Chelsea are preparing to announce the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as their new permanent manager with contracts now signed.
The former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain head coach has put pen to paper on a three-year contract to become Graham Potter’s successor, following Frank Lampard’s caretaker spell in charge.
Official confirmation is now imminent, though not unexpected to come before Chelsea’s final game of the season today against Newcastle as Lampard, and a number of players, prepare to say goodbye. An announcement is likely to come within 48 hours.
This afternoon, Lampard’s caretaker stint comes to a close as he looks for just his second win from 11 games. The match could also see Mason Mount, Edouard Mendy, Mateo Kovacic, Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, Kalidou Koulibaly, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and others wave farewell for the final time during the traditional end-of-season lap of honour.
51-year-old Pochettino has been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain last year following an 18-month spell in charge – one that yielded a Ligue 1 title but insufficient progress in the Champions League.
Pochettino previously spent five-and-a-half years in charge of Chelsea’s fierce rivals Tottenham, turning them into Premier League title contenders in addition to making a first-ever appearance in a Champions League final.
The inability to win trophies as been a criticism often levelled at Pochettino, but his working methods, tactical acumen and relationship-building with players has been widely praised. He first managed Southampton in the Premier League after starting his career as a head coach with former club Espanyol.
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