In a surprising turn of events, Chelsea is now looking at Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino. This is in order to replace current boss Antonio Conte at Chelsea. The Italian in on the brink of being sacked after a poor campaign with the Blues with a number of replacements lined up to take his job.
Chelsea currently sits fifth in the Premier League table and are unlikely to finish in the top 4 this season which makes them ineligible to play Champions League football next season. The West London outfit was also dumped out of the Champions League this season by La Liga giants Barcelona over the two legs of the Round of 16 in the tournament and lost out to fierce London rivals Arsenal in the semi-finals of the League Cup.
Latest Update On The Whole Situation Surrounding Antonio Conte
The only small hope of silverware for Chelsea this term is the FA Cup final against Manchester United which would probably determine the fate of Antonio Conte at the end of this season.
There has been a lot of speculation over Conte’s future over the past few months despite having guided them to Premier League triumph last season. Conte is looking to move on from his position at the end of this season as he is practically a dead man walking with the number of names lined up by Chelsea’s transfer board.
However, Chelsea will have to face a huge cost in order to sack Conte. This is with the aftermath of the firing resulting in paying Conte £9m as agreed on his contract as well as his compensation fee. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is not willing to risk any more of his money in the transfers. That, after figuring out that the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge will cost the Russian billionaire close to £1.2b.
Having been linked with former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique, Chelsea is now willing to drop him. This is to find out the next best replacement after the Spanish manager. The main-man was demanding close to £15m annually. Mauricio Pochettino falls under the same bracket as Enrique when it comes to the managerial fee.
What Next With Regards To The Story Involving Pochettino!?
The Spurs man has done a tremendous job with the North London outfit. He has been crucial in helping them to a Champions League spot regularly over the past few seasons. Spurs have now been established as one of the heavyweights in English Football. This has happened under the Argentine manager.
And they are on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League once again this season. However, the 46-year-old hasn’t yet won a trophy with Spurs which is sometimes considered a managers weight in gold.
But Spurs fans need not worry about Pochettino leaving the club. That is, as of yet despite being wanted by so many other top clubs across the continent. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is reportedly preparing an extension deal for Pochettino.
His contract expires at the end of this season. An extension could see him remain at the club for a longer time. The former Southampton boss has done all the hard work so far. And would want to stay on to reap the benefits with Tottenham.