Chelsea could pursue 57-year-old former Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui as a replacement for Mauricio Pochettino.
According to Ben Jacobs on Give Me Sport, Julen Lopetegui is the subject of interest from Chelsea. The Blues are scouring the market for a manager amid uncertainties surrounding the future of Mauricio Pochettino. The 57-year-old former Real Madrid head coach has thus emerged as a target for the West London club.
Julen Lopetegui has resurrected his image after a flop show at Real Madrid. A goalkeeper during his time as a footballer, the Spaniard represented Real Madrid and Barcelona during his career but barely featured for them. Instead, he secured reasonably regular game time for Logrones and Rayo Vallecano.
The 57-year-old also represented Spain once but did not have a long international career. He hung up his boots in 2002 before entering the coaching sphere a year later by joining Spain’s under-17 side. And Lopetegui rose in prominence due to his impact in the national setup, coaching the country’s under-19, under-20, under-21, and senior teams.
Lopetegui’s work for Spain earned him the Real Madrid job, but he lasted only three months at the Santiago Bernabeu. Since then, the Spanish tactician has revived his career with impressive work at Sevilla and Wolverhampton Wanderers. But he has been a free agent since abruptly leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers last year. However, his stock remains high, with Chelsea now interested.
Recent reports have linked Julen Lopetegui with many well-known clubs, including Manchester United. But Chelsea’s entrance into the picture spices things up, with the Blues scouring the market for a manager. The development comes in the wake of rising pressure on Mauricio Pochettino.
The Argentine tactician has failed to galvanise the Chelsea squad, with the West London club languishing in the mid-table positions. So, with another season outside Europe on the cards, Chelsea might pull the trigger on Pochettino. Several candidates, including Arne Slot, have thus emerged on their radar, with Lopetegui also being a viable target.
Widespread reports have suggested that the former Real Madrid manager wants to manage in the Premier League again. So, it will be interesting to see if Chelsea will approach the 57-year-old if Pochettino cannot survive the axe in the coming months.
Management is the problem in Chelsea