Chelsea appear to be closing in on the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as their next permanent manager. The Argentine’s arrival at Stamford Bridge is good news for Tottenham, despite Spurs fans begging Daniel Levy to reappoint their former manager.
Crucial talks between Chelsea and Pochettino are believed to be taking place this week. Discussions over the coming days are expected to form the basis of a final decision, with the 51-year-old leading the race to replace Graham Potter, who was sacked earlier this month.
Spurs had been linked with an emotional return for Pochettino after sacking Antonio Conte last month. A return to a more progressive style of football with a focus on developing young players made Pochettino a strong contender for the North Londoners – even if he would arrive with plenty of baggage given how badly the final acrimonious months of his tenure spiralled before his sacking in late 2019.
Chairman Levy is reported to have harboured doubts over reappointing Pochettino, despite saying four years ago that he would always be welcome back. Had he desperately wanted the former Paris Saint-Germain boss back in the hot seat, Levy would surely have made a deal possible in late March knowing that Chelsea could soon axe Potter.
But Spurs instead placed Conte’s former assistant, Cristian Stellini, and Ryan Mason in charge until the end of the season. Levy wanted to undertake a thorough search for the next manager and refused to bow to the fans’ demands for Pochettino.
So the much-maligned Spurs chief might be thankful when Chelsea finally get the appointment of Pochettino wrapped up in the coming weeks. For nearly a month, Levy has been in competition with the Blues for a new head coach, fishing in the same pond as his club’s vastly wealthier London rivals.
Chelsea had also considered appointing Julian Nagelsmann or Luis Enrique. Both names, alongside outside candidate Vincent Kompany, have been linked with the Spurs job.
Levy’s options will become much clearer over the coming weeks. Should Chelsea fail to come to an agreement with Pochettino, Spurs could be tempted into going back to the man who has come the closest to bringing regular success to the White side of North London for decades.
However, that seems unlikely. When Pochettino is inevitably appointed by Chelsea, the likes of Nagelsmann, Enrique and even Kompany, who has performed a wonderful job with Burnley this season, are all excellent candidates.
They can all be spoken to without the lingering doubt that Chelsea might jump in and hijack their plans.
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