Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has left his role by mutual consent, the Premier League club have announced; the 52-year-old Argentinian, who had only been in the job for 11 months, guided Chelsea to a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League this season
Pochettino led a youthful Blues side to the Carabao Cup final and FA Cup semi-finals, and despite a season largely of struggles, ended the Premier League campaign with five successive wins to secure European football with a sixth-place finish.
Chelsea ended the previous campaign 12th.
A statement released on Tuesday read: “Chelsea FC can confirm that the club and Mauricio Pochettino have mutually agreed to part ways.”
Pochettino said: “Thank you to the Chelsea ownership group and Sporting Directors for the opportunity to be part of this football club’s history. The club is now well positioned to keep moving forward in the Premier League and Europe in the years to come.”
After a final day win against Bournemouth on Sunday, Pochettino said he did not know whether Chelsea would be conducting a reported end-of-season review to decide his future, but following talks on Monday, a joint decision was taken that he would step down.
The club’s sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: “On behalf of everyone at Chelsea, we would like to express our gratitude to Mauricio for his service this season.
“He will be welcome back to Stamford Bridge any time and we wish him all the very best in his future coaching career.”
Pochettino previously won Ligue 1 during an 18-month spell with Paris Saint-Germain and spent more than five years in charge of Tottenham, reaching the Champions League final in 2019.
Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna, Leicester’s Enzo Maresca, Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness and Girona head coach Michel are among the list of possible replacements, which also includes Brentford boss Thomas Frank.
Pochettino is due to manage the World XI at Soccer Aid for the second year running in early June, with the charity match taking place at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge home.
Managers react to Poch exit Gary O’Neil and Gustavo Poyet are among the managers giving their reaction to the news that Mauricio Pochettino has left Chelsea.
‘History repeating itself as Pochettino departs’
Sky Sports’ chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:
“We all know Mauricio Pochettino had quite a difficult season at Stamford Bridge, but it appeared as though things had changed. Results had got better, the fans felt a connection with him, and the team.
“But the season ended and Mauricio had a meeting with the two sporting directors at Chelsea, and they decided after talks to sleep on it. But ultimately both sides felt that going forward they couldn’t make it work, they were on different paths.
“Pochettino revealed he had dinner with Todd Boehly recently and that had gone well, but behind the scenes there has been some doubt. Chelsea are such a big club, politically there is a lot going on.
“Chelsea believe they are a Champions League club. For a variety of reasons, they’ve not met that target. There are no hard feelings between the owners and Mauricio Pochettino, the players like him, and fans like him too.
“It’s a job that takes time. Chelsea managers don’t get a lot of time and it seems like history is repeating itself under the new ownership.”
‘It’s madness’ – Merson stunned by Poch news
‘I cannot believe Poch has gone’Paul Merson claims Chelsea allowing Mauricio Pochettino to leave the club by mutual consent is ‘madness’.
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson:
“Cannot believe he’s gone. Who is making these decisions?
“How are you going to replace him? He’s just got this team playing. Finished sixth, got into Europe. It’s madness.
“I cannot believe what I’m hearing.”
Why has Poch left now and who is next in line?
Sky Sports’ chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:
“Pochettino had one year left on his deal and terms of his contract will be honoured.
“One issue was that Chelsea are in the Club World Cup next June (2025) and that is when his contract ends.
Who next for Chelsea? Kaveh Solhekol reveals that out of respect for departing manager Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea haven’t approached any potential replacements and their search for a new manager is only just commencing.
“So, Chelsea and Pochettino both had to decide whether to agree a new deal now or go their separate ways.
“Chelsea couldn’t go into next season with a manager whose contract was going to run out during the Club World Cup.
“Chelsea’s leadership group respect the job Pochettino has done and relations were left amicably – they have not been going behind Pochettino’s back and speaking to other managers.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein suggested that a replacement for Mauricio Pochettino will be in place within days not weeks at Chelsea.
“The likes of Thomas Tuchel, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte are not being considered.
“They want a dynamic coach to work within a structure that is settled and bedded in.
“Pochettino will be in demand this summer and he will be tempted to take a big job if he is offered one.
“Man United have tried to get him several times.”
