CHELSEA hope to confirm Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach this week.
Blues bosses believe the 51-year-old Argentine can turn the club around after a disastrous first season for the new regime.
Maurico Pochettino is on the verge of taking charge of Chelsea
The former Tottenham boss has finalised a deal to take charge of the West Londoners
Chelsea are set to announce the Argentine as their new manager next week
But his former club Tottenham are still working through a shortlist that no longer includes Julian Nagelsmann.
Many Spurs fans wanted a return to North London for Pochettino after the club’s struggles since his departure in 2019.
Tottenham are thought to be looking at Feyenoord’s Arne Slot, ex-Spain manager Luis Enrique, Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi and Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso.
A verbal agreement was struck at the end of last month, and now the Blues have now officially agreed terms with the 51-year-old.
Pochettino had been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
He is one of the most successful and popular managers in recent times at Spurs, Chelsea’s bitter London rivals, despite failing to win a trophy with the club.
He averaged 1.89 points per game – the most for any Tottenham boss in Premier League history with a minimum of 38 Prem games in charge.
The ex-Southampton chief capped off his five-year stint at White Hart Lane by leading Spurs to the 2019 Champions League final, where they lost to Liverpool.
But he was sacked just months later following a poor start to the next campaign before eventually taking over at PSG in January 2021, winning the Coupe de France and Ligue 1 prior to his departure.
Potter was sacked by Chelsea in April despite being hired on a five-year deal worth £12m-a-year.
He was appointed after Boehly sacked Champions League-winning manager Thomas Tuchel following a poor start to the season.
Potter won seven of his 22 Premier League matches in charge of the club, drew seven and lost eight.
Chelsea are in a mess after Boehly splashed out £330m on new signings in January, taking their total spending this season well clear of £600m.
Maurico Pochettino will have a tough task on his hands steady the Stamford Bridge ship
Interim boss Frank Lampard is desperately trying to steady the ship having lost six and winning just one of his eight games in his second spell in charge of the club.
The Blues’ dire season was summed up on Saturday when they were held to a 2-2 draw by relegation battlers Nottingham Forest.
Pochettino’s summer will be spent rooting out the deadwood at Stamford Bridge and bringing in the players he’s earmarked for his West London revolution.
And he will likely be backed to the hilt by spend-happy Boehly – who has visions of restoring a Blues dynasty.
Chelsea will be back in action a week on Sunday, travelling to the Etihad to take on defending Premier League champions Manchester City.
