With Chelsea’s recent struggles under coach Mauricio Pochettino, let’s look at who could replace the Argentine boss.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t get any easier for the five-time Premier League winners, with Arsenal, Tottenham, Man City, Newcastle, Brighton, and Manchester United all in the next nine games.
“I know you think I’m the problem but I’m not,” said Graham Potter in his last words before getting the axe after six months in charge. Potter won five of his seven games, while Poch has only won two. Will Pochettino suffer the same fate under the spendthrift American chairman Todd Boehly? Let’s see which coach is next in line to revive the “Blues.”
Top five candidates who could replace Mauricio Pochettino
Roberto De Zerbi
Can the coaching drama at Chelsea get even more intriguing? Sure can. The Italian boss who replaced Graham Potter at Brighton last September, Robert De Zerbi, is on the list of candidates that could replace Pochettino.
De Zerbi has Brighton currently third in the Premier League table after a sixth-place finish last season — the club’s best to date. The finish also gave the Seagulls entry into the Europa League for the first time in the club’s history. De Zerbi is a tactician and key motivator, especially of the young players, but can he operate at a bigger club like Chelsea?
Hansi Flick
Hansi Flick is also a likely candidate to succeed Pochettino. The former Bayern Munich and Germany international boss is currently available for hire. And who wouldn’t want a proven leader? Interestingly, Flick’s Bayern Munich defeated Tuchel’s PSG team in the 2019/20 Champions League final. Tuchel guided Chelsea to UCL glory the following year. See how complicated this is?
Marcelo Gallardo
Former River Plate boss Marcelo Gallardo is another potential replacement for Pochettino. The Argentine’s possession-based football unlocks his squad players’ potential. However, the Blues must move fast for the out-of-contract coach since the Argentine is also on Sevilla’s radar.
The three-time South American Manager of the Year clinched the Copa Libertadores, South America’s counterpart to the Champions League, twice in 2015 and 2018. He also secured the Argentine League championship in 2021.
Arne Slot
The Dutch boss Arne Slot has Feyenoord on fire in the Eredivisie. The club won the league last season (the club’s second) and has continued pushing forward this 23/24 season, scoring 5+ goals in three consecutive league games for only the second time in history. Slot was previously linked with the open Tottenham position last summer but extended his contract at Feyenoord.
Julen Lopetegui
He may been merely scouting, but former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui appeared at Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea’s latest defeat. The Spaniard allegedly wants a Premier League return, but we wonder if the former Real Madrid tactician is cut out for the gig. Perhaps his attempt to show face will garner interest from other Premier League sides like Everton or Burnley.
Photos: Twitter/@Football_Tweet, TransfersRadar
