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Chelsea part ways with head coach Mauricio Pochettino after just 11 months in charge.
The 52-year-old returned to the Premier League after an 18-month spell in France with Paris Saint-Germain, looking to turnaround a Blues side wounded following a 12th-placed finish in the 2022-23 season.
Pochettino’s Chelsea started slowly but bounced back admirably in the second half of this season to clinch a spot on the continental stage, ending up sixth in the Premier League, just three points behind Tottenham Hotspur in fifth.
The vast majority of the Blues’ squad – alongside the head coach – has been in line for criticism at points in the campaign, apart from summer arrival Cole Palmer.
The former Manchester City man was a shining light in a difficult period for Chelsea, finishing with 22 top-flight goals, trailing only Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race.
According to The Telegraph, Chelsea have parted ways with head coach Pochettino by mutual consent following the conclusion of the 2023-24 campaign.
The report claims that the club’s sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart – alongside co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali – told the Argentine boss of the decision late on Tuesday morning.
Pochettino had been involved in a number of meetings with the Chelsea hierarchy on Monday and Tuesday, reviewing the progress on the pitch during the concluded season.
With the 52-year-old leaving the club one year into a two-year contract, he is expected to receive a significant compensation package once the finances are settled.
There is understood to be ‘no bad blood’ between the two parties, with Chelsea’s rise towards the European places in the final stages of the season appreciated by the club.
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