London club Chelsea has made the first step to preparing for the 2023/2024 season by employing the manager for the club. The Blues announced on Monday that former Southampton and Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino had been employed, confirming the recent reports that the former PSG manager will take over from Frank Lampard at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea endured one of their poorest Premier League seasons after finishing 12th with 44 points in 38 league games, all under three managers Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, and Frank Lampard.

“Mauricio is a world-class coach with an outstanding track record. We are all looking forward to having him on board. Mauricio’s experience, standards of excellence, leadership qualities, and character will serve Chelsea Football Club well as we move forward. He is a winning coach who has worked at the highest levels in multiple leagues and languages. His ethos, tactical approach, and commitment to development all made him the exceptional candidate.” The club’s statement read.

Pochettino is already the fourth manager under American owner Todd Boehly who only took over in July 2022. Furthermore, he is Chelsea’s sixth permanent manager in five years.

The 51-year-old Argentinian has been handed a two-year contract that will take effect from July 1, 2023, with an option of a one-year extension, making it Pochettino’s fourth club in charge in his 14-year-old managerial career.

He will get to work with some of the recently recruited players bought after Boehly’s takeover worth in excess of £550M. Many of them have failed to settle down at the Bridge, with Ukraine winger Mykhailo Mudryk yet to register his first goal for the club.

Argentina and World Cup-winning midfielder Enzo Fernandez is expected to be a big part of the team going forward. Chelsea’s transfer fee of £288M in January beat the Seria A, Bundesliga, French Ligue 1, and La Liga January spending combined.

Daniel Ademiju Idowu