The departure of Mauricio Pochettino from Chelsea FC brings a new coaching name onto the market. After just one season with the Blues, the Argentinian is free to leave, fuelling speculation about a possible future at FC Bayern.
Chelsea announced Pochettino’s departure on Tuesday evening and emphasised that the decision was made by „mutual agreement“. Pochettino had only signed a contract with Chelsea last summer until 2025. He had previously taken a sabbatical following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain.
At the end of his short tenure in London, the 52-year-old coach led Chelsea to a 2:1 victory over Bournemouth. In doing so, he secured the club sixth place in the Premier League and a return to European competition.
While Chelsea are now looking for a successor, interest in Pochettino could grow in Munich. The Argentinian was already being discussed as a possible successor to Kovac at FC Bayern in 2019. Roberto De Zerbi, who is leaving Brighton & Hove Albion, has also been linked with the position at the Blues and Bayern. However, Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl recently ruled out De Zerbi‘s involvement.
Is Tuchel returning to Chelsea?
Meanwhile, ex-Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel has been linked with a return to Chelsea. Tuchel, who coached the Blues from January 2021 to September 2022 and won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, could now be a possible option to succeed Pochettino. It was recently reported that Tuchel himself does not yet consider his mission at Chelsea to be complete.
FC Bayern is still on the lookout for a new head coach and, according to reports, is primarily exploring the market in England. In addition to Vincent Kompany, who is currently at Burnley, Pochettino could now also be an option at Säbener Straße. An exchange of coaches between Bayern and Chelsea, in which Tuchel and Pochettino could possibly swap roles, seems to be a possibility.
