Mauricio Pochettino has already reportedly stamped his authority on Chelsea Football Club by overruling chairman Todd Boehly. The former Tottenham Hotspur head coach has made a decision on Chelsea star Cesar Azpilicueta’s Blues fate.
Trust me, this type of headline is precisely what CFC needs. Boehly’s influence on football proceedings at Stamford Bridge was counterproductive. The American businessman and investor got pretty much all of his investments wrong as supposed director of football regarding some of the terrible transactions in the last year. This may seem strange for a billionaire. Yet an old adage come to mind: stick to what you know. Boehly doesn’t know football or footballers, clearly. Throwing money at problems without knowledge and due diligence rarely works. What is truly required on Fulham Road is a manager who knows the game, knows his own strengths and weaknesses and is dedicated. A person who instinctively makes great footballing decisions – enter ‘Poch’.
The Argentine is making his presence known at Chelsea, even in these early stages. The ex-Paris Saint-Germain boss has ostensibly informed club legend Cesar Azpilicueta that his services will no longer be needed in the team. A ruthless but possibly correct outcome if you ask me, with all due respect to ‘Azpi’. Don’t get me wrong, I admire the versatile defender and he’s been a terrific servant for the west London outfit. However, his pace means he cannot fill the fullback or wingback deputy roles anymore; the centreback area is covered with a nice array of young talent. Despite Boehly blocking previous attempts to acquire Azpilicueta, Pochettino is allowing the player to leave on a free transfer.
Real Madrid attempted to hijack Kai Havertz’s transfer from Chelsea to Arsenal, according to a report
That’s right, the German was inexplicably in demand. I’m still surprised Arsenal paid as much as they did for Havertz, yet this story is even more surprising:
"Real Madrid held talks with Kai Havertz to try and persuade the German across to Spain – but were unable to beat Arsenal to his signature.Havertz completed a £65m move from Chelsea to Arsenal earlier this week, with Mikel Arteta planning to utilise his first summer signing in a midfield position, rather than upfront.But a report in Spain suggests that the 24-year-old was given the option of LaLiga football, before he eventually opted for another Premier League challenge."