Mauricio Pochettino's departure from Chelsea by mutual consent on Tuesday has shed light on the club's frenzied thinking and the challenges he faced during his tenure as manager. The Argentine's exit comes just one year into his original two-year contract, making him the third permanent manager to leave the club since Thomas Tuchel's sacking in September 2022.
One of the few highlights of Pochettino's reign was the remarkable rise of Cole Palmer, who ended the campaign as Chelsea's Player of the Year with 22 goals and 11 assists from 34 Premier League games. However, sources have revealed to ESPN that Palmer was not initially in Chelsea's transfer plans until the final days of the summer window, after deals for Michael Olise and Mohammed Kudus had faltered.
The methodology behind Palmer's signing reveals a working practice to formulating a squad that Pochettino found difficult. Despite Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital's ambitious spending of over £1 billion on new signings, prioritizing the pursuit of promising young talent, the club has struggled to find a manager able to thrive in the environment they have created.
Sources have told ESPN that Pochettino changed the squad's itinerary on more than one occasion during the preseason tour, indicating that the demands were different from what he expected. Although Pochettino was consulted on transfer policy, sources say he was "just a voice in the room," with co-owners, co-sporting directors, and analytics all having their input.
Despite a slow start to the season, sources have revealed that the club's internal view of Pochettino was positive around December, with data suggesting that results did not reflect the team's performance level. However, differences of opinion emerged elsewhere, particularly regarding Conor Gallagher's role at the club.
Pochettino never quite felt the unequivocal support from Chelsea supporters, given his past association with London rivals Tottenham. Sources have also indicated that a split developed among senior figures at the club over whether Pochettino should remain in charge, which ultimately led to his departure following an end-of-season review.
The Argentine's irritation grew as the season progressed, with the club's persistent injury list and lack of public support from the ownership adding to his frustrations. Pochettino met with Boehly for dinner last Friday and subsequently had amicable conversations with co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stuart, acknowledging that an end point had been reached.
According to a report by The Telegraph, Chelsea players were surprised and upset by the news of Pochettino's departure, which they learned about through their WhatsApp groups. A dressing room source revealed that the players "could not believe it" and had no idea until the news broke, with most of them really liking Pochettino.
Several players, including Cole Palmer, Marc Cucurella, and Moises Caicedo, paid tribute to Pochettino on social media, acknowledging his impact on their development and expressing gratitude for his guidance.
