Mauricio Pochettino is joining Chelsea in a state of flux and outside of his announcement as the new head coach there is still plenty to be decided and finalised ahead of even pre-season this summer. Whilst new additions will be needed for the new term, there is also a demand to get outgoing business concluded swiftly.
Chelsea will benefit from selling players before the end of June as they look to account for this year's finances ahead of what could be another expensive summer with three key positions already identified as priority for the incoming boss. As well as looking for a new goalkeeper, the Blues are after a defensive midfielder and striker.
With a bloated squad already and returning loanees to take into account before touring America over the summer, Pochettino may have a cut-down of at least 15 players on his hands. This is a massive amount for any club, let alone one that has spent hundreds of millions on wages and transfer fees across the past decade.
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It means that Pochettino may well have to hang tight before the true exodus gets going and the initial squad he is working with may not look too dissimilar to the one on the cards for Frank Lampard now. If anything, things are only set to get worse first.
Chelsea will be up against it to move on their overpaid and underperforming stars as it is, let alone in a tight European market as it is and with other clubs all in the knowledge that Chelsea are looking to flog. They will also have to work with players such as Levi Colwill, Romelu Lukaku, Ian Maatsen and Malo Gusto.
That quartet are all set to return from their seasons away on loan, meanwhile Pochettino has another attacker to contend with in his plans as well. Christopher Nkunku will be joining up with Chelsea in just over one month when his pre-agreed move from RB Leipzig to Stamford Bridge is confirmed on July 1.
An agreement has been in place between the two parties since November after initial talks were held over the summer and into the early part of this current season. Since then he has watched on as Chelsea moved from Thomas Tuchel to Graham Potter and now into temporary charge before settling with Pochettino.
Nkunku will join not only as the first new addition for Pochettino but also as a player that will need closely managing as a swathe of attacking talent once more rocks up at Cobham.
Although the 25-year-old is yet to be officially announced as a new player it has been openly admitted by Leipzig's own chiefs that the player is on his way to England. Pochettino himself is also not appointed as head coach but a final recognition of the appointment is thought to be extremely close after a deal was agreed to bring him in.
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