Mauricio Pochettino: Chelsea edging closer to appointing former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain manager

Mauricio Pochettino’s appointment as Chelsea manager is edging closer and he could be formally announced in the next week.

During negotiations, Chelsea’s squad size and recruitment have been discussed as well as the make-up of Pochettino’s backroom staff.

Talks have progressed positively in the last few days between both parties but no formal deal has been signed yet.

Interim boss Frank Lampard is expected to be in charge for the remainder of the season.

Chelsea have been admirers of Pochettino in the past and enquired about his availability when Thomas Tuchel left in September.

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The 51-year-old, who has been out of work since parting company with Paris Saint-Germain in July 2022, has been approached by Real Madrid twice before and has also turned down several offers in recent months from clubs in various European leagues.

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The Guardian’s Jonathan Liew and The Telegraph’s Jason Burt debate whether Pochettino would be a good fit for Chelsea

Pochettino frontrunner for Chelsea job | Why he’s the right fit
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Chelsea’s search for a new manager had been reduced to three names, with Pochettino joined on the shortlist by Burnley boss Vincent Kompany and an unnamed third coach.

Former Bayern Munich head coach Julian Nagelsmann was ruled out of the running after holding talks with the club.

The 35-year-old, who was sacked by Bayern last month, was never regarded as the favourite for the job internally.

Friction between the two sides grew as Chelsea officials were determined to carry out thorough due diligence on all of the candidates before making a decision – with the German coach resenting the repeated interviews and requests for information.

Nagelsmann had reservations over the role himself and sensed Chelsea’s varied shortlist reflected a lack of clarity about the direction they want to take.

Neville: Poch the right fit for Boehly’s Chelsea

Image: Pochettino won Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain before leaving last summer

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville feels Pochettino is the right man to take charge on a permanent basis at Stamford Bridge, given the profile of players Chelsea have signed.

“Based on what [Chelsea co-owner Todd] Boehly has said, Chelsea have done their spending for the next three years – apart from signing a centre-forward,” Neville said on Monday Night Football earlier this month.

“If they appoint Zinedine Zidane, Luis Enrique or Diego Simeone, they’re going to want to have another £300m as they won’t like some of the players they’ve previously signed.

“They’ve got to appoint a manager who is going to inherit and like the squad that they’ve got – a lot of them are young – and I think that man is Mauricio Pochettino.”

Analysis: Why Pochettino is the right fit for Chelsea

Sky Sports News senior reporter Melissa Reddy:

Chelsea have spent £600m on players and need a manager that can properly mine that investment. It is why Mauricio Pochettino is the frontrunner for the vacancy.

The memory remains so vivid, that Adam Lallana can recall every detail. The midfielder described it as “an awakening” when Pochettino first walked into Southampton’s dressing room in January 2013 to give his introductory address ahead of a training session.

The Argentine had only undertaken a two-hour English lesson booked by his wife at that point, but possessed a magnetic pull. “He was sharp,” Lallana noted. “He looked the part, he spoke with passion despite the language barrier. There was so much energy in the room and an immediate connection. The lads were all buzzing to play for him – and were desperate to know what fragrance he used!”

Pochettino has a habit of not just making a strong first impression on his players as a manager, but a lasting one.

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Sky Sports News senior reporter Melissa Reddy explains how Pochettino has become the frontrunner to become Chelsea manager and believes the move makes sense for both parties

At Espanyol, a club he saved from relegation against all logic, Philippe Coutinho was transformed from an Inter castaway to a stunning playmaker who would directly and indirectly contribute to Liverpool’s golden period under Jurgen Klopp. “Mauricio gave me a lot of confidence,” the Brazilian would say. “He helped me believe in myself and become the player I am.”

Over at Tottenham, Pochettino’s influence on Harry Kane – the fourth striker when he arrived – is well documented. He convinced Spurs to stick with Heung-Min Son when the club wanted to twist, and his rebuilding of Ryan Mason – the player plus person – went above and beyond.

Even in the grandiose Paris Saint-Germain show, where egos run amok, Pochettino was able to solidly steer the dressing room. There were no major public fall-outs during his spell, unlike the spats that coloured the periods before and after.

Pochettino is a players’ manager; disarming then developing them. He offers a journey to buy into, a subscription to the collective good. “I look in people’s eyes and it becomes easy to connect,” he told this writer. “I believe people can perceive what you are about and that first impressions are big – you need to be strong and honest and people will relate to that. Players need to feel how you work and trust in you.”

Read Melissa Reddy’s full feature here…