- Mauricio Pochettino has led Chelsea back to Europe in his first season
- Rio Ferdinand still thinks he will leave the club this summer
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Rio Ferdinand believes there is a good chance that Mauricio Pochettino will not be at Chelsea next season.
After taking charge at Stamford Bridge last summer, Pochettino endured a rollercoaster first season at the helm but managed to guide Chelsea back to Europe as they finished sixth after winning their last five games of the season.
However, despite the Blues’ strong showing in the season, doubts have been raised over Pochettino’s future in recent weeks, with Ferdinand not convinced the Argentine will stick around in west London.
“From what I hear about Mauricio Pochettino, I’m not sure he will be there at Chelsea,” Ferdinand said. Atmosphere with Five Youtube Channel.
“From the mumbling I hear, I don’t know if things will end well there.”
Mauricio Pochettino faces an uncertain future at Chelsea despite a strong end to the season
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has a big decision to make over Pochettino’s future this summer
Rio Ferdinand expects Pochettino to likely leave the club next season
It was then put to Ferdinand that Pochettino appears to have won over the fans with recent results that could help his case, but the Manchester United legend is unsure if that will influence the final decision on Pochettino’s job.
“I don’t think it’s in their (the fans’) hands,” he added.
“I think it’s the hierarchy and I think a decision can be made between those guys. I don’t think he’ll be there (next season), if I was a betting man.”
Mail Sport understands that Chelsea have always intended to review Pochettino’s position at the end of the season.
His role came under heavy scrutiny after Chelsea were beaten 5-0 by Arsenal last month, but Pochettino’s side bounced back impressively from that defeat.
After earning a point against Aston Villa in their next match, Chelsea took maximum points from their last five games, including wins against London rivals Tottenham and West Ham.
This allowed them to climb the league after sitting mid-table for most of the season, skipping the likes of Newcastle and United to move into the Europa League positions.
Chelsea finished the season strongly, but Ferdinand is still not convinced Pochettino will stay
Chelsea also had good results in both domestic cup competitions this season, reaching the final of the Carabao Cup before losing to Liverpool, while they were knocked out of the FA Cup semi-finals by Manchester City.
Performances have improved as the season has progressed, but despite clear signs of development, Pochettino admitted earlier this month that he could walk away from Chelsea before next season.
This surprising statement came just days after he revealed he had not spoken to owner Todd Boehly in months, suggesting he has not been given a clear idea of where he stands on the club’s future.