Mauricio Pochettino has broken his silence two weeks after parting ways with Chelsea on social media, confirming he will be returning to Stamford Bridge in the very near future.
The Argentine guided Chelsea back into European competition in his first term at the helm despite an up-and-down first half of the season, but left the club by mutual consent in May.
The Blues have since announced Enzo Maresca as their latest head coach, that confirmation coming on Monday.
Pochettino’s exit perhaps came as something of a surprise to many, with the dressing room thought to be very close to the ex-Tottenham manager after he managed a sixth place finish and only three defeats in 2024.
Yet Chelsea still clearly holds a positive place in Pochettino’s heart judging by his touching message, in which he thanked supporters and higher-ups at the club for their support throughout his sole season in charge.
Taking to his Instagram account, the former Blues boss wrote: ‘To the owners, the sporting directors we appreciate the opportunity to return to the Premier League at this great club and for the support you gave us, as well as from all the players, staff and fans – thank you.
‘We understand how important this football club is to you all and that is why we work so hard to give you a Chelsea you can be proud of.
‘I am so pleased with the level the team reached and the way the players and staff have all worked so hard to increase their standards, they deserve great credit and I hope you felt that too in how they performed on the pitch.
‘We know there have been ups and downs but we always believed in this team and that we would arrive at a consistent level.
‘I believe the experiences of this season and big improvement we saw, I hope will only make the players stronger for the future. It has been a pleasure to work with them all and we appreciate the strong bonds we created in this last year together.
‘I want to wish all of you the best for next season and beyond.
‘It is great that we have the chance to return to Stamford Bridge so soon with SoccerAid this weekend and I hope that we get to see some of you there too.
‘I hope you all get to have a great summer. Big hug from us, MP x.’
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