“It was a shock to me because it all happened so quickly” – English left-back reacts as he completes surprise Chelsea transfer
Chelsea have completed the signing of 17-year-old English defender Ishe Samuels-Smith from Everton for a meager fee of £4 million.
The Manchester-born player grew up in Merseyside through Everton's youth academies. He made 49 appearances across competitions for the Toffees' youth squads.
Speaking about his move to Stamford Bridge, Ishe Samuels-Smith said (h/t Fabrizio Romano):
“It was a shock to me because it all happened quickly, but I’m really glad to be here. It’s going to be a good experience coming into such a big club.”
Chelsea are keen on investing in their academy and growing players through the ranks of youth groups. The likes of Lewis Hall have emerged from the academy in recent years.
Samuels-Smith plays in the same position and will look to follow in Hall's footsteps.
Mauricio Pochettino addressed the media for the first time as the Chelsea manager
Mauricio Pochettino has arrived as the new Chelsea manager. The Argentine takes charge after a disastrous previous season for the club as they finished 12th in the Premier League.
Pochettino arrives with the aim of giving the club a proper direction and making them one of the top teams across Europe yet again. Speaking about the process, he said (via the Blues' website):
"It was a nice conversation from the beginning. They [the sporting directors] were very honest with me. They showed the plan, showed everything, the good, the not so good, and what needed to happen before 1 July and then after 1 July."
He added:
"I listened to them and then spoke with the owners in a really good way. They are clever people and in football it’s always about being clever and learning from past experiences."
Explaining his coaching and how he needs to build trust between players and fans, Pochettino said:
"I feel good. I am not a person or coach that needs to ask for power. I don’t need in my contract a clause that says I do this and this."
He added:
"The most important is that I need to show them, the players and the fans, that they can trust in my decision, that they can trust in the way we’re going to operate and take decisions. When we analyse and judge all the situations, they need to really believe and that is my job."
Pochettino has ample experience in European football due to his previous stints with Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain.