Chelsea part ways with Mauricio Pochettino despite late Premier League form

Mauricio Pochettino is leaving Chelsea by mutual consent. Pochettino leaves the club after just under a year in command, after agreeing to a two-year contract last summer. Chelsea placed sixth in the English Premier League, marking a significant improvement over the previous year.

The decision comes after a season of doubt surrounding the Argentine coach's status following a rocky start at Stamford Bridge. For much of 2023/24, the squad struggled in mid table until a shift of fate in February propelled them up the table. Prior to the final game of the season, the Blues manager signalled that the choice on his next move would not be solely up to the club.

The former Tottenham Hotspur head coach said, "Look, it is not important. The most important thing is to keep going working if we are all happy, not only the owners happy with us, the sporting directors with us, or us with the organisation the club is building here because then we are all under assessment."

Chelsea FC directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley spoke after the decision was made by the club. They said, "On behalf of everyone at Chelsea, we'd like to express our gratitude to Mauricio for his service this season. He'll be welcome back to Stamford Bridge any time and we wish him all the very best in his future coaching career”.

Who can replace Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea next season? 

Kieran McKenna of Ipswich Town, Sebastian Hoeness of Stuttgart, Michel of Girona, and Enzo Maresca of Leicester City are among the players being considered. McKenna is a popular target for Brighton after Roberto De Zerbi left the club.

Pochettino will become the third permanent manager to leave his position under Clearlake Capital-Boehly ownership, following Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter. The Argentine endured a rough year, but he finished strong. Despite this, he failed to meet expectations and lost his managerial position as a result.