Chelsea is set to join Brighton in the competition for the recruitment of Kieran McKenna from Ipswich Town. This follows the recent agreement between Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino to part ways amicably.
Pochettino had led the team to a sixth-place finish, thanks to a powerful end to his single-season tenure. His departure came after engaging in discussions with the club’s co-directors of football, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, and co-owner Behdad Eghbali spanning two days.
It appears the split came as a result of divergent strategic visions held by Pochettino and the club. Pochettino’s desire for more control saw increasing resistance, leading to a consensus to end the relationship proactively anticipating potential disputes in the following season.
Despite appreciation for Pochettino at some of the board positions, the unanimous approval was lacking. Reports indicate Eghbali had reservations about the ex-Tottenham manager.
Since being owned by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital over two years ago, Chelsea has sought to operate in a co-operative manner. The club’s preference is for an ambitious young coach who assimilates their team philosophy.
McKenna, who piloted Ipswich to an impressive upgrade to the Premier League, is being seen as a strong prospect. Brighton aims to rope in the 38-year-old from Fermanagh as a replacement for Roberto De Zerbi, however, talks between McKenna’s team and Chelsea have been going on for several weeks. This conversation between Chelsea and McKenna is believed to have slowed down Brighton’s pursuit of McKenna.
Potential substitutes being considered include Thomas Frank from Brentford, Míchel from Girona, and Sebastian Hoeness from Stuttgart. Despite Burnley’s slide from the Premier League, Vincent Kompany is still being referred to as a wildcard. However, concerns are increasing as Sporting Lisbon’s Rúben Amorim may not fit the team’s tactical style, and interest in De Zerbi appears to be waning.
Stewart and Winstanley have conveyed gratitude on behalf of Chelsea to Mauricio for his contribution during the season. They reassured Pochettino would always be welcomed back to Stamford Bridge and wished him well in his future football coaching endeavours.
“Pochettino expressed his gratitude to the Chelsea chiefs and directors of sport, for the chance to make a mark in the history of the club. He believes that the foundation is laid well enough for Chelsea to continue its journey in Premier League and Europe in ensuing years.”
Additionally, the exit encompasses the departure of Pochettino’s backroom team that includes Jesús Pérez, Miguel d’Agostino, Toni Jiménez, and Sebastiano Pochettino.
This change of guard points to Chelsea on a quest for their fourth head coach in a span of two years. It presented an image of stability under Pochettino, with a young team mostly lined behind him. They even clinched a place in the European league, courtesy a strong finishing run in the season.
However, certain apprehensions prevailed at Chelsea regarding Pochettino’s strategy, with an insider referring privately to his training regimen as “obsolete” prior to the seasonal review. Decisions on new signings were not going to see any more influence from Pochettino. – Guardian