In a significant development for English football, Chelsea Football Club has reached an agreement with former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino to become their new manager. Pochettino is expected to join the club during the summer, while Frank Lampard will continue as the interim manager until the end of the current season.
The 51-year-old Argentine, who previously managed Southampton as well, has been without a managerial position since Paris St-Germain replaced him with Christophe Galtier in the summer of 2022. Pochettino gained prominence during his five-year tenure at Tottenham from 2014, leading the team to the memorable Champions League final in 2019.
Pochettino’s appointment will make him Chelsea’s sixth permanent manager in just five years, following the sackings of Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter earlier this season. Lampard assumed the interim managerial role at the start of April after Potter’s dismissal.
Chelsea has faced a challenging season, enduring defeats to Manchester City in the third rounds of both the FA Cup and League Cup. Their hopes of European qualification were dashed when they lost to Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Currently positioned 11th in the Premier League, the team has struggled, securing only one victory in their last 11 games, suffering eight defeats.
Pochettino was previously linked with a potential return to Tottenham after their separation from Antonio Conte in March. During his tenure at Spurs, he guided the club to the League Cup final in 2015 and a runner-up finish in the Premier League during the 2016-17 season, narrowly missing out on both trophies to Chelsea.
Following his successful stint at Tottenham, Pochettino took charge of Paris St-Germain in January 2021, succeeding Tuchel. PSG finished as runners-up in Ligue 1 at the end of the 2021-22 campaign but secured the Coupe de France and the Trophee des Champions, marking Pochettino’s first managerial silverware.
Pochettino began his managerial career at Espanyol before enjoying a 16-month spell at Southampton. His wealth of experience and tactical acumen make him an intriguing prospect to lead Chelsea forward, and fans eagerly await his arrival to steer the club in a new direction.
