Mauricio Pochettino reportedly turned down offers from eight clubs before agreeing to become Chelsea’s permanent manager from next season.
Over the weekend, it was widely reported that Pochettino has agreed to become Chelsea’s new head coach effective in June.
The Argentine is expected to visit England this week to finalize the details of the move and consult with present staff, including temporary manager Frank Lampard.
However, after finally departing PSG last July, the 51-year-old has been frequently linked with other jobs, with clubs eager to capitalize on his availability.
As many as eight clubs have tried to work with Pochettino, according to Guillem Balague, who was speaking to BBC Sport.
Balague told the outlet: “He hasn’t been short of offers since leaving Paris, but none have ticked as many boxes as Chelsea have, certainly in this second round of negotiations with the club.
“He was determined to make sure that he made the right choice as to his next employer – and initially turned down Boehly’s Chelsea until he was offered more control.
“He has received approaches from Benfica, Athletic Bilbao, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. Sevilla also made contact, as did Villarreal, Nice and Leeds [United].”
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Pochettino will be entrusted with preventing Chelsea from becoming a mid-table club in the long run, with the West Londoners currently sitting in 11th place in England’s top flight ahead of a closing triple-header against Manchester City, Manchester United, and Newcastle United.
According to reports, Pochettino wants to prioritize a new goalkeeper, central midfielder, and centre forward in the summer transfer window, at a time when Chelsea must make significant cuts through player sales.
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