Mauricio Pochettino’s departure from Chelsea marks the end of his tenure as the club’s manager by mutual consent, as announced by the Premier League club on Tuesday.
In his statement, Pochettino expressed gratitude to the Chelsea ownership group and sporting directors for the opportunity to be part of the club’s history, while also acknowledging the team’s positioning for future success in the Premier League and Europe.
The decision to part ways was made after discussions between Pochettino and Chelsea officials regarding the club’s sixth-place finish in the Premier League in his first season in charge.
Pochettino agreed to depart following an end-of-season review meeting with sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, as well as co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali.
Chelsea’s sporting directors thanked Pochettino for his service and expressed their appreciation for his contributions, wishing him success in his future coaching endeavors.
Pochettino leaves Chelsea after one year into his two-year contract, which he agreed to in May 2023. Despite initial struggles during the 2023-24 season, Chelsea managed to secure qualification for the Europa Conference League by winning their last five games of the campaign.
Moving forward, Chelsea will seek to appoint a coach who is younger and more progressive than Pochettino. Candidates such as Sebastian Hoeness, Michel, Kieran McKenna, and Enzo Maresca are reportedly being considered by the club.
Pochettino’s departure marks the third managerial change at Chelsea since Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly acquired the club in May 2022, following the dismissals of Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.