AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini could be poised to join the backroom staff at Chelsea, BBC Sport understands.

A deal would mean the veteran Italian, who spent his 25-year career at the San Siro, teaming up again with coach Carlo Ancelotti, who left Milan for Chelsea.

The 40-year-old left-back, who only quit playing at the end of the 2008-09 season, won seven Serie A titles and five Champions League trophies.

Talks are understood to be ongoing, although a role has not been specified.

BBC Radio 5 live's senior football reporter, Ian Dennis, said: "I understand that a high-level meeting took place between Carlo Ancelotti, Paolo Maldini and Roman Abramovich at Chelsea's training ground on Friday.

"There's been talk of him being either a general manager or a joint-assistant coach alongside Ray Wilkins, but at the moment any role for Madini is unspecified.

"He's only just retired from a glittering career and it's a question of whether he is willing to embark straight away into a coaching career, but it seems clear that Ancelotti wants him as part of his backroom staff."

Maldini, who made more than 900 appearances for Milan and a record 126 for Italy, speaks good English and is thought to be unhappy with the lack of opportunities at the San Siro since his retirement.
Ancelotti has agreed to work with current Chelsea coach Wilkins, who speaks Italian, but he is also thought to want to bring in a fellow countryman.

And with Chelsea still looking to replace defensive coach specialist Steve Clarke, who joined Gianfranco Zola at West Ham earlier this year, Maldini could fit the bill.

He would be an excellent addition to the backroom staff, hope the deal gets sorted out. And if we get in a defensive injury crisis...he's not that old is he?

Maldini linked to role at Chelsea

maldini to chelsea??
i would welcome the great legend..
but a great does not mean a great coach..
but i think he will be a good addition to our backroom staff..
hope he will be our assistant manager.. i dont really like wilkins..
chelsea sure miss steve clarke.. he is really good..

i think wilkins r doing a good job this season for the team..

I saw the reaction of guus hiddink after the fa cup final..seems he want to tribute the victory to wilkins as well..

steve clarke indeed we missed him

He would be an excellent addition to the backroom staff, hope the deal gets sorted out. And if we get in a defensive injury crisis...he's not that old is he?

Is there a rule that says we cannot use backroom staff as defenders?  If JT and Alex injured, we might need him as backup defender.

maldini to chelsea??
i would welcome the great legend..
but a great does not mean a great coach..
but i think he will be a good addition to our backroom staff..
hope he will be our assistant manager.. i dont really like wilkins..
chelsea sure miss steve clarke.. he is really good..

i want new signings within 24 hours !!

So desperate duh

Please be specific about disliking Wilkins. I am sure that the others true blues would love to know as well.

bcause at first during scolari he is like doing nothing.. then only can see he is really working under hiddink..
its not that i dont like him.. but i prefer Steve Clarke..

we need to inject more pacey players into the squad ASAP 

Do you actually know why Wilkins was like 'doing nothing' under Big Phil's reign? It's is because he is being discarded in favour of Big Phil's trusty assistant of so many years, Flavio Teixeira. The hiring of Wilkins is purely as a PR guy for Chelsea. We all know Big Phil can't speak English for nuts, so he rely 100% on Wilkins to do the talking during post match conferences most of all the time. And Big Phil has never ever included Wilkins in his tactics discussion so how can he do anything if your own boss decided to ignore you?