Mauricio Pochettino is in advanced talks with Chelsea over the club’s vacant managerial role, a source familiar with the situation divulged to ESPN on Tuesday. Chelsea is expected to replace interim boss Frank Lampard with a permanent manager at the end of the season.
Pochettino, who has previously managed fellow Premier League clubs Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, last worked as the manager of Paris Saint-Germain prior to being dismissed from the role at the end of last season.
Chelsea’s plan is believed to allow Lampard to continue managing the team until the conclusion of the current season, thereby giving the new manager time to build the Blues’ squad during the summer. According to sources, Pochettino is confident that the job at Chelsea will suit him, particularly since it will give him the opportunity to build a young squad of players that can adapt to his style of football.
Former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann was previously regarded as a favorite for the position alongside Pochettino, he dropped out of the running, thereby leaving Pochettino as a clear frontrunner for the role. While former Barcelona and Spain coach Luis Enrique was considered, his appointment was not considered beyond exploratory discussions.
