Chelsea players send board clear message over Mauricio Pochettino future after Burnley draw: report

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino looks dejected after defeat to Wolves in December 2023.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Chelsea could be in the market for a new manager soon after reports that some of the players have asked the board to replace Mauricio Pochettino following the Blues' 2-2 draw against Burnley on Saturday.

Pochettino said before the game that data showed Chelsea should be in fourth place, but the Blues remain in 11th after they were pegged back twice against 10-man Burnley.

There were boos as the final whistle sounded at Stamford Bridge and pressure is increasing on Pochettino, who has been unable to change the team's fortunes since taking over last summer.

Christopher Nkunku and Cole Palmer of Chelsea look dejected after conceding during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge in February 2024.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Pochettino was appointed following a tumultuous campaign which saw three managers – Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard – combine to lead the Blues to a bottom-half finish.

The Argentine led Chelsea to the Carabao Cup final in February, while the Blues are also through to the FA Cup semi-finals, but their position in the Premier League is hugely disappointing after an outlay of over £1 billion on new players in the last four transfer windows.

And according to HITC, some players have now lost their patience with the former Tottenham manager, who was out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2022.

The report claims that some members of the squad have spoken to the club's board to express their dissatisfaction at Pochettino, with the club already looking into possible successors.

While it is understood that no decision has yet been made, the board will want to see some clear improvement between now and the end of the season if Pochettino is to be given more time.

Chelsea's next game is a home fixture against Manchester United in the Premier League on Thursday night.

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Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.