(Football news) Argentine manager Mauricio Pochettino is the frontrunner to take over as Chelsea’s next permanent manager after candidates Julen Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique were ruled out. The former Spurs and PSG manager has a stellar reputation, especially after the commendable job he has done as Espanyol, saving the club from relegation against all logic and Southampton in the Premier League.

At Tottenham, he guided the North London side to the Champions League final where they lost to Liverpool, developing Harry Kane into one of the best strikers in the world. His persistence with Heung-Min-Son is also commendable. If that wasn’t all, Pochettino did a fantastic job managing big egos at Paris Saint-Germain, ensuring there were no major public fall-outs that have been the case before and after his tenure. 

Chelsea have had their eyes on Pochettino for quite a long time. They tried to appoint him twice under Roman Abramovich’s ownership but didn’t succeed. Now, it seems like the Argentine is more crucial to the club than ever before, particularly as they are looking for a manager who can unlock the £600 million investment in their seriously bloated squad.

While Chelsea have an abundance of talent, the team is lacking confidence and direction. Pochettino is known for instilling energy, philosophy and brand of belief in his teams with Todd Boehy and co. confident he will work with the tools at his disposal. The Argentine has performed miracles at Tottenham with minimal net spend, going two successive windows without making a single signing. 

Chelsea have many intelligent players who can cope with Pochettino’s demands for high press, quick offensive transitions and building from the back. They are also versatile enough to have a compact, organised shape in a mid-block. Pochettino’s teams have a style of play that relies on full-backs, which is also an area where Chelsea have an abundance of talent. The Argentine is also a stable personality who is not publicly critical about the hierarchy and tends to perform beyond expectations.

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