Chelsea Football Club made a significant announcement on Monday, revealing their appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the new manager. Pochettino, the former boss of Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain, has signed a two-year contract with the option for an additional year. He is set to commence his duties on July 1, just ahead of the club’s preseason tour to the United States.
Insiders familiar with the situation informed ESPN that Chelsea engaged in discussions with several candidates following the dismissal of Graham Potter on April 3. However, Pochettino quickly emerged as their preferred choice and has now agreed to work closely with co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stuart. Although the final approval rested with co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, the search process was primarily led by Winstanley and Stuart. They jointly expressed their confidence in Pochettino, stating that his experience, commitment to excellence, leadership qualities, and character make him an ideal fit for Chelsea Football Club’s future endeavors.
Moreover, Chelsea confirmed the composition of Pochettino’s backroom staff, which will include his trusted longtime assistant manager Jesus Perez, as well as first-team coach Miguel D’Agostino, goalkeeping coach Toni Jimenez, and his sports scientist son, Sebastiano.
Co-controlling owners Boehly, Eghbali, Feliciano, Walter, and Wyss conveyed their satisfaction with the thorough and thoughtful process conducted by the sporting team. They expressed their delight in welcoming Pochettino to Chelsea, acknowledging his exceptional track record as a world-class coach. The club’s ownership group is eagerly anticipating his contributions.
Pochettino’s primary task will be to stabilize Chelsea following a challenging season at Stamford Bridge. The team experienced managerial dismissals of both Thomas Tuchel and Potter, resulting in a disappointing 12th-place finish in the Premier League, accumulating just 44 points. This placement marks their lowest in the league since 1994.
For co-controlling owner Todd Boehly, this marks the third managerial appointment since the club’s takeover last year. After one game under coach Bruno Salter, club legend Frank Lampard assumed the caretaker position until the end of the season following Potter’s departure. Unfortunately, Lampard was unable to turn the team’s fortunes around, managing just one victory in 11 games and exiting the Champions League in the quarterfinals against Real Madrid.
Julian Nagelsmann, the former Bayern Munich manager, was among the candidates considered for the managerial role at Chelsea. However, ESPN reported that the 35-year-old withdrew from the race due to frustration with the prolonged process. Sources further indicated that he was never seriously considered for the position.
Following the rapid succession of Tuchel’s sacking and Potter’s appointment within a 24-hour period last September, Chelsea was determined to adopt a more methodical approach this time. Initially, they compiled a list of five to seven potential names, which included former Spain boss Luis Enrique and Burnley manager Vincent Kompany. Gradually, the list was narrowed down, with sources closely associated with Chelsea affirming that Pochettino was the sole candidate with whom advanced negotiations were pursued.
According to insiders, the Argentine coach believes that the project at Stamford Bridge aligns with his aspirations, as it will enable him to develop a young team that embraces his preferred style of play. It is worth noting that Chelsea will face a season without European football for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign when they clinched the Premier League title.
