Chelsea agree terms with Pochettino to be new boss: sources

chelsea have agreed terms with Mauricio Pochettino to become the club’s new manager, sources told ESPN.

A contract has not yet been signed, but that is now considered a formality and an official announcement is expected in the coming days.

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Interim boss Frank Lampard will remain in charge with Pochettino taking over at the end of the season.

Pochettino’s backroom staff are expected to include his former assistant, Jesús Pérez, as well as first-team coach Miguel D’Agostino, goalkeeping coach Toni Jiménez and his sports scientist son, Sebastiano.

Although Pochettino, 51, will not formally start work for several weeks, he is expected to discuss summer transfer targets with co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali before what is likely to be a busy window at Stamford Bridge.

The club needs to shed a number of players as there are 31 members in the first-team squad, excluding those who will return to London after loan spells.

Sources have told ESPN that Pochettino will be involved in identifying players deemed to be over-required.

Pochettino has been out of work since he left paris saint germain last year. He was heavily linked with a return to his former club Tottenham after Antonio Conte was sacked, but sources told ESPN he was never officially approached for the role.

Instead, Chelsea put Pochettino on an initial shortlist of five to seven names and gradually narrowed the field after holding a series of talks with various candidates, including Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann.

Nagelsmann withdrew from the race after becoming frustrated with the pace of the process, but Chelsea were determined to pursue a methodical approach, sacking Thomas Tuchel and appointing Graham Potter for two days in September, only to sack Potter less than seven months. after.

Pochettino achieved in Spanish and southampton before a productive five and a half years at Spurs during which he guided the club to a top four finish in four consecutive seasons and the 2019 Champions League final.

However, his first trophy came at PSG, where he won the Coupe de France in May 2021 before winning the league 1 title in the following campaign.

Pochettino faces a tough task restoring Chelsea’s fortunes given that the club has spent around £600m since Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed their takeover last May only to sack two managers en route to a likely half-final. bottom of the season. Premier league.

They sit 11th with three games to play after Saturday. draw 2-2 in nottingham forest.