Mauricio Pochettino breaks silence after shock Chelsea departure confirmed

Mauricio Pochettino has opened up on his shock Chelsea departure.

The Argentine has left Stamford Bridge after just one season at the West London club. The Blues finished sixth in the Premier League and are guaranteed European football next season.

Chelsea also reached the League Cup final under Pochettino, losing to Liverpool, and the FA Cup semi-finals where they lost to Manchester City. And now he has spoken for the first time on his departure from the club in a statement released on the club's website.

"Thank you to the Chelsea ownership group and Sporting Directors for the opportunity to be part of this football club's history. The Club is now well positioned to keep moving forward in the Premier League and Europe in the years to come.," he said.

The club have also confirmed that members of Pochettino's coaching staff Jesus Perez, Miguel d’Agostino, Toni Jimenez and Sebastiano Pochettino have also left.

Sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: "On behalf of everyone at Chelsea, we would like to express our gratitude to Mauricio for his service this season. He will be welcome back to Stamford Bridge any time and we wish him all the very best in his future coaching career."

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Speaking after the final day victory over Bournemouth about his future, the former Tottenham boss said: "I don't know if that is going to happen or not.

"I don't have any idea about this. All I can tell you is on Friday night, Todd [Boehly] invited me for a dinner and it was a very nice dinner together. But I don't know about the rumours about the review.

"My staff tomorrow are flying for their holidays. I am going to stay in London for a few more days. I am always open. My phone is going to be on."

On the Boehly dinner, he added: "I am not going to explain. It is only for you to know that I was with him. I'm not going to talk about this. If I invite you along, and you and me have dinner, it's not for bad things. I don't believe that."

Pochettino was in charge for 51 Chelsea games last season, winning 26 of them and totting up a 50.90 per cent win ratio.