Mauricio Pochettino has already given Chelsea an indication ahead of their management search after sacking Thomas Tuchel.
Following a loss to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, Tuchel was relieved of his duties. With losses to Leeds United and Southampton in the league, the Blues haven’t had a convincing start to the season – coming after a hectic summer that saw over 20 players leave the club and six first-team players join the squad.
But the sacking of a manager who brought them a Champions League one year ago will certainly come as a surprise to many just days after the transfer window closed.
Along with Brighton manager Graham Potter, former Spurs boss Pochettino has been named as one of the favourites to take over at Stamford Bridge. The Argentine last managed at PSG, taking over from Tuchel after he left for Chelsea in 2021.
In an interview in 2019, Pochettino was asked if he would ever turn down a job at a rival club of a team he’d managed before, stating that he’d sooner work on his family’s farm than ‘in some places’. However, he specifically named Arsenal and Barcelona, whilst did not rule out a move to Chelsea.
“That is my decision because I prefer to work on my farm in Argentina than in some places. But my commitment is massive to this club. I am working like I am going to be here forever.
“But in the end, it is like the players. You never know what is going to happen in football. It is a lot of rumours about this, about that.”