David Ornstein has revealed when Mauricio Pochettino’s position at Chelsea will be ‘reviewed’ by the club bosses, who still ‘want to be building into the future with him’.
Pochettino has endured a difficult start to his Chelsea tenure having taken over an expensively assembled but inexperienced squad that finished 12th in the Premier League last season.
Significant further cash was spent in the summer in a bid to get Chelsea back towards the top of the table, but they’re currently languishing in tenth having lost six of their 15 games so far this term.
The Blues were completely outplayed in a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United last time out, leading to #PochOut trends on social media, but Ornstein of The Athletic insists there are no current plans from the Chelsea hierarchy to get rid of the Argentinian, whose position will be ‘reviewed’ in the summer.
Ornstein said: “I don’t know of Pochettino’s position being in doubt at all – to the contrary, the Chelsea hierarchy will want to be building into the future with him – but everyone knows this is a results industry and I’d expect them to review how he is doing in the summer, which will be a year into a two-year contract with a club option of a further 12 months.”
The journalist expects Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia to have a positive effect when they make their Chelsea bows after their respective injuries, and reckons the Blues will target another forward, either in January or the summer, to increase their productivity in the final third.
Ornstein added: “Nkunku will be back soon, so that should be like a new signing with attacking versatility and goal threat. I don’t know the latest on Lavia but I assume he is also close and has fantastic attributes of his own to help the side. Chelsea won’t want to rush them back and risk further damage, so patience is required.
“As for new signings I’d expect an attacker (whether it be a striker or somebody who can play multiple positions around the front line) in January or the summer and likely a centre-back in the summer as I don’t think they’ll extend Thiago Silva again.
“With Nkunku returning and Broja back fit, the need to recruit in winter might not be as pressing as it looked before. We could also see some outgoings in the form of squad members such as Chalobah and Maatsen.”
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