A deal that will see Mauricio Pochettino become the new Chelsea manager is all but confirmed. The former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss is all set to take over from the sacked Graham Potter as permanent head coach at Stamford Bridge.
Frank Lampard has been in charge for a second time in the latter part of the 2022/23 campaign, taking interim charge after Potter's dismissal. But things have not gone to plan for the Blues legend, with Lampard struggling to reverse the team's fortunes.
There is nothing but pride left for the Blues to play for in the final three games of the Premier League season. Although the squad could well be playing for their futures under a new manager.
READ MORE: Todd Boehly can grant Mauricio Pochettino £90m transfer dream with Mykhailo Mudryk repeat
Pochettino will be watching on to see who can hack it in his new regime and who he may need to replace in the starting lineup when he arrives in the summer.
Todd Boehly has backed both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter in the last two transfer windows and Pochettino will have an expectation of money at his disposal. It remains to be seen just how much he will be budgeted, though.
How many signings does the former Spurs head coach need though? That is the real question. Having spent hundreds of millions already under Boehly, there must be a certain expectation that the players already at the club must be good enough.
Pochettino was known to play a 4-2-3-1 system while at Spurs, with a 4-3-3 also used during his time at Paris Saint-Germain - where he obviously had the quality of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi to call upon in attack. So what about at Chelsea?
If he favours the 4-2-3-1 approach there are certainly enough players good enough to slot straight into the starting lineup without the need for transfers.
A backline of Reece James - when fit - Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana and Ben Chilwell, you would think, would be good enough to get Chelsea challenging at the top of the table. Add into that Benoit Badiashile and you've got a starting backline worthy of the top of the table.
Two in midfield of Enzo Fernandez and N'Golo Kante - if he stays - also fits the bill, with Mateo Kovacic - if he stays too - available to slot in there as well.
Ahead of them Mason Mount - if he stays (there's a common theme here) - Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk are talented enough to be a top of the table three behind a central striker. Joao Felix - if he were to join on a permanent deal - and Kai Havertz could also slot into those positions, as could Christopher Nkunku, the new arrival from RB Leipzig.
Those players are more than capable of reverting to a 4-3-3 too, while a 3-5-2 would not be out of the question for those named players either.
That leaves gaping holes at each end of the field. Two massive positions that require filling.
Boehly is going to have to get his chequebook out again, with strikers not coming cheap - see Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen. Goalkeepers are not inexpensive either, just look at the £71million Chelsea splashed out on Kepa Arrizabalaga, who should not be written off, but probably could do with being upgraded if Chelsea are serious about challenging for the Premier League title under Pochettino. David Raya and Andre Onana are among those under consideration.
Two transfers does not seem like a lot to get done this summer to improve the starting XI. It may well be that more are needed to improve the strength in depth, however, that Pochettino will crave. Youngsters likes Levi Colwill, Conor Gallagher and Armando Broja will no doubt come to the fore under a head coach intent on bringing youth through too.
READ NEXT:
Mauricio Pochettino already has his answer to Son Heung-min at Chelsea
Todd Boehly can grant Mauricio Pochettino £90m transfer dream with Mykhailo Mudryk repeat
When Mauricio Pochettino's first Chelsea transfer will be completed as announcement 'close'
Three things that will definitely happen when Mauricio Pochettino is appointed as Chelsea boss
Chelsea news and transfers LIVE: All the latest updates from Stamford Bridge
