Mauricio Pochettino has left Chelsea by mutual consent just one year into his contract. Pochettino held talks with Chelsea officials on Monday and Tuesday as part of an end-of-season review. With pressure growing, he had said recently that he may walk away, and the two parties have decided to part company with one year remaining on his contract.
Sources have indicated that relations remain “amicable” and that Pochettino is welcome back at Stamford Bridge at any time. The Argentine has had a difficult first season but results had improved towards the end of it and the club finished sixth in the Premier League, as well as reaching the Carabao Cup final and semi-finals of the FA Cup. His backroom staff, consisting of Jesus Perez, Miguel d’Agostino, Toni Jimenez and his son Sebastiano, have also departed with him.
Chelsea are expected to turn to a coach that has a clear and attractive style, philosophy and identity to take the club forward. Ruben Amorim and Kieran McKenna have emerged as two potential targets. Read Next My Premier League team of the season, featuring one player per club Amorim, 39, has just led Sporting Lisbon to a second Primeira Liga title in four years, while McKenna, 38, has guided Ipswich Town from League One to the Premier League in two seasons, with two second-place finishes.
The next manager will become Chelsea’s sixth in two years since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over. Thomas Tuchel was the first manager sacked, followed by Graham Pot.
