Chelsea hire ex-Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino as manager after lengthy recruitment process

Chelsea have appointed Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager from the start of the 2023-24 season.

The club’s lengthy search for a permanent successor to Graham Potter concluded with the Premier League side opting for the former Tottenham manager on a two-year contract, with a club option of a further year.

“We are delighted that Mauricio will be joining Chelsea. Mauricio is a world-class coach with an outstanding track record. We are all looking forward to having him on board.”

Pochettino had been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain last year.

His name was at the top of Chelsea’s shortlist, which was reportedly cut down to three alongside Burnley manager Vincent Kompany and one unnamed candidate. Former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann withdrew from the process.

“Mauricio’s experience, standards of excellence, leadership qualities and character will serve Chelsea Football Club well as we move forward,” said co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.

“He is a winning coach, who has worked at the highest levels, in multiple leagues and languages. His ethos, tactical approach and commitment to development all made him the exceptional candidate.”

However, he was unable to stop the team’s slump as they finished 12th in the Premier League.

Pochettino led PSG to the Ligue 1 title in his first full season following a summer where the club signed Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos and Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The French giants finished 15 points clear of second-placed Marseille, but the club’s Champions League exit to Real Madrid in the last 16 was a key factor in the decision for Pochettino to leave the French capital.

Pochettino is best known to football fans in England for his time at Tottenham.

He led the club to a Champions League final in 2019 and a League Cup final in 2015. Tottenham were also in contention for the Premier League title in the 2015-16 season but missed out to eventual champions Leicester.

The Argentine had a win percentage of 54.27% from his 293 games in charge from 2014 to 2019, but was sacked in November 2019 when the club sat 14th in the Premier League table.