Mauricio Pochettino has explained why he did not participate in Chelsea’s lap of honour at the end of the 2023-24 Premier League season.
The Argentine has faced questions about his future at Stamford Bridge, as significant spending in west London only resulted in a sixth-place finish.
This position secures European qualification for Chelsea, though the outcome of the FA Cup final will determine if they compete in the Europa League or Conference League in 2024-25.
Despite being under contract, there is speculation about potential changes.
These rumours intensified when Pochettino and his coaching team headed down the tunnel while the Chelsea players thanked fans for their support.
Quizzed on why he skipped the customary end of season procession around the pitch, Pochettino said: “Because there was no time, because Thiago Silva [had a goodbye presentation]. And then when the players started [to do the lap], [press officer] Adrian [Phillips] said I needed to go inside. Maybe now I’ll go and give a tour [of the pitch].”
Pressed further on his future, Pochettino added: “I don’t know if that is going to happen or not. I have no idea about that. I can only tell you that on Friday night Todd [Boehly] invited me for a dinner and I think it was a very nice dinner together.
But I don’t know about the rumours, about the review or this. Tomorrow my staff are going to fly, unless they decide tonight to stay, they are going to go for holidays. And I’m going to stay a few days more in London. My door is always open and my phone is going to be on.”
Pochettino stated that any involvement in transfer business this summer is a “club decision.” With Chelsea now preparing for next season, the prospects look promising with players like Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, and Christopher Nkunku indicating a bright future ahead.