Mauricio Pochettino has spoken to Chelsea stars Levi Colwill and Noni Madueke ahead of their involvement in the European Under-21 Championship final this weekend.
The Argentine coach, who took over at Stamford Bridge last month, has revealed he has held talks with the duo and is planning on having them in his squad for next season.
Colwill and Madueke are both in Georgia with England’s young lions for the Euro U21 final against Spain on Saturday and will only be granted a few days off after their exploits.
Pochettino Wants Colwill and Madueke at Chelsea
Maurico Pochettino has made it clear he wants both Levi Colwill and Noni Madueke to remain at Chelsea, despite speculation linking the former with a move away from the club.
The Blues have rejected two bids from Brighton for Colwill, who spent last season on loan at the Seagulls, while Liverpool and Tottenham are also said to be interested in the 20-year-old.
However, Pochettino has held talks with the pair and is planning on having them in his squad for next season.
He told reporters: “Yes, we spoke yesterday [Thursday] with Levi and Noni. One I know – Noni – from Tottenham, he was in the Under-18s. And of course Levi I know but I introduced myself with him.
“I wish all the best for tomorrow [in Euro U21 final]. It’s true that for me it’s difficult because it’s Spain vs England, but I wish them all the best. I think we are waiting for them to be with the team. I think the day that we will fly to America, they will join us.”
Pochettino Looking to Strengthen Squad
While Chelsea’s main focus now remains trimming a bloated squad, Pochettino is keen to strengthen and wants to bring in a new defensive midfielder to partner Enzo Fernandez with Brighton’s Moises Caicedo thought to be the preferred choice.
Asked about potential new signings, he replied: “We need to be right and clever on how we set the scene in the next few weeks, in our decisions and setting the right team. I am so happy, so far so good. We need to keep this feeling for the rest of the season. What I need to do is to coach not only the players, but to guide them to try to achieve what we expect and what fans expect.”
The Blues are set to fly to the United States next weekend to begin their pre-season tour – which kicks off with a match against Wrexham on July 19. With Colwill and Madueke expected to join them, it looks like they will be part of Pochettino’s plans for next season.
Conclusion
Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear that he wants both Levi Colwill and Noni Madueke to remain at Chelsea and has already held talks with the pair ahead of their involvement in the European Under-21 Championship final this weekend.
The Blues have rejected two bids from Brighton for Colwill and other Premier League clubs are said to be interested in the 20-year-old, though Pochettino is planning on having them in his squad for next season.
Chelsea are set to fly to the United States next weekend to begin their pre-season tour and it looks like Colwill and Madueke will be part of Pochettino’s plans for next season. The Argentine coach is also looking to strengthen his squad and bring in a new defensive midfielder to partner Enzo Fernandez.