Chelsea are set to continue their state of mass change for the coming months as players and coaches come and go leading up to the end of the season and heading into the summer. Since this time last year there have been four separate manager moves, 17 new incoming players and 19 sales or loans.
It's an unprecedented period of turnover from top to bottom that has unsettled many throughout the club but only appears to be at its infancy for owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. Their desire to mould Chelsea in their own way has so far proved unsuccessful but isn't going to stop just yet.
Approaching their second summer window in charge and a new boss is neeeded as well as confirmation and key decisions regarding three players out of contract or leaving from loan at the end of this season, seven whose deals expire in 2024, three players joining up that are yet to make their debuts and at least another four who will come back from loan seeking first team opportunities.
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Given that Mauricio Pochettino is still expected to become the new manager, that is one problem solved but the case of a potential fifteen-man clearout this summer makes things clouded just over two months away from their first pre-season match in the USA. It's certainly a big job.
When it comes to what Pochettino will have to tackle first, ahead of even laying down tactical framework and potential incomings, will be speaking with players who face an immediate future crossroads in the coming weeks, let alone months. N'Golo Kante is one of those players given his deal expires in just over six weeks.
He is widely expected to sign a new contract at the club with Pochettino's seemingly impending announcement only speeding that up. The 32 year-old missed seven months of the campaign with injury but has been impressive since returning to the first team. The other key player to tie down is Mason Mount.
His battle to sign a contract that rewards him for being an imperative member of the 2021 Champions League winning team as well as being paid for services akin to a two-time player of the season has been one rumbling on in the background of this torturous spell for the club.
It's well documented just how much Boehly and Co are keen to keep him at Stamford Bridge but making progress for a new long-term deal that doesn't cement him to well over five more years has been hard going. Although football.london understands the channels of communication between the parties is open, no formal talks will be held until this season is done.
Mount appears to fit the bill for exactly what Pochettino would desire for a midfielder and attacker too due to his tireless work off the ball, eye for a goal, relentless energy and runs in behind the forward and into the channels. After a year of struggles within the side, at the World Cup and most recently with injury, Mount is at a key juncture in his career and not one to be rushed.
His relationship with the club from a young age and as a pillar of success for the academy is vital to keeping an open progression path through Cobham and his choice this summer could impact outside transfers as well. The club is standing firm on a sign or sell basis but that may not sit well with Pochettino.
Even though the Argentine is an admirer of Mount and his appointment would only enhance the chances of the 24-year-old remaining at the club, his stance when it comes to contracts differs from Boehly's. In the book 'A Brave New World', written by Guillem Balague from Pochettino's perspective following Tottenham's 2016/17 season, he says: "In England, for example, the directors don't like players coming to the end of their contracts for fear of them leaving on a free, although it's something that coaches could more often use to motivate them and test a player's mental state."
Bettering a player's own determination, intrinsic motivation and desire are all keystones to Pochettino's philosophy and his success at Spurs shows the effects of it. However, as a businessman it is a fundamental difference to Boehly's own reason for being firm with the Englishman.
How Chelsea solve this may well be key to creating harmony next season and also getting the best out of two key parts of the club, should they both be there.
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