OFFICIAL: Chelsea confirm Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager

Following the conclusion of a disastrous 2022/23 campaign, Chelsea have appointed their third permanent manager in the space of a year.

Chelsea announced on Monday the appointment of former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager. Pochettino has signed a two-year contract, with the option of a further year. He’ll begin work on July 1, hoping to turn things around after a poor season at Stamford Bridge, which saw the Blues finish in 12th place in the Premier League, their lowest finish since 1994.

“The sporting team conducted a diligent and thoughtful process that the Board is proud of. We are delighted that Mauricio will be joining Chelsea,” read a statement from Chelsea owners Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali, José E. Feliciano, Mark Walter, and Hansjörg Wyss.

“Mauricio is a world-class coach with an outstanding track record. We are all looking forward to having him on board.”

This is the third managerial appointment of the Boehly era. The co-controlling owner sacked managers Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter earlier in the season following his takeover of the club last year. He appointed Frank Lampard as interim boss until the end of last season. But even under a club legend, Chelsea couldn’t reverse their fortunes. They won just once in Lampard’s 11 games (D2 L8) and lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.

As for Pochettino, the Argentine has been out of work since leaving PSG last year. He won a Ligue 1 title, the French Cup, and French Super Cup during his 18-month tenure in Paris. He also previously led Tottenham to the Champions League final in 2019 and guided the north London club to four straight top-four finishes in the Premier League.

Chelsea will be without European football next season, a first since their 2016/17 campaign in which they won the Premier League title.