Mauricio Pochettino left Chelsea by mutual agreement after discussions with sporting directors Paul Winstanley, Laurence Stewart, and co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali over two days.
Pochettino finalized his departure late Tuesday morning following an end-of-season review that began on Monday. There is reportedly no animosity between Pochettino and the club. Chelsea will now seek a young, progressive coach as his replacement. Potential candidates include Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness, Girona’s Michel, Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna, and Leicester City’s Enzo Maresca.
Pochettino also met co-controlling owner Todd Boehly for dinner on Friday night and spent additional time with Winstanley, Stewart, and Eghbali on Monday and Tuesday. Pochettino leaves Chelsea after one year of the two-year contract he signed last summer and expects to receive significant compensation.
In an amicable parting, Pochettino became the third permanent head coach to depart under Clearlake Capital-Boehly ownership, following Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter. Bruno Saltor managed Chelsea for one game last season before Frank Lampard took over as interim manager. Five managers have worked under the current ownership in two years.
Under Pochettino, Chelsea secured European qualification with five consecutive wins at the end of the season and reached the finals of the Carabao Cup and the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Despite these achievements, key figures at Stamford Bridge felt the season fell short of pre-season expectations, partly due to a significant injury list.
In a statement, Pochettino expressed gratitude to the Chelsea ownership group and sporting directors for the opportunity to contribute to the club’s history, noting the club’s strong position for future success in the Premier League and Europe.
Chelsea confirmed that Pochettino’s coaching staff—Jesus Perez, Miguel d’Agostino, Toni Jimenez, and Sebastiano Pochettino—also departed. Sporting directors Winstanley and Stewart thanked Pochettino for his service, welcoming him back to Stamford Bridge anytime and wishing him success in his future coaching career.
