Mauricio Pochettino wanted three players in the January transfer window but failed to bring in any of them, Sami Mokbel has revealed on It’s All Kicking Off.
The Blues showed on Wednesday that they are still some way off the top teams in the Premier League, losing 4-1 to Liverpool at Anfield as they clung onto their place in the top half of the table ahead of Wolves‘ game against Manchester United.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino has found it tough going since joining the club in the summer, struggling to get the best out of his £1billion squad amid Todd Boehly‘s mass spending spree since taking the club over in 2022.
Mokbel, meanwhile, has revealed that the Argentine had his sights set on strengthening three positions in the January window, though Chelsea – who agreed to loan Armando Broja to Fulham on deadline day – failed to bring in a single player in the month.
Speaking on the Deadline Day special of It’s All Kicking Off, Mokbel revealed Pochettino’s desires and they key areas he identified that needed strengthening in his squad.
Mauricio Pochettino wanted to sign three players in January but ended up with none, Sami Mokbel has revealed
Chelsea have had a difficult season under the Argentinian and lost 4-1 to Liverpool on Wednesday evening
Pochettino wanted to sign a goalkeeper, a left back and a forward to help his side in January, Mokbel revealed
‘They’re in a state of flux,’ Mokbel began when asked by Ian Ladyman what the situation around the club was on deadline day. ‘Mauricio Pochettino came in there in the summer, didn’t have any say, or very little say, with regards to recruitment and who they were signing.
‘I think we’ve seen evidence of of that in his team selections. He’s chopped and changed a lot, and he’s tried different things just because he’s simply not happy with the squad that he’s got. That probably isn’t the right expression, the squad that he has doesn’t fit the mold of the team that he wants to be.
‘He went into January, hoping that he would have some rope to work with with regards to bringing in players that that he wanted.
‘It’s important to stress for Mauricio Pochettino, he simply isn’t the kind of manager who will go into the boardroom and start waving his arms around and demanding X player, X player, and X player. He will make recommendations, he will make strong recommendations, but he effectively isn’t one to throw his toys out of…