Mauricio Pochettino leaves Chelsea by mutual consent after one season at club despite European qualification

Mauricio Pochettino has left his role as Chelsea manager by mutual consent, the club announced on Tuesday.

In a statement, club sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: "On behalf of everyone at Chelsea, we would like to express our gratitude to Mauricio for his service this season.

"He will be welcome back to Stamford Bridge any time and we wish him all the very best in his future coaching career."

Speaking about leaving the club, Pochettino said: "Thank you to the Chelsea ownership group and Sporting Directors for the opportunity to be part of this football club's history.

"The club is now well positioned to keep moving forward in the Premier League and Europe in the years to come."

It had long been reported that an end-of-season review would be held after an inconsistent season at Stamford Bridge.

Five successive wins at the end of the season ensured Chelsea will play European football next season after finishing sixth in England’s top flight.

Pochettino also led them to the final of the Carabao Cup and the semi-finals of the FA Cup, but he leaves just one year into the two-year deal he signed last summer.

The decision was reportedly made after a two-day meeting between Pochettino, Winstanley and Stewart, and co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali.

The Argentine manager had already had dinner with Todd Boehly on the Friday before the final weekend of the Premier League season.

With reassurances from the board not forthcoming during the season, Pochettino was regularly asked by reporters if he had the back of Boehly and his team.

Speaking before his side took on Nottingham Forest earlier this month, he said was not unhappy at the club but “it would not be the end of the world” if he left Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.

Pochettino is the third head coach to lose his job since the Clearlake Capital-Boehly ownership took over in May 2022.

Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter have also been sacked from Stamford Bridge during Boehly's time at the helm.

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