May 30 – Chelsea have appointed former Paris St-Germain and Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager on a two-year contract with an option of a further year.
After finishing 12th in the Premier League – their lowest position for 29 years – the club have turned to the man who transformed the fortunes of Tottenham and is still idolized by the majority of Spurs fans who will find it hard to stomach seeing him appointed by one of their arch-rivals.
Pochettino, 51, turned Tottenham into one of the best teams on Europe and begins his new role at Chelsea on 1 July 2023 with the task of moulding an eye-watering array of expensive individual talent into something resembling a team.
“Mauricio is a world-class coach with an outstanding track record. We are all looking forward to having him on board,” the club said.
“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 Argentine becomes Chelsea’s sixth permanent manager in five years following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter earlier this season, which led to Lampard taking charge on a temporary basis.
He is also the fourth boss of new owner Todd Boehly’s reign after the American took over at Stamford Bridge less than a year ago. Since then, Chelsea have spent more than £550 million on players with their Premier League record of £288 million in January totalling more than all the clubs in the Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 combined.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are still seeking a permanent manager of their own, having reportedly been linked with a number of candidates, none of whom have come to fruition.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734923043labto1734923043ofdlr1734923043owedi1734923043sni@w1734923043ahsra1734923043w.wer1734923043dna1734923043