Chelsea players welcome a potential move to appoint former PSG boss as manager – Reports
Chelsea players have exhibited excitement over the prospect of hiring Mauricio Pochettino. The former Paris Saint-Germain boss, who had a good tenure with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, has emerged as the favorite to lead the Blues next season.
The London side have had an extremely poor season. They are currently 11th in the Premier League and have just been knocked out of the Champions League. They sacked UCL-winning manager Thomas Tuchel in September and hired Brighton and Hove Albion's Graham Potter.
The move proved to be disastrous for Chelsea, as Potter oversaw a poor run of form. The 47-year-old was sacked in April after being hired on a five-year-contract. He was replaced by club legend and former manager Frank Lampard on an interim deal.
The Telegraph reports that the players are looking forward to working under Pochettino. Chelsea have been linked with a variety of managers to lead the side for next season. Former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann was considered to be the club's ideal choice, but he pulled out of the race. Former Barcelona man Luis Enrique is also said to be in the running.
The report went on to add that despite Pochettino's ties to Spurs, the club would be happy to bring him in at Stamford Bridge.
The first item on Pochettino's list should he become manager is the daunting task of cutting the squad down. There are currently 31 first-team players after the Blues went on a massive spending spree, splurging over £500 million to sign over 10 players this season.
Chelsea close to competing deal for young midfielder
Chelsea are closing in on a deal for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia. According to Football Insider, the 19-year-old is currently a top priority for the Blues this summer and are looking to fight off competition from other Premier League sides.
Lavia's former owners Manchester City do have a buy-back clause in his contract, but the clause is not set to kick in until the summer of 2024. Thus, the youngster could be on the move in the summer.
Any move for Lavia will be in the range of £45 million, irrespective of whether Southampton can stay in the top flight. The Belgian has been impressive since arriving at St. Mary's Stadium in 2022.
Alongside club-record signing Enzo Fernandez, Lavia could form a strong partnership in midfield for Chelsea as they look to rebuild after a tough season.