Mauricio Pochettino is clinging to his job following Chelsea’s recent 4-2 loss at home to Wolves.
There are renewed calls for Mauricio Pochettino to be fired by Chelsea after the Blues fell to the bottom half of the table following their 4-2 defeat by Wolves at Stamford Bridge. Thiago Silva’s wife has even urged for change, and with the Argentine seemingly unable to get the most out of a squad worth more than £1 billion, his head is on the chopping block. Express Sport has looked at five prospects for Pochettino’s replacement.
Xabi Alonso, the manager of Bayern Leverkusen, is now at the top of the Bundesliga standings and could succeed Jurgen Klopp at his previous club Liverpool. However, the Spaniard could be lured by Chelsea’s ambition, which features a plethora of quality young players and the opportunity to return to England this month.
However, persuading him to leave Germany would be extremely tough. Alonso is tipped to be the next elite manager, and Chelsea would be silly not to try to hire him if Pochettino was fired.
Jose Mourinho has already stated that he wants to return to the Premier League, but with Manchester United rather than Chelsea. The ‘Special One’ is still a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge, and if he can reproduce portions of his first two spells there for a third time, it will be a welcome return.
Mourinho is now unemployed after being fired by Roma last month, but his authoritarian style may be just what Chelsea’s youthful squad requires, given they appear to be lacking in leadership.
Xavi
Xavi confirmed that he would be departing Barcelona at the conclusion of the season, following a successful term in charge at the Nou Camp. Despite being seven points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid, his tenure in charge will be remembered fondly.
He navigated a financial minefield while leading Barcelona to the title last season and plays an appealing style of game that the Chelsea board would like in a Pochettino replacement.
Thomas Frank
Brentford manager Thomas Frank takes a more pragmatic approach, but he continues to build on his work at Chelsea’s local rivals, frequently outperforming competitors with a larger budget to work with.
As Chelsea is now compelled to operate under financial restraints, marginal gains in all areas will be required, and Frank is an expert in this field.
The appointment could also benefit Chelsea in their pursuit of Ivan Toney, as the England forward has a close relationship with his Brentford manager, and a reunion at Stamford Bridge could offer them an advantage over other interested parties.
Michel Sanchez
Girona head coach Michel Sanchez has put himself on the radar of English clubs after leading his team to an improbable title win this season. Girona and Michel, led by Artem Dovbyk, have been this year’s surprise package, and they are expected to join a big European team soon.
He effectively guided Girona to promotion in his debut season in charge, followed by a 10th-place finish and an unexpected title push. Football.London report he is one of the candidates to replace Pochettino, as well as the current bookies’ favourite to take charge at Stamford Bridge.
