Mauricio Pochettino’s successor as Chelsea’s head coach is getting closer.
Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly will appoint a new manager in the coming days. (Image: Getty)
It has been reported that Chelsea will name a new head coach before Wednesday in an attempt to replace Mauricio Pochettino. After just one season in charge, the Argentine manager left the Blues last week, and Todd Boehly and associates were once again tasked with finding a new star player.
Club insider Ben Jacobs stated that Chelsea anticipates having a new head coach in place on Sunday night within the next 24 to 48 hours. After being named on a four-man shortlist, former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is considered the front-runner to take over.
Kieran McKenna, Thomas Frank, and Enzo Maresca joined the Italian. However, Sky Sports News reports that the head coach of Ipswich, who earned consecutive promotions to the Premier League, is no longer being considered for the role.
With an expensively assembled but inexperienced team, Chelsea has recognized the need for a young, progressive coach. Pochettino had a great season finale, leading the team to sixth place and Europa Conference League football.
However, McKenna is not thought to be the preferred choice to succeed Pochettino due to competition from Brighton and Manchester United. Although he has a contract with Ipswich until 2027, the 38-year-old and assistant Martyn Pert are reportedly ready to leave Portman Road and reject any offer of a new deal.
Any club that wants to acquire McKenna and Pert will have to pay a compensation of about £4 million, but Chelsea is looking elsewhere and will soon reduce their options of Maresca, Frank, and De Zerbi to just one.
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna has been ruled out of the running to take over at Chelsea. (Image: Getty)
Because of their dynamic football styles and English premier league experience, all three are seen internally as progressive options. It is expected that the new manager will sign a longer contract than Pochettino’s initial two-year agreement, indicating that the Clearlake administration wants to support the new manager.
Co-owners Boehly and Behdad Eghbali will make the final selection from the list of recommended candidates, which was reportedly created by co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart.
The work Frank has done at Brentford has impressed senior figures at Stamford Bridge; however, more possession-based football would probably arrive with Leicester’s manager Maresca and De Zerbi, even though the former lacks Premier League experience.
But Chelsea’s next few days are expected to be hectic as they look to quickly appoint a Pochettino replacement in order to move forward with plans for a second summer transfer window makeover before the 2019–20 campaign.
