CHELSEA
Mauricio Pochettino already has plans for Chelsea transfers
The Argentine coach would have plenty of questions to deal with in defence, midfield, attack and in goal, as Chelsea look to rebuild again this summer.
Walmart is not good enough for Todd Boehly’s pockets, which appear to have multiple dimensions as well as ever-expanding edges inside this universe and the American tycoon is ready to dip his hand down there to pluck out more millions to splurge on various players from around the globe. Disrupting. And now it seems that the more than likely arrival of Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea would certainly come with changes to the squad.
To begin with the shopping list, the name is closely linked to a move to London is that of Emi Martínez from Aston Villa. Winner of the Gold Glove at the World Cup in Qatar and champion with Argentina, the goalkeeper would take a leap forward in his career by moving from Aston Villa for around €17 million to join Chelsea, although this season the team from the Midlands are actually better positioned in the league table.
Mason Mount an option for Pochettino
Moving up the pitch into defence, there is talk of the possible departure of Brazilian centre-back, Thiago Silva. Luckily for Chelsea, they signed Wesley Fofana on a 7-year deal and they disrupted the market by paying Leicester City a reported €75 million. Fofana is a versatile player who can move into midfield for Kanté in case of injury or if/when Kovacic’s move to Manchester City is confirmed.
Another player who could see his trajectory skewed with the arrival of Pochettino is Mason Mount. The departure of the ex-Derby loanee was almost a foregone conclusion but according to the Daily Mail, the Argentine coach considers that he may have an important part to play in his setup. However, the London Evening Standard pointed out that the Chelsea board do not want to extend his contract that ends in June 2024 as the player is asking for one of the highest salaries in the squad.
Will Pulisic leave Chelsea?
And now we move on to the forward line: remember Romelu Lukaku? On loan from Inter, the striker spend pre-season with Chelsea so that the new coach can get a feel for why the club paid €115 million for the player. Joining the Belgian might be João Félix, who is enjoying a somewhat successful loan spell in London this season. On loan with a non-compulsory purchase option this season, the forward will be able to stay permanently in London as long as the club get rid of Aubameyang, Cucurella, Ziyech and Pulisic, but the final say will be had by the man with the bibs and cones: Pochettino.