Chelsea
have held initial talks with Mauricio Pochettino over the manager position
at Stamford Bridge.
It is understood the former Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham coach is one
of five candidates at this stage of the process.
Chelsea have been admirers of Pochettino in the past and enquired about his
availability when Thomas Tuchel left the club in September.
Sky Sports News has been told Pochettino will assess his options in the
summer as he prepares for the right opportunity. The 51-year-old has been
out of work since parting company with PSG in July 2022.
Pochettino has been approached by Real Madrid twice before and has also
turned down several offers in recent months from clubs in various European
leagues.
Neville: Poch the right fit for Boehly's
Chelsea
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville feels Pochettino is the right man to take
charge next on a permanent basis at Stamford Bridge, given the profile of
players Chelsea have signed.
"Based on what [Chelsea co-owner Todd] Boehly has said, Chelsea have done
their spending for the next three years - apart from signing a centre
forward," Neville said on Monday Night Football earlier this month.
"If they appoint Zinedine Zidane, Luis Enrique or Diego Simeone, they're
going to want to have another £300m as they won't like some of the players
they've previously signed.
"They've got to appoint a manager who is going to inherit and like the squad
that they've got - a lot of them are young - and I think that man is
Mauricio Pochettino."
Data study: Why Chelsea, Spurs should
prioritise Pochettino
London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham are on the hunt for a new long-term
manager - and, according to a data analysis team's in-depth study, it is
Pochettino they should prioritise appointing.
With Graham Potter and Antonio Conte recently dismissed, Chelsea are being
led by Frank Lampard until the end of the season, with Cristian Stellini
fulfilling the same role at Spurs.
Both clubs have been linked with a range of different managers - but the
numbers point towards Pochettino as the best option, according to this
team's deep dive into the data.
Former Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim manager Julian Nagelsmann
met Chelsea officials for the first time last week as the club continued
their search for a new manager.
The talks with Nagelsmann are understood to have been positive, though
Chelsea will take their time before appointing a permanent successor to
Potter, with a decision not expected to be imminent.
Nagelsmann: The definitive guide to
Chelsea and Tottenham target
Nagelsmann was labelled a 'PR stunt' at the start of his career. The man who
turned down Real Madrid before turning 31, is now wanted by Chelsea and
Tottenham. Here's the definitive guide to the former Bayern Munich
manager...
'Schnapsidee' - a crackpot idea that could only be fuelled by alcohol -
screamed a headline in the German publication Frankfurter Rundschau. Their
counterparts, Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung, went for the simpler but no less
stinging 'PR stunt.'
It was early 2016 and the local press pack weren't pulling any punches when
Hoffenheim placed a 28-year-old Julian Nagelsmann in charge of their first
team.
Flick on a few years and the youngest permanent manager in Bundesliga
history was turning down Real Madrid before celebrating his 31st birthday.
Let go by Bayern Munich in March - a decision that has split the dressing
room and club legends - he is now wanted by Chelsea and Tottenham.
Nagelsmann will manage in the Premier League - it is only a matter of where
and when. His career has been moulded by personal tragedy that made it easy
to drown out dissenting voices, frame football in perspective, and peel back
before making major decisions.
Chelsea's remaining fixtures
April 26: Brentford (H) - Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm
May 2: Arsenal (A) - Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 6: Bournemouth (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 13: Nottingham Forest (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Manchester City (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Newcastle (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
TBA: Man Utd (A) - Premier League
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