Pochettino’s future uncertain despite strong end to the season (Picture: Getty)
Mauricio Pochettino will know his Chelsea fate in one week amid ongoing speculation over his future at the club.
The former Tottenham manager arrived at Stamford Bridge last summer and has endured a turbulent season at the club with the Blues missing out on Champions League qualification for a second consecutive season.
Chelsea did however reach the final of the Carabao Cup and the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a strong end to the campaign leaving them firmly in the frame for Europa League qualification.
Pochettino is under contract until 2025 with the option to extend that by a further year but has not ruled out the possibility of leaving at the end of the season.
The Argentine has come under pressure at various stages of the season with co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali offering little clarity over his future in west London.
Chelsea take on Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening before a trip to Brighton midweek, ending their season at home to Bournemouth next Sunday.
He told a press conference on Friday: ‘You know us after more than 10 years of working here in England, we are so comfortable. In the way we are not comfortable is to put in doubt — like you are talking — are we going to be here or not here?
Pochettino under contract until 2025 (Picture: Getty)
‘First, it is not my decision because if the owners are thinking to change — yes, for sure in one week we will know.
‘It’s true that in the last few months that question (over his future) is always coming.’
Chelsea have spent most of the season hovering around mid-table but their recent run has lifted them above Manchester United into seventh place, two points behind sixth place Newcastle.
The Blues squad has been stretched to its limits this season by injuries and should Pochettino remain in charge, he expects any sort of European campaign to be a ‘massive challenge.’
‘In the last season, we suffered too many injuries,’ he said. ‘We were competing a lot because we were to the end of the Carabao Cup and the semi-finals of the FA Cup. We suffered a little because it was so busy and we didn’t have enough players to compete.
‘But the challenge is to increase our percentage of the players fit. If we were in Europe, that is a challenge that we cannot afford to every week have 10, 12 players out.’
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