“Mauricio Pochettino knows ball,” I said to myself yesterday when reading the latest transfer news report from Sami Mokbel of The Daily Mail.
Mokbel wasn’t only reporting what we have all been saying on here for many weeks now as his opinion, he was reporting it as what our pending new manager Pochettino actually wants and has communicated to the board.
For Chelsea to be able to push forward this summer we need to do the following things:
• Clear out the deadwood• Sign a defensive midfielder to partner/free up Enzo• Sign a striker• Sign a goalkeeper• Sign leaders/PL experience (to an extent)
If we get these key things right above, then I have no doubt we can start our slow climb back towards challenging at the top again. I think collectively, many Blues fans have ALL been saying all of the above for many weeks now.
And what did Mokbel write?
• Pochettino has identified a new goalkeeper, a central midfielder and a No 9 as the three positions he would ideally look to strengthen during the close season.
• He ideally wants to add players with Premier League pedigree.
• Pochettino will join Chelsea on the understanding that the club’s first concern will be to offload a number of players in order to make the squad more manageable for their new boss.
• Pochettino believes the Blues squad is rich in potential but is keen to add experience into his ranks to supplement the wealth of young talent already at the club.
• Pochettino also wants a long-term central midfield partner for club record signing Enzo Fernandez.
Enzo Fernandez
It’s incredible. This just proves that Poch IS our guy. He knows exactly what we need, and I’ve never doubted that.
Obviously I know there will be other things that he wants or does that I perhaps don’t agree with, I’m not naive enough to think that won’t happen and I certainly do not think that I know it all, or more than Poch, a heavily qualified football coach. I’m just a Chelsea blogger and fan.
I can and expect to be disagreeing with some things he does or wants, that will always happen. But I’m very comfortable and feel safe in the knowledge knowing that, according to Mokbel at least, Poch wants to do all the initial things with Chelsea that I want to see, and many of you here want to see.
And it looks like the club and Poch are fully aligned with this. Time to announce him Chelsea!