the finals in South Africa and the national federation has indicated Arnesen is strongly fancied to be his successor.

"Frank Arnesen is a natural candidate for our discussion," said Jim Stjerne Hansen, the general secretary of the Danish federation.

"It is widely accepted that Frank, along with Morten Olsen, is the Dane who commands the most respect abroad. So I will definitely not rule [an approach] out."

The federation has yet to sound out individuals officially and it is understood that it has yet to speak to Arnesen.

guardian