Chelsea's talks with Mauricio Pochettino regarding the vacant head coach role have been positive, football.london understands.
The Argentine has been out of a job since leaving Paris Saint-Germain last summer, despite winning the French league title with the club the season before. Pochettino, who managed Tottenham for over five years between 2014 and 2019, has been linked with numerous roles since leaving PSG but is said to be waiting out for the right job to come his way.
football.london understands Chelsea and Pochettino have held talks recently over the vacant head coach role and they have been seen as positive by both parties. The club's board are huge admirers of Pochettino and his qualities, and even met with the former Spurs boss following the departure of Thomas Tuchel last year but ended up appointing Graham Potter instead.
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Pochettino is keen to return to management in the Premier League but going back to Tottenham has more complications than it perhaps appears on the outside. Chelsea, though, is a serious option for the 51-year-old. In fact, around six months ago, he opened up on why he would be up for returning to the Premier League to manage and also referenced living in London as a big factor in any decision.
He said in November 2022: "I miss the Premier League. Why not [return to England]? We are open. I love England, I love living in London and Barcelona. And, of course, if that possibility [to return] appears for sure we will consider taking it."
Julian Nagelsmann was the favourite for the Chelsea job but it's understood the German has pulled out of the running. The 35-year-old didn't see eye-to-eye with the club's board over certain aspects of their long-term vision and exited the race.
Meanwhile, interest is Luis Enrique has cooled and the Spaniard is not expected to be the man to take the vacant head coach role. Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti is someone the club are considering and talks with the 64-year-old are set to happen in the coming weeks.
Chelsea are doing their due diligence this time around and want to avoid the mistake of rushing into appointing their next manager – something the board were very much criticised for last time around with Potter. Vincent Kompany of Burnley is another man on the shortlist but no talks have taken place just yet. His side are looking set to secure top spot in the Championship with promotion already secured.
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