Chelsea

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Nicola Pearson, BBC Sport

It is one year to the day since Todd Boehly's consortium and the US private equity firm Clearlake Capital completed their £4.25bn takeover of Chelsea from sanctioned Russian owner Roman Abramovich.

To say it has been a turbulent first 12 months in charge could be something of an understatement.

At the time of the announcement, American businessman Boehly said: "We're all in - 100% - every minute of every match. Our vision as owners is clear: we want to make the fans proud."

In a season in which the side broke a number of unwanted club records and finished in the bottom half of the table for the first time since 1995-96, you would struggle to find a fan who agreed with the latter of the statement.

While it's difficult to question the owner's commitment to be "all in" - the 49-year-old has been a regular face at games and invested over £600m in new players - this has arguably come as a hinderance rather than a help at times.

His visit to the Blues' dressing room, external after defeat to Brighton in which he labelled the season "embarrassing" did little to lift the spirits and the transfer spending spree that created a bloated squad left even Thiago Silva questioning the owners strategy.

The takeover was viewed as a new era for Chelsea in which those running the club would do so in a different way to what went before, with more patience and a vision for the long term.

And yet, they did something not even the ruthless Abramovich had done - sacking two managers in one season.

New head coach Mauricio Pochettino will in fact be the fifth person to take charge of the Blues after Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Bruno Saltar and Frank Lampard all had a spell in the dugout over the campaign.

If this was a game of football manager, you might have hit the restart button.

But, with a bruising first season out of the way, sporting directors and seemingly more of a structure in place, a summer to clear out and a new experienced man at the helm, this could in fact be the reset Boelhy and his consortium need to make good on their promise to "build on Chelsea's remarkable history of success".

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Will Faulks, Chelsea News, external

Season rating: 1/10

Best player: Lewis Hall started the last four games of the season and improved his growing reputation in each one. It's hard to think of another player who played to their potential over the course of the campaign.

Best away fans: So many teams won a first or a rare victory at Stamford Bridge this season that there was plenty of excited travelling support. Borussia Dortmund were something else, despite being one of the teams we managed to beat.

Happy with your manager? Mauricio Pochettino seems like the kind of coach to give a talented group some team spirit and some confidence. Whether he can actually pull it off is another question.

What needs to improve for next season? Everything. Training, tactics, effort, results. The ownership now need to leave everything to the sporting directors so we can start judging their work.

Best performance: We beat AC Milan 3-0 at home and even Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored. We later found out they just were not very good, but we enjoyed it at the time.

Player you would most like to sign: Mason Mount.

Any other business: Please stop selling beloved academy players and replacing them with expensive unproven 21-year-olds on eight-year contracts.

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Chelsea have announced the appointment of Chris Jurasek as the club's new chief executive.

The news comes as president of business Tom Glick, formerly an executive at Manchester City, is set to leave less than a year after his appointment last July as he looks to "to pursue other opportunities".

Jurasek will oversee all business areas at Chelsea and report to the board alongside co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.

"I'm delighted to be joining Chelsea, a club which is loved and followed all over the world," said Jurasek, who has been working as operating executive for Clearlake Capital - the US private equity firm that co-owns the west London club.

"I'm enormously proud to be leading it into the next chapter in its rich history.

"We have huge opportunities to grow on and off the pitch and to engage our exceptional fans both in London and wherever they are supporting us from."

Co-controlling owners Behdad Eghbali and Jose E Feliciano, said on the appointment: "Chris' skill and expertise will help us to drive the club forward in all areas, particularly in supporting our long-term plans for Chelsea.

"Our focus will continue to be on ensuring the club is competitive and sustainable both from a sporting and business perspective, with a talented and ambitious leadership team."

Outgoing Glick will work closely with Jurasek in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition before leaving.

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Chelsea confirmed Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager on Monday and supporter Tom Overend hopes the appointment will bring stability after a tumultuous 2022-23 season at Stamford Bridge.

Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Bruno Saltor and Frank Lampard all took charge of matches during the past campaign.

Overend told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I feel that Pochettino is the man to do that [bring stability]. He went into Tottenham in a quite similar situation in 2014 and I feel that if he's given the space to do what we know he can, it might just be the perfect appointment for us."

Expensive and sizeable recruitment over the past 12 months has left Chelsea with a large playing squad for Pochettino to assess upon his arrival.

"We need to get at least eight to 10 players out of the door," added Overend. "In the goalkeeper department, the midfield department and probably a striker as well, Chelsea need high-quality players in those areas because we've been lacking for quite a few years in that respect."

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast here

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Victor Osimhen has become the envy of Europe's top clubs with his blockbuster performances for Napoli.

Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, PSG and Real Madrid are just some of the teams linked with the striker recently, making Osimhen a regular in the BBC Sport gossip column.

He is Serie A's top scorer this season, with 23 goals in 30 games powering Napoli to their first Scudetto in 33 years.

The 22-year-old idolised Chelsea striker Didier Drogba growing up and rejected Arsenal in 2016 when he signed his first professional contract with Bundesliga side Wolfsburg.

Italian football expert James Horncastle said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast that Osimhen would cost more than £90m, and "probably closer to" £130m.

The striker made headlines in March when he said: "I'm working so hard to make sure that I achieve my dream of playing in the Premier League some day."

Is Osimhen heading to the Premier League? Cast your vote and read the rest of the summer's biggest transfer stories here

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is confident he can persuade Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount to move to Old Trafford as part of a summer. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Crystal Palace are considering a loan bid for Blues and England Under-19 midfielder Lewis Hall, 18. (Mail), external

Chelsea have opened talks over a deal to sign 22-year-old Uruguay and Sporting Lisbon midfielder Manuel Ugarte. (90min), external

Other midfield targets for Chelsea include Brighton's 24-year-old Argentina international Alexis Mac Allister and 21-year-old Ecuador international Moises Caicedo. (Guardian), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's gossip column

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Mauricio Pochettino will have had "a long enough time to assess" Chelsea before he takes over, says BBC Radio London's Phil Parry as he reflected on the few positives to come out of a dismal season at Stamford Bridge.

The Argentine was formally announced as the new Blues boss on Monday.

"It has been a toxic end to the season and I am sure everybody just wants a clean break," Parry told BBC Radio London's The Far Post podcast.

"He's had a long enough time to assess what he wants to do at Chelsea and some of the signings that came in January look pretty good. That is a positive sign.

"I hope he has been given the assurances he needs to create the way forward that he would like."

Ex-Premier League defender Steve Brown was less optimistic about Chelsea's immediate future, highlighting how hard it will be to trim the bloated squad.

"It's not as simple as just offloading players you don't want," he said. "You need people to take them but they may not be prepared to pay the price.

"They will do it - but it will take time."

Listen to more on Chelsea from 23'17 on BBC Sounds

Following the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as Chelsea's new head coach, we asked you to have your say on what three things you think the former Tottenham boss needs to do first in his new role.

Here are a selection of your comments:

Swerve: I think appointing Poch could be a masterstroke, provided that a) he gets the control and influence he would need and b) Boehly and the hierarchy give him the time to mould this dysfunctional squad into something new. Getting Kane would be a massive coup as we need a proven striker. Also keep Mount and Kovacic, recall Mendy and get another decent centre-half.

Patrick: 1. Trim first team squad to no more than 24 players. 2. Determine who will spearhead the attack, whether it be Lukaku (who apparently doesn't want to play for Chelsea any more) or someone else (any transfers must be done quickly) 3. Get buy-in from players for any new or modified system of play and become proficient in it.

Kevin: First is to convince Mason Mount that he is a vital part of the squad and get the owners to give him a contract he deserves. Second, find a goalkeeper and striker to sign. Third is to get rid of the deadwood and build on a young hungry squad.

David: Reduce squad size down to 26 quality players. Create an identity - a style of play that is attractive and effective. Bring back the fun, Stamford Bridge has been miserable this year.

Lukas: 1) Get rid of players who simply aren't up to scratch. 2) Get a technical director in and ensure everyone knows their roles, responsibilities and boundaries. 3) Get two quality forwards in (we've never properly replaced Drogba and yet we still want to play in the same formation). 4) Instil a winning attitude - too many players are coasting.

Karl: 1. Get the fans onside. Not just because he's ex of Spurs, but a more exciting, attacking style in which the players look like they're giving 100% will help unite the club and fans once more. 2. Quickly decide if Lukaku's Chelsea career can be salvaged or if we need a new striker. 3. Blend youth/experience -too much reliance on youth could backfire.

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Alex Howell, BBC Sport

Mauricio Pochettino has a lot to sort out at Chelsea ahead of the new season.

He has a bloated squad that needs cutting down. Managing the number of players was something that Graham Potter found difficult and with some unable to play in the Champions League, it led to a lack of consistency.

Chelsea have also struggled for goals this season and have often played without a recognised striker. Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang is likely to leave after being left on the sidelines and decisions will have to be made about Romelu Lukaku - who is due to return after his loan to Inter Milan.

As well as the players who need to leave Stanford Bridge, Pochettino will want to bring in players who he thinks can improve the situation.

He's already working with co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, and it's understood he is onboard with the club's approach to recruitment.

What three things must Pochettino prioritise at Chelsea? Tell us

Chelsea become the fifth club to be managed by new boss Mauricio Pochettino in his 14 year managerial career.

The 51-year-old first took charge in the dugout at La Liga side Espanyol in 2009, before moving to Premier League sides Southampton and Tottenham, followed most recently by French side Paris Saint-Germain.

In that time Pochettino has racked up 598 matches with 292 wins, giving him a win percentage of 48.8% and a 1.86 points-per-game record.

During his time in charge of Tottenham, the Argentine lead the club to two finals - the League Cup and Champions League - and won his first honours as a manager at PSG by winning the Ligue 1 title, Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions.

Pochettino spent six years managing in the Premier League.

He took charge across eight seasons with two different clubs and won 132 of his 256 games - a Premier League win percentage of 51.6%.

What three things must Pochettino tackle first at Stamford Bridge? Tell us

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Nat Hayward, BBC Sport

Mauricio Pochettino has been officially announced as the new Chelsea manager.

After a season of turmoil at Stamford Bridge that featured four managers, £600m spent and a 12th-placed finish, the Argentine knows the job in front of him is sizeable.

What are the three things he must do by the time next season begins?

Choose which players he doesn't want - and quickly

It is no secret that Cobham has been a very busy place this season. A bloated squad full of disgruntled players must be streamlined, and for sales to be booked in the club’s accounts for 2022-23 they must be completed by 30 June. Pochettino must act quickly and ruthlessly - ignoring price tag, wages and reputation - to identify players he does not need as part of his project.

Engage with young players

If there is a positive to take from Chelsea's scattergun approach to transfers it is that so many of the acquisitions are so young - Mykhailo Mudryk, Wesley Fofana, Enzo Fernandez, etc. Pochettino has an excellent track record of bonding with and developing young players. If the Blues are to be moulded into a real force again the progression of such talents will be paramount. He must get them to buy into his methods.

Set boundaries with the owners

Thomas Tuchel lost his job as Chelsea manager because he was not receptive of the ownership while Graham Potter was labelled a 'yes man' who let Todd Boehly into the dressing room on his watch. Pochettino must find a balance where he keeps those in charge on his side, while maintaining a healthy distance and his own authority over the playing squad.

Let us know three things you feel Pochettino must do here

Phil McNulty, BBC Sport chief football writer

Yes, Chelsea's season has been embarrassing but Todd Boehly has more than played his part in that.

And this is why Mauricio Pochettino's appointment means so much to Chelsea, Boehly and his cohorts.

The law of averages suggests, after getting so many decisions wrong, they are scheduled to get one right and must hope the arrival of the highly regarded former Spurs manager is exactly that.

Boehly will hope it is third time lucky with Chelsea managers because, with Arsenal and Newcastle very much part of the equation at the top end of the table now, there are new battles to go beside the old rivalries with Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United. Tottenham, for all their recent troubles, will also have hopes of improvement under their next manager.

Chelsea, so long in pursuit of the big prizes both at home and in Europe, cannot afford to fall further behind given the stakes are so high following their financial outlay.

It has been said before, but this is one decision that must land on target.

Read Phil's views in full here

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Chelsea have appointed a "winning" and "world-class" coach in Mauricio Pochettino, according to the club's hierarchy.

The former Tottenham coach was confirmed on Monday following the conclusion of the Premier League season on Sunday.

The Argentine has signed a two-year contract with the club beginning on 1 July and it is understood he was the first choice and only manager brought into the club for talks.

"Mauricio's experience, standards of excellence, leadership qualities and character will serve Chelsea Football Club well as we move forward," said the clubs co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.

"He is a winning coach, who has worked at the highest levels, in multiple leagues and languages. His ethos, tactical approach and commitment to development all made him the exceptional candidate."

Pochettino will be the fifth coach to have taken charge under the Blues new ownership since their take over at the end of last season and, speaking on the appointment, owners Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali, Jose E. Feliciano, Mark Walter and Hansjorg Wyss added: "The sporting team conducted a diligent and thoughtful process that the board is proud of.

"We are delighted that Mauricio will be joining Chelsea. Mauricio is a world class coach with an outstanding track record. We are all looking forward to having him on board."

Tell us what three things Pochettino must do swiftly to succeed at Stamford Bridge

We asked for your views after Sunday's Premier League game between Chelsea and Newcastle United.

Here are some of your comments:

Colin: Chelsea need a manager and I would give the Chelsea Ladies' manager a chance, she would stand no nonsense.

Chris: Well, all I can say is I hope the new manager is a miracle worker because that was the worst Chelsea team I have ever seen. Spineless, thoughtless and totally useless. Bring back Thomas T and Abramovich. Where the hell have we gone?

Andrew: The season was rubbish and a waste of money. We need to let our new manger do all the transfers and Boehly needs to stay away from that side and out of the dressing room. We need a class striker up top next season and a top goalkeeper.

Peter: Don’t blame Frank for the gutless players that he had to sort out - two previous managers could not get them to play - so carry on Frank elsewhere as you’ll be better off. Half that lot want getting rid of.

Some 296 days later, The Far Post bids a fond farewell to the latest Premier League season of drama and intrigue.

Listen to the final pod of the season on BBC Sounds

Still to catch up on the action from Sunday's Premier League fixtures?

Watch Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer now

Former Tottenham and Paris St-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino, has signed a three-year contract to become the new Chelsea head coach. (Guardian, external)

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's gossip column