Mauricio Pochettino signs Chelsea contract to become new head coach

Mauricio Pochettino has signed his contract as Chelsea’s new head coach to give supporters some optimism at the end of the club’s worst-ever Premier League season.

Telegraph Sport exclusively revealed two weeks ago that Pochettino had agreed terms over permanently succeeding Graham Potter, who was sacked in April.

And, ahead of Chelsea’s final game of the season against Newcastle United, Pochettino officially signed his contract which is expected to run for three years to the summer of 2026.

Chelsea are set to make a formal announcement on Pochettino’s arrival in the next 48 hours with Frank Lampard’s caretaker reign ending after the Newcastle game.

The club’s Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital owners will hope the appointment of Pochettino will signal a period of greater stability at Chelsea, given they have already sacked two managers and four different men took charge of the team this season.

Pochettino was identified and recommended by co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley before Boehly and co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali wrapped up the deal.

Pochettino will work closely with his loyal staff of assistant manager and head of conditioning Jesus Perez, first-team coach Miguel D'Agostino, goalkeeping coach Toni Jimenez and his son Sebastiano, a sports scientist, who will all join him at Stamford Bridge.

Three of the four - Perez, D’Agostino and Jimenez - have worked with Pochettino throughout his coaching career at Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham and Paris St-Germain, while Sebastiano was with him at Spurs and in France.

Perez is particularly influential in Pochettino’s set-up and will work closely with Chelsea’s medical department to make sure the squad are in the best possible physical condition.

Pochettino will start work with his new squad in pre-season, but the planning for that and the transfer market will begin immediately.

Much of the focus this summer will be on selling players and reducing the size of the squad, although Chelsea are expected to try to make two or three key signings, including a new goalkeeper.

It remains to be seen whether or not Pochettino can influence the future of Mason Mount, who has been inching towards the exit with every passing week his contract has not been extended amid strong interest from Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have been holding talks about buying a stake in French club Strasbourg as part of the owners’ multi-club plan and have also been looking at clubs in Portugal with the help of agent Jorge Mendes.