Nemanja Matic has given Todd Boehly the green light to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as next Chelsea manager. The 51-year-old has been heavily linked with replacing Frank Lampard at the end of the season, and he's recently emerged as the front-runner for the job.
football.london understands that the Blues have held 'very positive talks' with Pochettino thus far, with Todd Boehly hopeful of appointing a permanent head coach at the end of the season. While the west Londoners are yet to reach an agreement with the former Tottenham boss, there is confidence among both parties that a deal can be struck.
Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique were both once heavily linked with the vacancy at Stamford Bridge but they've since dropped out, leaving Pochettino in the clear. If there was any doubt – for whatever reason – in Boehly's mind that the Argentinian isn't the right man for the job, Matic's glowing review speaks volumes.
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In an interview with Sky Sports, the former Chelsea midfielder briefly explained why Pochettino is a 'great' manager. The 34-year-old said: "He’s a great manager.
"He showed at Spurs and PSG that he can play some great football. He has experience and I know he’s very professional and a very honest person, so why not?"
Earlier this month, Jurgen Klopp also issued a positive analysis of Pochettino. Ahead of Liverpool's clash against Tottenham on Sunday afternoon, the German insisted that Spurs are still just as good as they were when they met in the 2019 Champions League final.
Pochettino and Klopp locked horns in Madrid, but Liverpool reigned superior thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi. As quoted by the Mirror, the Reds boss said: "This is a season where a lot of things were difficult for a lot of teams.
"It's not a cool for us, but it opens the door for other teams. Little mistakes during a season can have a big impact. The team they (Tottenham) have is still exceptional.
'Why it didn't work out for them, I have no idea. They were for years the best counter-attacking team in Europe. I expect them to be really good."
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