Chelsea Football Club has confirmed that Mauricio Pochettino will become head coach of the men’s team from the beginning of the 2023/24 season.
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Chelsea Football Club is pleased to announce Mauricio Pochettino as the club’s new head coach!
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 29, 2023
Pochettino, 51, signed a two-year deal with the option of a further year and will start work on July 1 ahead of the club’s preseason tour to the United States.
In a statement released by the club, 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.”
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.”
Chelsea had reportedly reached out to several coaches including Julian Nagelsmann and Luís Enrique during the search, and while Nagelsmann dropped out of the race because he was not able to buy into the prospect of bringing Chelsea back to greatness, Pochettino showed otherwise.
The 51-year-old has several seasons of Premier League experience having managed Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, in addition to coaching in Spain and France.
He was most recently in charge at Paris Saint-Germain and guided the club to a Ligue 1 title and the Coupe de France.
Mauricio’s staff will include Jesus Perez, Miguel d’Agostino, Toni Jimenez and Sebastiano Pochettino.
Pochettino is tasked with steadying Chelsea following a torrid season at Stamford Bridge that has seen the dismissal of managers Thomas Tuchel and Potter and ended with the club finish 12th in the Premier League on 44 points — their lowest finish since 1994.
Pochettino is the third managerial appointment made by co-controlling owner Todd Boehly following the club’s takeover last year.
After coach Bruno Salter took charge for one game, club legend Frank Lampard was appointed as caretaker boss until the end of the season following Potter’s departure but was unable to improve their fortunes, winning just one of his 11 games in charge and exiting the Champions League at the quarterfinal stage to Real Madrid.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
