Mauricio Pochettino claimed it would “not be the end of the world” if he left Chelsea this summer. The Blues boss has been in the hot seat for much of the season as the club struggles. Despite spending over $1 billion on new players since 2022, Chelsea has failed to even get close to a top-four place in the table.
Nevertheless, the club has shown glimpses of positive play in recent weeks. This uptick essentially began as Chelsea was down 2-0 against Aston Villa on April 27th. Although in a hole, the Blues fought back with two late goals to grab a point in the West Midlands. Following the draw, Pochettino’s squad then topped Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham by a combined scoreline of 7-0.
The back-to-back shutouts were certainly noticed by Todd Boehly, the club’s American owner. Boehly recently hinted that the two displays showed that his team may have finally turned a corner. While Pochettino’s future with the club has been debated, Boehly’s comments seemed to ease these concerns.
Mauricio Pochettino exit: Manager hints that he may be unhappy at Chelsea
The Argentine coach, however, once again fueled the fire regarding his potential exit on Friday. Pochettino told reporters at a press conference that all parties involved need to be happy to continue with the club. “If we are happy, perfect,” stated Pochettino.
“But it is not only if the owners are happy or the sporting directors happy… You need to ask us also, because maybe (we) say ‘we are not happy’ and we accept the situation and we need to split.”
“It is not going to be the first time the coaching staff at the end of the season decide to not keep going. But at this end, it is always the opposite way, it is always the owners or the sporting directors.”
Pochettino finished off his comments regarding the situation by claiming that he has not completed certain targets this season. “Maybe we are not happy because we arrive here with a job to do and in the end it has not happened,” continued the coach. “I am not saying I am not happy. If we split it’s not a problem, it will not be the end of the world.”
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Blues may soon be dealing with financial punishments
The coach’s comments are certainly surprising, especially considering he just received public backing by Boehly. Nevertheless, Pochettino seems content to potentially walk away from the prestigious position at the end of the season. Along with issues on the pitch, the Blues also have off-field problems as well.
Financial concerns at the club are undoubtedly looming overhead. Chelsea has reported massive losses in back-to-back seasons and could very well face possible Premier League penalties. It was also recently revealed that the Blues may not be able to comply with UEFA’s spending rules if they qualify for a European tournament.
Along with these financial issues, there are stability concerns at the club as well. Boehly and company essentially changed the entire squad within two years at the helm. Not only is the squad relatively new and bloated, but ownership has shown to be impatient with their coaches.
In fact, Pochettino is the fifth different coach to have taken charge of at least one Premier League match since Boehly entered the fray. While two of these coaches came on as temporary figures, there is certainly chaos behind the scenes at the club. Pochettino may not be willing to deal with this mayhem beyond the current season.
Photo: IMAGO / Sportimage
