Mauricio Pochettino started to build a squad. According to the Evening Standard, upcoming Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has named four homegrown players as the foundation of his team for the upcoming campaign: Mason Mount, Conor Gallagher, Reece James, and Levi Colwill.
It is shortly anticipated that Pochettino would be named Chelsea’s new manager, succeeding interim manager Frank Lampard. Some of the Blues’ indigenous talent, like Mount, Colwill, and Gallagher, may experience a change of fortune as a result of the hiring of the former Tottenham Hotspur manager.
Over the last two transfer windows, Chelsea has added more than 15 players for a total of almost £600 million. In order to balance the finances before the new season, this had pushed the club hierarchy to sell some of their homegrown players.
To improve the club culture and give some of the players an opportunity to establish their value to the team, Pochettino wants to make those changes. This is surprising because players like Mason Mount were rumored to be leaving Stamford Bridge in the summer, with Liverpool reportedly keen to sign him. Mount now has one year left on his contract, but Pochettino wants to extend it in order to keep him with the team.
Conor Gallagher might also experience a breath of new air with the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino. In the January transfer window, the 23-year-old midfielder was rumored to be leaving Chelsea, but he has remained a supplementary player for the team, making 42 appearances across all competitions. The aforementioned source claims that Gallagher’s playing style is suitable for how Pochettino likes to play, which may be advantageous for his long-term career at the club.
Despite rumors that Mauricio Pochettino sees a future for both Mount and Gallagher, Chelsea is still looking to add a new midfielder this summer. The club’s top recruitment targets for the 2018 summer transfer window, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, are a new central midfielder and center forward.
The only remaining player is Levi Colwill, who is now on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion and has put in a few solid games despite a season marred by injuries. Colwill recently made a strong impression in Brighton’s 3-0 Premier League triumph over Arsenal.
Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, and recent January acquisition Benoit Badiashile are just a few of the outstanding center-backs Chelsea presently has on their roster. Colwill would find it difficult to join the team since he wants to play regular first-team football as a result.
However, Thiago Silva, who will turn 39 later this season, still has one year left on his deal. Therefore, if Levi Colwill keeps up his impressive play in these final games of the season and over the preseason, Mauricio Pochettino may decide to use him as a long-term Silva replacement.
Follow your favorite team’s journey in football through the latest news and updates.