CHELSEA have finally announced Mauricio Pochettino as the club’s new manager.
The former Tottenham manager has been locked in talks with owner Todd Boehly as the West London club searched for Graham Potter’s replacement.
A verbal agreement was struck at the end of April, and now the Blues have confirmed the 51-year-old as boss.
Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, 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.”
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Owners Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali, José E. Feliciano, Mark Walter and Hansjörg Wyss added: “The sporting team conducted a diligent and thoughtful process that the Board is proud of.
“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 had been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
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He is one of the most successful and popular managers in recent times at Spurs, Chelsea’s bitter London rivals, despite failing to win a trophy with the club.
He averaged 1.89 points per game – the most for any Tottenham boss in Premier League history with a minimum of 38 Premier League games in charge.
The ex-Southampton chief capped off his five-year stint at White Hart Lane by leading Spurs to the 2019 Champions League final, where they lost to Liverpool.
But he was sacked just months later following a poor start to the next campaign before eventually taking over at PSG in January 2021, winning the Coupe de France and Ligue 1 prior to his departure.
Potter was sacked by Chelsea in April despite being hired on a five-year deal worth £12m-a-year.
He was appointed after Boehly sacked Champions League-winning manager Thomas Tuchel following a poor start to the season.
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Potter won seven of his 22 Premier League matches in charge of the club, drew seven and lost eight.
Chelsea are in a mess after Boehly splashed out £330m on new signings in January, taking their total spending this season well clear of £600m.
Interim boss Frank Lampard won just one match in charge of the Blues as they ended the season 12th with their lowest ever Premier League points total.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
