Mauricio Pochettino misses out on perfect Chelsea partner for ‘next Kante’

Chelsea confirm Mauricio Pochettino as new boss

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has been able to splash out £600million on transfers in his first year but the American is finding it tough to secure new head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s top targets. The Argentinian will take over from July 1 after he was announced as their new manager on a two-year deal with an option for a third, but the ex-Tottenham boss has been busy in the background helping the club prepare for a busy summer transfer window.

The Blues have already missed out on one of Pochettino’s top targets Manuel Ugarte after the west London club saw their offer for the Uruguayan trumped by PSG, who are poised to complete a £56m deal for the Sporting Lisbon.

Pochettino also made a ‘late move’ to try and hijack Alexis Mac Allister’s £55m transfer to Liverpool, according to The Times, but the 24-year-old had already made up his mind to move to Anfield as he wanted to work under Jurgen Klopp.

In the space of two weeks, Pochettino has faced two rejections already at Stamford Bridge and, without the lure of European football, it may become a frustrating pattern in the coming months.

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Boehly will be able to soften the blow by funding a move for Mac Allister’s former Brighton team-mate Moises Caicedo, with the £80m-rated Ecuadorian expected to head for the exit this summer. But the 51-year-old will be disappointed at missing out on the ideal partnership of Mac Allister and Caicedo to join Enzo Fernandez at Stamford Bridge.

Pochettino will now have to look at other targets with a flurry of midfield departures likely to occur before new signings arrive. N’Golo Kante is on the verge of signing for Al-Ittihad while Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are all set to be sold.

Celta Vigo starlet Gabri Veiga identified as a possible replacement for Mount and the Spaniard may choose to leave the Spanish club for around £35m following their disappointing La Liga campaign and could be available. There is vast interest in the 21-year-old after he scored 11 goals in La Liga this season from midfield, with Liverpool and Newcastle both linked.

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In the event that Boehly is not keen to fund another move for an attacking player, it is conceivable that record signing Fernandez could be deployed further forward when Caicedo arrives. His excellent range of passing and composure on the ball means he is able to move the ball quickly – and the fact he provided seven assists for Benfica in an advanced midfield position before joining Chelsea is proof of his capability.

Conor Gallagher has also been used in an attacking role to press from the front under Frank Lampard in the closing weeks of the season, with some suggestions the caretaker boss had done so with one eye on Pochettino’s arrival. And he could slot in at the tip of the triangle with Caicedo and Fernandez holding deeper.

Other plans might include promoting young stars Andrey Santos and Cesare Casadei, both of whom have shone for Brazil and Italy respectively at the Under-20 World Cup.

Santos is set to be granted a work permit to play in the UK next season after his £16m move from Vasco da Gama, while Casadei has been tipped for a big future at Stamford Bridge, having scored six goals from midfield for the Azzurri’s youth team in the tournament.

But in terms of assembling a squad capable of fighting for the top four next season, Pochettino’s task has only become more challenging by missing out on his top two targets Ugarte and Mac Allister.

If he is to work his magic and turn Chelsea into a success, Boehly will need to ensure he at least gets his wish with Caicedo to avoid another season of disappointment.

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