Pochettino cautions Chelsea about selection rivalry, despite lavish signings

Mauricio Pochettino, the manager of Chelsea, has declined to guarantee first team spots for the club’s expensive signings, considering their massive spending of £350 million ($440 million) since last season. Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia recently joined Chelsea in a £53 million deal, further adding to the club’s impressive transfer activities.

Despite Pochettino expressing a desire to trim the already bloated squad, Chelsea has made eight signings under his leadership during the close-season. The latest addition, Moises Caicedo, was acquired from Brighton for a British record fee of £115 million to strengthen Chelsea’s midfield options. With the highly-rated Lavia also on board, Pochettino understands the expectations surrounding his ability to field a transformed team when they face London rivals West Ham on Sunday.

However, despite the significant financial outlay, Pochettino expects his new recruits to demonstrate their worth in order to secure a place in his plans. “The players understand that they must compete for their position, and it is ultimately the coach who will determine the best lineup for each game,” Pochettino stated during a press conference on Friday. He emphasized that signing a player for a substantial fee doesn’t guarantee them a spot in the lineup, as their performance and commitment will be the deciding factors.

Pochettino believes that talented players, even those for whom the club has invested a significant amount, need to prove themselves consistently. He values fairness towards all players in the squad and acknowledges that their commitment and performance will determine their playing time. He also emphasized that their judgement, supported by the owner and sporting director, is what matters, rather than the opinions of social media.

Chelsea has adopted a strategy of offering unusually long contracts under the ownership of Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital consortium, with deals ranging between six and eight years being common at the club. When asked about the challenge of dealing with players on long contracts who are unwilling to earn their place in the team, Pochettino stressed the importance of responsibility, respect, and commitment. Players who fail to meet expectations will not be given playing time, but it is their own actions and attitude that are to blame, not the club’s.

[Source: Chelsea Twitter]