Mauricio Pochettino sacked: Shortlist includes Ipswich boss with Portuguese favourite

Chelsea are looking for a new head coach after deciding to part ways with manager Mauricio Pochettino who led the club to a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League. LondonWorld has been told the 52-year-old had a series of meetings with the club’s sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, and co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali over two days and now a decision has been made to go their separate ways.

Key amongst Pochettino’s demands during the meeting was for him to have a voice in transfers and a new contract that reflected a long-term project that the owners and sporting directors have been preaching since they bought the club in May 2022.

A report in The Telegraph says the decision to go their separate ways was amicable and both parties agreed it was the best way forward. After the final game of the season against Bournemouth Pochettino confirmed he had dinner with the owners: "All I can tell you is on Friday night, Todd invited me for a dinner and it was a very nice dinner together. But I don't know about the rumours about the review. 

"My staff tomorrow are flying for their holidays. I am going to stay in London for a few more days. 

"I am always open. My phone is going to be on."

The managers in running for the Chelsea job

Ipswich Kieran McKenna is reported to be one name that the Chelsea board have been impressed with lately after he secured their return to the Premier League in 22 years. He is viewed as young, ambitious, progressive and could do well with Chelsea’s young squad.

Other names that have been mentioned lately have been Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness and former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi who also has a lot of admirers at Chelsea.

Burnley manager Vincent Kompany was also considered for the job last summer before Pochettino got it and is also said to be in consideration, Sporting’s Ruben Amorim as well as Leicester City’s Enzo Maresca.

Any targeted manager will likely want guarantees about the working relationship with the directors of football following this breakdown.