3 Stars Pochettino must target from his previous teams

Mauricio Pochettino is set to take the Chelsea hot seat after the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique were excluded from the shortlist days ago due to varied reasons. In spite of losing all of his five games since returning to the Bridge, club legend Frank Lampard will continue in his caretaker role, trying to bring the best out of this squad until the end of the season and no new appointment is expected.

Although talks with former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain Head Coach have escalated over the last week ,the Argentine intends to take his spot in the dugout next season onwards. Pochettino’s first task at hand would undoubtedly be trimming the squad size which is huge concern. But Chelsea need reinforcements in certain areas of the pitch and that is evident. This means that although CFC will primarily focus on outgoings, the club will be expected to sanction a few signings as well.

The Argentine Head Coach has rich experience working with clubs like Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and so on. And Pochettino is known for his relationship with his players working closely and helping them develop. This opens the door for his ex players to join him at the Bridge. And the Chels’ faithful would absolutely love that having watched Sarri-Jorginho and Lampard-Mount in the past.

This particular trio should consider reuniting with Pochettino and move to Chelsea

1. Harry Kane

Conor Gallagher’s goal which went in after a significant deflection will be CFC’s goal of the month with that being the only goal scored in the entire month. Not a single player in that bloated Chelsea squad has goals in double digits this season. Only 30 goals in 32 games played so far places them below most of the relegation candidates in terms of goals scored.

The season has almost come to an end with a handful of games left and the Blues who were one of the most successful clubs in the last decade find themselves sat in the bottom half of the  table. And with stats stated above, the major cause of this downfall is pretty evident.

Chelsea Football Club have lacked a reliable no.9 ever since Diego Costa left the club and are desperate to find one in the summer. The club has been linked to the pacy hitman Victor Osimhen, however Napoli haven’t decided on the price tag yet. The club has also kept the option of Romelu Lukaku’s return open which again would be highly risky considering his rather average loan spell in spite of his club having done exceptionally well, finding themselves in the Semi Finals of the UEFA Champions League, and to add to it majority of the Chelsea supporters wouldn’t welcome him back with open arms. Ivan Toney is another option being considered.

This has led to a lot of uncertainty around that centreforward role. However Pochettino’s arrival could open doors to one of the best strikers the Premier League has ever had, Harry Kane. Although his club haven’t helped him win a lot of silverware, the Englishman has been breaking records on an individual level. And Daily Mail’s reliable reporter Sami Mokbel has commented on this situation,

"“Daniel Levy’s efforts to stop Harry Kane from joining Manchester United this summer are set to be complicated by Mauricio Pochettino’s imminent appointment by Chelsea. Pochettino and Kane grew close at Spurs and the Argentine would jump at the chance to work with Kane again.”"

Harry Kane is not only Tottenham’s all-time top goal scorer but also has most goals for a single Premier League Club, most away Premier League goals, most Premier League goals in a calendar year, most Premier League Player of the Month awards. Not to mention most competitive goals for England, and he is the only player to score against all his Premier League opponents. Mauricio Pochettino deploying Kane in this potent Chelsea attack alongside players like Christopher Nkunku and Mykhailo Mudryk could finally help the club put their goal drought behind them.

2. James Ward-Prowse

Mateo Kovacic has not been himself lately. The Croatian International has struggled ever since his return from the World Cup. And the captain’s armband only made it worse as it possibly added extra pressure. And recent reports suggest that with only 12 months left on his contract, Kovacic will consider a move away from the Bridge at the end of the season with Thomas Tuchel wanting him at the Allianz Arena, a deal which could see Leroy Sane in Blue. Inter Milan are also said to be interested in the midfielder.

Conor Gallagher’s role at the club has seen a significant up trend. However to avoid scrutiny from the Financial Fair Play office, Conor Gallagher could be one of the first names to leave the west London outfit. Ruben Loftus-cheek too is a target for AC Milan with a summer move in mind.

And with N’Golo Kante’s recurring injury concerns, the Blues definitely need to strengthen their midfield this summer. Romeo Lavia and Declan Rice are already being considered and with Pochettino’s appointment, the England outcast could be added to the shortlist.

Southampton find themselves on the 20th position of the Premier League points table with only five games left to play. And with only one since February which was obviously secured at Stamford Bridge, the Saints are likely to get the drop.

In spite of his consistent displays, Ward-Prowse missed the flight to Qatar after being overlooked by Gareth Southgate who called up Conor Gallagher instead who was an Impact sub at Chelsea. Which made it evident that the Saints’ skipper needs to move to a top club to be a part of the International setup.

The dead ball specialist came through Southampton’s academy and made his debut at a tender age of 16. Since then the Englishman has never looked back, he developed rapidly and made his Premier League debut at 17 in the opening game after the side was promoted from the Championship.

James Ward-Prowse was a symbol of Pochettino’s time at the South Coast as he represented the blooding in of youth that the Argentine championed and achieved during his time. He deployed Ward-Prowse all over the midfield, using him as a central, left, right and also as an attacking midfielder displaying his versatility.

The young midfielder flourished under Pochettino making his huge potential evident and in spite of missing out due to an injury for a major part of the Argentine’s last season, Ward-Prowse racked up 7 assists. The story ended abruptly as Spurs snapped up Pochettino in the 2015/16 season.

Now at the age of 28 where he has arguably peaked at the South Coat, it would wise of him to bid farewell and stay up in the Premier League, joining one of the top sides. And the Chelsea situation could seem to be rather appealing.

3. Gianluigi Donnarumma

Edouard Mendy, the goal keeper who played a crucial role in Chelsea lifting the UCL in 2021 has been a shadow of his previous self. He was average at best before being hit with an injury and recurring injuries have kept him off the field ever since. Kepa Arrizabalaga on the other hand has been decent, but there is a feeling amongst the Chelsea board that an upgrade is needed over the Spanish no.1 who is currently CFC’s first choice goalkeeper.

This has led the Blues to dive into the market in search of a new no.1 to deploy between the sticks. David Raya has been the favorite for a while now with the Blues targeting the Brentford duo. Andre Onana is another name that has been mentioned, with the latest reports from Sport Mediaset.

"There was a meeting between Inter and #Chelsea in Milan to discuss the situation of Andre Onana. Inter are asking for at least €40M and have made it clear that they do not want to include Kepa Arrizabalaga as part of the deal."

Yes, Gianluigi Donnarumma will not move to Chelsea in the summer, it is obvious. With potentially missing out on participation in European competitions next season, this move seems to be impossible. But in case CFC go all out and prioritize strengthening the squad with a new striker and no.6 over bringing in a goalkeeper, the Italian International could definitely be considered as a long term option next summer.

Donnarumma’s potential is enormous and there a few who can match his shot stopping ability. Although PSG is huge, the Italian will definitely reconsider staying there for long. And if everything works out as planned with the Argentine Head Coach, a move for Donnarumma in the future cannot be ruled out.

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