Chelsea star's brutal reaction to Pochettino's exit suggests dressing room split

22 May 2024 , 15:30

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There was a mixed reaction to Mauricio Pochettino's sacking among Chelsea's players (Image: GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Rumours are rife of a split in Chelsea's dressing room following a mixed reaction to Mauricio Pochettino's exit.

The Argentine boss left the club by mutual agreement on Tuesday after guiding the Blues to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League, winning 19 more points and scoring 25 more goals than Chelsea managed last season. In the hours following his dismissal, players hopped onto social media one by one to react to the news.

As expected, there were plenty of heartfelt messages thanking the manager, but a couple of players failed to toe the line. In what appeared to be a dig at Chelsea's owners, Nicolas Jackson uploaded a photo of himself and Pochettino to Instagram with two face-palm emojis.

"Love you coach," the Senegal forward wrote. "Wish we could stay together more. But may God continue to bless you and your family. Thanks for the advice and support, you're a true lion and fighter, wish you all the best."

The reaction wasn't all negative, however. Forgotten Blues defender Malang Sarr, who didn't played a single minute of football under Pochettino, 'liked' Chelsea's Instagram post confirming the former Tottenham manager's departure. Furthermore, it's understood the players were outraged after learning the news via social media, after being kept in the dark by the club.

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According to The Telegraph, their WhatsApp group went into 'meltdown', with a source close to the team claiming: "The players could not believe it. They had no idea until the news broke and it started going around their WhatsApp groups. Most of them really liked Poch, so they were pretty upset."

Chelsea's search for their sixth manager under Boehly is already in full swing, and Pochettino's replacement is expected to be announced within the next few days, rather than weeks. It's thought the Blues are after a young manager capable of playing high-quality possession-based football, with the likes of Ipswich's Kieran McKenna, Leicester's Enzo Maresca and former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi reportedly high up on their shortlist.

Malang Sarr 'liked' Chelsea's post confirming Pochettino's departure

Others like Stuttgart's Sebastian Hoeness, Brentford boss Thomas Frank and Girona’s Michel are also in contention. It's understood that well established coaches like Thomas Tuchel, Hansi Flick and Antonio Conte won't be considered.

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Harry Brent