Chelsea FC has announced the departure of Mauricio Pochettino by mutual consent after just one season in charge. The 52-year-old Argentinian led the team to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League, securing European football for the upcoming season.
Pochettino’s tenure at Chelsea saw the team reach the Carabao Cup final and the FA Cup semi-finals, despite facing struggles throughout the season. The decision to part ways was made after talks on Monday, following a final day win against Bournemouth.
The club’s sporting directors expressed their gratitude to Pochettino for his service and wished him the best in his future coaching career. Pochettino, who previously managed Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham, had only been in the job for 11 months.
Chelsea spent over £400m on new signings last summer, but also sold several key players. Reports suggest that Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna, Leicester’s Enzo Maresca, Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness, and Girona boss Michel are on the list of possible replacements.
Pochettino is set to manage the World XI at Soccer Aid in early June, with the charity match taking place at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge home. The club is now in search of a new manager to lead the team in the upcoming season.