Chelsea may not sack Mauricio Pochettino because of strict Premier League rules

Posted Tuesday, February 06, 2024 by Express.co.uk

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has come under immense pressure following his side's humiliating defeat to Wolves over the weekend.

Chelsea are reportedly ‘concerned’ about the financial implications of sacking Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine is coming under increasing pressure as Blues boss and supporters have already begun to voice their opinion on his position in the Stamford Bridge dugout.

Things went from bad to worse for Pochettino over the weekend after his side were beaten 4-2 at home by Wolves. Cole Palmer gave Chelsea the lead before Matheus Cunha equalised just minutes later for Gary O’Neil’s side.

Wolves then took complete control of the match from that point, with Axel Disasi’s own goal giving the Molineux outfit the lead heading into the interval. Cunha then gave his side a two-goal lead in the 63rd minute before completing his hat-trick from the penalty spot – with Thiago Silva’s 86th-minute effort proving a mere consolation goal for the veteran defender and his team.

Chelsea then left the pitch to a chorus of boos, prompting fresh conversations about whether Pochettino is the right manager to lead the club. However, despite their miserable form, the Blues may have their hands tied by the Premier League’s spending rules.

Chelsea may not sack Mauricio Pochettino because of strict Premier League rules
Mauricio Pochettino is coming under increasing pressure as Blues boss (Image: Getty)

According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea are fearful that sacking Pochettino would see them breach the Premier League’s guidelines at a time when their financial situation is already under immense scrutiny.

The ex-Tottenham boss has 18 months left on his contract with the Blues and therefore would require a fee to leave the club. Therefore, sacking Pochettino and his extended backroom team would set Chelsea back at least £10million, which they are not sure whether they can afford at present.

Any agreed pay-off would be included in the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules this season, and Chelsea are already working hard to ensure that they comply with those guidelines and do not incur any punishments for overspending.

The Blues attempted to raise funds to strengthen their PSR position during the January transfer window but to no avail. Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah and Armando Broja were all placed in the shop window and expected to catch the eye of top clubs around Europe.

However, the trio of academy graduates did not receive the significant interest that Chelsea were hoping for, with only Broja leaving the club to join Fulham on loan for the remainder of the campaign, despite the Blues initially telling suitors that they would only entertain permanent offers in the region of £50m for the out of favour striker.