Chelsea have appointed Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach, the Premier League club have announced. The 51-year-old Argentine has signed a two-year contract with the option of a further year, and will take over from Graham Potter, who was dismissed at the start of April after less than seven months in charge. Pochettino has been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2022.
“Chelsea Football Club is pleased to confirm Mauricio Pochettino will become head coach of the men’s team from the beginning of the 2023/24 season,” Chelsea said in a statement. “Mauricio’s staff will include Jesus Perez, Miguel d’Agostino, Toni Jimenez and Sebastiano Pochettino.” Follow us to get the latest in sports and football handicap today!
The former Tottenham Hotspur boss is known for his attacking style of play, and his appointment is seen as a major coup for Chelsea. Pochettino has a proven track record of developing young players, and he will be tasked with getting the best out of Chelsea’s talented squad. He will also be expected to challenge for the Premier League title, which Chelsea have not won since 2017.
“The sporting team conducted a diligent and thoughtful process that the Board is proud of,” Chelsea owners, including Todd Boehly, said in a joint-statement. “We are delighted that Mauricio will be joining Chelsea. Mauricio is a world-class coach with an outstanding track record. We are all looking forward to having him on board.”
Pochettino began his coaching career at Espanyol in 2009, and he was appointed manager of Southampton in 2013. He enjoyed a successful spell at Southampton, and he was named Premier League Manager of the Year in 2014. Pochettino was then appointed manager of Tottenham Hotspur in 2014, and he quickly established himself as one of the best coaches in the Premier League.
He led Tottenham to the Champions League final in 2019, and he was sacked in November 2019 after a poor start to the season. Pochettino then joined Paris Saint-Germain in January 2021, and he won Ligue 1 in his first season in charge. However, he was sacked in the summer of 2022 after failing to win the Champions League.
Last year, Paris Saint-Germain sacked Pochettino after 18 months at the Parc de Frances. He won the 2020-21 Coupe de France, the 2020 Trophée des Champions and the Ligue 1 title last season with PSG following his appointment in January 2021. However, he failed to earn the Champions League after losing to Manchester City in the semis.
Following Pochettino’s appointment, Frank Lampard, who led Chelsea as an interim coach until the end of the season following Potter’s sacking, has confirmed to have left the club. Chelsea finished 12th in the Premier League – the first time they finished in the bottom half for 27 years. The Blues ended the season without a trophy and will not play in Europe next season.
