Mauricio Pochettino snubbed Leeds United, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest to settle on Chelsea job – Guillem Balague
Newly-announced Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino rejected eight other clubs’ advances, including Leeds United, before agreeing to take over at Stamford Bridge, according to Guillem Balague.
The Argentine has finally been confirmed as the new man for Todd Boehly next season having been out of work since leaving PSG at the end of the previous campaign, but has not been short of offers for work.
Leeds United are onto their fourth boss this season in Sam Allardyce, with Javi Gracia previously having replaced Jesse Marsch with a Michael Skubala interim period between, and have an even longer list of candidates they unsuccessfully went for along the way, but with Pochettino they are far from alone as Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest were also knocked back along with a host of European sides.
Balague said in his BBC Sport column: “Joining Chelsea is not a decision Pochettino has taken lightly; he has turned down a number of potential suitors since leaving PSG in July 2022.”
As well as the former Tottenham boss initially rejecting the chance to take over at Stamford Bridge itself when Graham Potter was appointed, Balague adds: “He has received approaches from Benfica, Athletic Bilbao, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. Sevilla also made contact, as did Villarreal, Nice and Leeds United.
“But after six consecutive years in the Champions League, reaching one final and one semi-final, he wants to go to a club that he believes will challenge for titles.”
He also would be have been prepared to go to Manchester United but was never offered the job.
Aimed high
It is far too late to wonder what might have been now but clearly Pochettino backed himself to get an offer from a club he feels can challenge for the league, and while Chelsea may be as far from that as in recent memory this season, he looks to have got it in the capital.
He goes on the list with the likes of Andoni Iraola and Arne Slot as options who in themselves were attractive, but ultimately proved to be impossible for the Whites.
The club had to resort to Gracia, who was only fifth choice or below when he came in, and that was after the aborted move to appoint ex-Ajax boss Alfred Schreuder amid fan uproar.
Villa ultimately struck gold with Unai Emery, while Forest appear to be in line to just about squeak home by keeping hold of Steve Cooper, but the fate of Leeds United under Allardyce is still hanging in the balance.
The point against Newcastle on Saturday (13 May) and defeat for Everton against Manchester City a day later keeps the race for safety on, with Leicester hosting Liverpool Monday night.
Southampton, who Pochettino had previously done so well with, are now down, and while he would surely have been an excellent appointment at Elland Road it is one of many ships that have sailed with two games left for Big Sam to save the season.
In other Leeds United news, the club is on the trail of a new teenage talent from a Premier League rival, he could be sold amid lack of opportunities.