According to reports, Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly was eager to retain Mauricio Pochettino, while Behdad Eghbali was less enthusiastic about the idea.
On Tuesday evening, the Premier League club announced that Pochettino has left Chelsea by mutual consent.
Standard Sport reports that Chelsea is now interested in appointing Kieran McKenna, the Ipswich Town manager linked with Brighton, prioritizing a young, progressive coach.
Other potential candidates include Brentford’s Thomas Frank, Stuttgart’s Sebastien Hoeness, Burnley’s Vincent Kompany, and Girona’s Michel. Former head coach Thomas Tuchel is not considered for a return.
Pochettino’s departure is somewhat surprising given Chelsea’s strong finish to the season. The Blues ended up sixth in the Premier League, securing a spot in the Europa League after spending much of the 2023/24 campaign mid-table.
The Guardian’s journalist Jacob Steinberg explains that the split was due to ‘a difference of opinion over strategy.’ Pochettino was frustrated by his lack of power and both parties agreed it was better to part ways now to avoid a major fallout next season, as the manager would not be given more control over signings.
While Pochettino had some support within the board, it was not unanimous, with Eghbali reportedly ‘lukewarm’ towards him. Concerns over Pochettino’s tactics and ‘antiquated’ training methods also played a part in the decision to sack him.
ESPN reports that the Chelsea hierarchy had been divided over Pochettino’s future for some time, particularly after failing to secure a Champions League spot despite spending £1 billion since the Boehly-Clearlake Capital takeover in May 2022. As The Guardian noted, Boehly was keen to keep Pochettino, but Eghbali wanted to bring in a new coach.