"It was the perfect mix" - Manchester United star comments on the coaching of Chelsea managerial target Mauricio Pochettino
Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen has touched on Mauricio Pochettino's coaching methods as the latter edges closer to becoming Chelsea's next permanent manager.
Pochettino has become the Blues' top managerial candidate to replace Graham Potter, who was sacked in March. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that talks are in the final stages for the Argentine to arrive at Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.
The potential new Chelsea manager has previously coached their cross-city rivals Tottenham Hotspur. It was there that Eriksen played under the Argentine and he has brought to light the type of coach Pochettino is. He told Manchester United's official website that he learned a lot under his regime:
“I had Poch for a lot longer than the other managers and I think what we did and what we created with him, the team we had was incredible. So, learning wise, I did learn from Poch."
Eriksen then touched on Pochettino's training methods, claiming that Spurs had more of the ball in matches than in training:
"You’d have the ball less in training than before but have the ball a lot more in the games. With him, there was a lot of tough training, a lot of running, which is important for the physical part. We were a young side so, for us, it was the perfect mix and, just in the game, to play free."
The Danish midfielder enjoyed five seasons under Pochettino at Tottenham. He made 255 appearances across competitions, scoring 58 goals and providing 76 assists.
Pochettino was a hit at Spurs, guiding them to the 2019 UEFA Champions League final. He oversaw 160 wins in 293 games while in charge of the north Londoners.
The Argentine tactician now looks set to become Chelsea's manager. He will be tasked with trying to compete with the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool at the top of English football. However, his first task will be to galvanize a beleaguered Blues side. They sit 11th in the league, with the top four no longer a possibility, and have exited all cup competitions.
Manchester United lead Chelsea in the race to sign Napoli's Victor Osimhen
According to Football Insider, Manchester United are in pole position to sign Napoli frontman Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian striker is being linked with several top European heavyweights, including Chelsea, amid a stellar season in Naples. He has scored 26 goals in 32 games across competitions.
The report claims that Napoli's asking price for Osimhen is £133 million. This is problematic for the west Londoners as they need to comply with Financial Fair Play rules. They are teetering on the edge of dropping out of the race for the forward.
Erik ten Hag's side are eager to secure a new center-forward signing in the summer. Osimhen features on their shortlist as they look to add more firepower to their frontline.