Who will succeed John Terry as Chelsea captain?

Blues talisman Terry was again missing from Guus Hiddink's side as they came from behind to beat Southampton at St Mary's on Saturday. And those rare glimpses of what Chelsea might be like in the time after Terry leaves are becoming more frequent – with manager Guus Hiddink admitting the timing of his recovery in conjunction with the looming return of Paris Saint-Germain to Stamford Bridge is "very, very tight."

Chelsea have had to search for leadership elsewhere - something generally considered to be in short supply within the club.

Assuming Terry does move on at the end of the season it will be for the new manager, at this stage looking likely to be Antonio Conte, to decide who attempts to fill his sizeable boots. But Hiddink appears to at least be preparing a handover file on that subject – with six names on a shortlist.

The most likely of those seems to be Branislav Ivanovic. For one thing, the St Mary's goal hero has the benefit of incumbency, being deputy to Terry.

Ivanovic is very different to Terry, and those around the club will have to get used to the reality that there can be no like-for-like replacement for a man who is simply irreplaceable. But he has a number of the attributes that have made Terry so successful.

He is an experienced leader on the international stage, and though Hiddink says of the Serbian "he's not a big shouter", he has praised him for what he calls his "short commands" – geeing-up both team and crowd, giving orders for set pieces and plays. And he has that ingrained quality that enables him to rise to the occasion, and set a great example, exactly when it is needed.

He has just been given a year's contract extension, and at the age of 32 is probably only an interim option for the armband, but there would be few better candidates for the position of a sturdy rudder while another option is being groomed. In a game where those who follow in the wake of the strongest leaders often end up being a sacrificial lamb, he has the strength of character to be a fire break between Terry and Chelsea's next captain for the long-term.

On that front, Hiddink's shortlist appears to contain some interesting names. Cesc Fabregas is perhaps the least surprising, having some experience in the captaincy department, though the acceptance of that appointment by the fans may be subject to some debate, owing to the way he is still at least partially seen as an Arsenal man.

The other names identified by the Dutchman are more leftfield, and point to a longer-term plan. Oscar's name was one of he most surprising, with Hiddink this weekend praising his ability to "step up, not just in his personal performance, but organising tactically". Another surprise was Willian, who he banded in with his countryman Oscar in saying, "those guys are gifted by the nature that they take command in this team."

The most unlikely name on the lips of the coach was that of Diego Costa, who apparently, "in his way does a lot of coaching" – though Hiddink, with a little smirk, felt the need to clarify this was "C-O-A-C-H"-ing, not "punching", as suggested by one reporter.

All of these CVs will be on the new boss' desk, along with a final recommendation from the stand-in boss – and one which will probably get more approval from fans than others. A consistent performer, and provider of on-pitch chutzpah, Hiddink praised him for already offering key input into the coaching at the club: Cesar Azpilicueta.

Of course, all of this talk may be academic. Terry may yet be considered a sacrifice too far for the new manager, adding an extra year's extension onto his deal.

Hiddink says Terry's present struggle with injury will not be a deciding factor – though the attempts that have been made to fill his void have, generally, been a success over recent weeks.

Roman Abramovich has changed his mind in such circumstances before – as we saw with the case of Frank Lampard, whose goalscoring record at Villa Park brought an additional season.

It might happen. But the very strong indications are that when Chelsea's new manager enters the club this summer, it will be from Hiddink's shortlist, or his own acquisitions, that a captain will have to be found.