"Has been spoken about internally" - Journalist claims Chelsea are considering appointing UCL winning coach as Mauricio Pochettino's successor
Chelsea are considering appointing former Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick as Mauricio Pochettino's successor. That's according to football journalist Ben Jacobs, who claims that the subject has already been discussed internally at Stamford Bridge.
Mauricio Pochettino has endured a difficult start to life at Chelsea following his appointment last summer. The Blues have struggled with consistency since his arrival and currently languish in 11th position in the Premier League table.
According to Jacobs, the club are weighing the possibility of luring German tactician Hansi Flick, who won the Champions League with Bayern Munich in the 2019-2020 season, to Stamford Bridge.
He claimed that there was already an internal discussion on the subject but clarified that the move wasn't to replace Mauricio Pochettino immediately but to establish a relationship in case they need to make a managerial change in the future.
"When we hear a lot of these names linked with Chelsea, it doesn't mean they're going behind Pochettino's back and offering somebody a job, which would suggest that they're done with him," Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT. "It means that Chelsea are forging relationships, they're tracking people, and they're aware of who is out there in the market.
"So if they have to make a change, whether that's this summer, or whether that's in years to come, they have the right relationships, they have the right Intel, they have the right data, and the people that they might bring on board are well aware of the Chelsea project as well. That's just smart. Within that context, Hansi Flick is one name that could come under consideration, and has been spoken about internally as part of normal succession planning."
The journalist further explained that there were other managers on Chelsea's radar, adding that the Blues are still hoping that Mauricio Pochettino gets things right at Stamford Bridge.
"There are several others that Chelsea are discussing, but not in the sense of an emergency meeting to find a replacement for Pochettino, more in case they have to make a change and to ensure that there's no managerial limbo, whilst at the same time hoping it can still work with Pochettino," he stated.
The Londoners managed to secure a hard-fought 4-2 win over Leicester City in their FA Cup quarterfinal game on Sunday, March 17. Up next, they'll take on Burnley in the Premier League on March 30.
How has Mauricio Pochettino fared at Chelsea so far?
Since taking charge of affairs at Stamford Bridge in the summer, Mauricio Pochettino has overseen 39 games across all competitions, recording 20 victories, seven draws and 12 defeats.
Under the Argentine coach, the Blues have scored 77 goals and conceded 57. They made it to the final of the EFL Cup but were unlucky to lose the trophy to Liverpool following a 1-0 loss back in February.
They've also made it into the semifinals of the FA Cup where they'll face Manchester City. They are currently placed at 11th in the league table with 39 points and 11 games to go.