Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali has given a strong indication that Mauricio Pochettino is set to be appointed as the club’s new manager. The west London club have been conducting an extensive search for a new head coach since parting ways with Graham Potter at the start of the month. Former Spain boss Luis Enrique, Ruben Amorim and Vincent Kompany were all briefly in contention, but Pochettino has now emerged as the stand-out candidate.
Eghbali was seen attending the LA Lakers’ win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night, where he was asked by a fan if Pochettino was going to be the next Chelsea boss. The businessman responded with a wink, a thumbs up and a smile, saying “maybe, maybe”. It is believed that Pochettino has asked for a greater say over transfers during negotiations for the job and is keen to be reunited with his old Tottenham chief scout Steve Hitchen at Stamford Bridge.
The Argentine has impressed Eghbali and fellow co-owner Todd Boehly with his vision and plans for the club, and meets many of the criteria they are looking for in a new manager. Chelsea want an experienced, proven coach who is capable of developing and nurturing young players, which Pochettino has been noted for throughout his career. He faces a big challenge ahead, needing to trim a bloated squad that has slipped to 12th place in the Premier League table, while he has identified the striker and midfield positions as areas that need strengthening.