Mauricio Pochettino appears to have planned out his first three transfers as Chelsea manager. The former Tottenham boss has been heavily linked with the vacant head coach position at Stamford Bridge for a while now, and he's expected to be unveiled as such ahead of the summer.
football.london understands that Pochettino has agreed a deal to take the hot seat in the Blues dugout at the end of the season. After weeks of positive negotiations, the two parties finally reached an agreement just hours after the west Londoners' draw with Nottingham Forest.
It's believed that the 51-year-old will be in London this week to sign his contract and tie up any loose ends. Pochettino is expected to sign a three-year deal with Chelsea – and he's already laying the foundations for his seemingly imminent arrival.
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According to Inter Live, Mateo Kovacic is the latest player to be mooted as a makeweight in a part-exchange deal for Andre Onana. The Inter Milan goalkeeper has been heavily linked with a move to west London recently, as the Blues look to bolster their options between the sticks.
Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy have both struggled to impress this term so Onana has emerged as a suitable replacement. The report states that Chelsea previously – but unsuccessfully – suggested Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Trevoh Chalobah and the Senegalese shot-stopper, who are worth a combined £65.2million.
Inter Live add that Kovacic is open to a return to the Nerazzurri, with just 12 months remaining on his current deal. football.london understands that the Blues are prepared to let the Croatia international leave the club, with Bayern Munich said to be the front-runners for his signature.
With a move for Onana on the cards, Rio Ferdinand has already given the transfer his stamp of approval. Speaking on BT Sport after Inter booked a place in the Champions league final, the former Manchester United defender said: "Modern-day goalkeeper – he’s top class.
"He takes the ball under pressure, doesn’t panic, and brings the other team onto him, which creates space around that. He plays over or through the press. He was fabulous tonight in doing that."
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