CHELSEA will confirm Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach this week.
Blues bosses believe the former Tottenham boss can turn the club around after a disastrous first season for the new regime.
A verbal agreement was struck with the Pochettino at the end of last month, and now the Blues have now officially agreed terms with the Argentine.
Pochettino, 51, had been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
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 Prem games in charge.
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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.
Many Spurs fans wanted a return to North London for Pochettino after the club’s struggles since his departure in 2019.
His old club are still working through a shortlist that no longer includes Julian Nagelsmann.
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Tottenham are thought to be looking at Feyenoord’s Arne Slot, ex-Spain manager Luis Enrique, Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi and Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso.
Pochettino will become Chelsea owner Todd Boehly’s fifth boss since taking over at Stamford Bridge last year.
Graham Potter was sacked 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.
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 is desperately trying to steady the ship having lost six and winning just one of his eight games in his second spell in charge of the club.
While Spaniard Bruno Saltor filled in for one game before Lampard’s return.
The Blues’ dire season was summed up on Saturday when they were held to a 2-2 draw by relegation battlers Nottingham Forest.
Pochettino’s summer will be spent rooting out the deadwood at Stamford Bridge and bringing in the players he’s earmarked for his West London revolution.
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And he will likely be backed to the hilt by spend-happy Boehly – who has visions of restoring a Blues dynasty.
Chelsea will be back in action a week on Sunday, travelling to the Etihad to take on defending Premier League champions Manchester City.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
