Pochettino sack: Chelsea narrows manager shortlist to two after top target makes huge statement
Chelsea hold a strong admiration for Brighton’s coach, Roberto de Zerbi, and have considered him as a possible successor to Mauricio Pochettino.
Despite the Blues’ 2-0 victory over Tottenham on Thursday, the pressure on Pochettino remains unchanged.
According to TEAMtalk, several Chelsea players and board members see Pochettino as a temporary presence at Stamford Bridge.
The Chelsea leadership has created a shortlist of managerial candidates, with De Zerbi, Hansi Flick, and Ruben Amorim being the top three choices.
However, De Zerbi has seemingly dismissed the rumors linking him to Chelsea, expressing his desire to stay with Brighton for the foreseeable future.
“I want to remain at Brighton because I love the team, the city, the club, and the fans,” he told Sky Sports.
“I’ve told the fans that as long as I’m happy, I won’t be leaving this club — I want to maintain my enthusiasm here.”
Chelsea is not the only club interested in De Zerbi; reports indicate that Manchester United, Liverpool, and Real Madrid are also long-time admirers.
The Italian coach has been successful at Brighton, leading them to sixth place and European qualification last season.
This season, however, Brighton hasn’t matched last season’s performance, partially due to the loss of key players like Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister.
As De Zerbi seems likely to stay with Brighton, Chelsea may turn their attention to other options, including Hansi Flick, whose connections with Chelsea have grown stronger.
Flick is regarded as a major candidate to replace Pochettino, according to German reports.
Flick previously spoke with Chelsea representatives shortly after Frank Lampard’s dismissal in January 2021.
It’s believed that some key figures at the club remain fond of Flick, seeing him as a suitable coach to lead the team forward. Flick led Bayern to a historic treble in 2019/20 and has extensive top-level experience.
Flick has expressed interest in managing a Premier League team, so it will be intriguing to see if Chelsea formally approaches him if Pochettino is dismissed in the coming weeks.
Ruben Amorim also remains on their shortlist, and TEAMtalk sources suggest he would be open to discussing with the London club.
Amorim was previously linked to a move to Liverpool and has held discussions with West Ham but has not yet come to an agreement with any team.
Pochettino sack: Chelsea narrows manager shortlist to two after top target makes huge statement
