Chelsea close in on appointing Mauricio Pochettino as club’s new manager

Chelsea are closing in on Mauricio Pochettino and trying to find a long-term replacement for Graham Potter.

According to the PA news agency, the Blues are in talks with the 51-year-old former Tottenham and Paris St Germain manager over the vacancy created by Potter’s early departure last month, but an agreement has yet to be formalised.

Frank Lampard has been caretaker manager since then, but the team have won just one of the eight games they have played under him in his second spell as manager, a run that culminated in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge .

Chelsea have three Premier League games left – against Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle – and want their new boss in charge after the end of the season.

The Blues have endured a hugely disappointing season despite significant investment in their squad, sitting 11th with just 11 wins from 35 league games.

Julian Nagelsmann was originally the favorite to succeed Potter but they turned to Lampard, who held the post from July 2019 until January 2021 after a glittering playing career at the club, to see out the remainder of the season.

Potter was sacked just seven months after his five-year contract expired, but Chelsea have also struggled under their former midfield general, who at times has suffered a six-game losing streak in all competitions.

Former Argentina international Pochettino spent five years at Tottenham and led the team to the 2019 Champions League final. However, he has not been in the game since being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain last summer.

If – as expected – he is called up by Chelsea, he will inherit an expensively assembled but underperforming squad that will lack European football next season.