Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly could pull of the unthinkable this summer and reunite Harry Kane and Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge. The Blues have held positive talks with the former Tottenham boss about becoming their new manager, football.london understands, and following numerous meetings he is the firm favourite to permanently succeed Graham Potter.
Despite a fifth consecutive loss arriving for Frank Lampard, the interim boss is expected to stay in his role until the end of the season. Although Pochettino to Chelsea appears very close, football.london understands the Argentine is not expected to take charge of the west Londoners officially until June, once the Premier League season has finished.
If he is appointed by Boehly, Pochettino will likely face several major decisions at the club within his first few months as the summer transfer window is on the horizon. Both outgoings and incomings appear on the agenda for Chelsea, with a possible arrival heavily linked to Pochettino and his time across the capital.
READ MORE: Chelsea 'ahead' of Man Utd in Tottenham Harry Kane transfer race amid Mauricio Pochettino call
Tottenham striker Harry Kane sees his future discussed every summer, but for the last few years he has remained loyal to Spurs. Those ties look to be severely tested now with his boyhood club in disarray and the manager who built a spectacular team around him now expected to join Chelsea.
Chairman Daniel Levy selling his star asset to any Premier League rival let alone Chelsea is hard to imagine, but the pull of Pochettino's return to manage in England could prove too much for Kane. The 29-year-old's contract expires in 2024 and if he shows no sign of agreeing a fresh extension it may be better to receive a fee at the end of this season as opposed to losing him on a free next summer.
After spending five-and-a-half years working together, Kane and Pochettino grew a close bond. Through his comments about Pochettino over the last few years, Kane has given Chelsea an idea of what to expect from the 51-year-old as both a coach and man.
A 1-1 draw against Barcelona in the Camp Nou saw Tottenham qualify for the 2018/19 Champions League knockout stages. After the game, Kane heavily praised the impact of Pochettino. "I can’t speak highly enough of [Pochettino]. He’s a fantastic manager, a fantastic man," he said. "With him, it’s always about hard work and belief. That’s what he said to us before the game and at half-time: just believe, bring energy, work. And we’ll get the reward.
"You just want to perform for him, work hard for him, win for him. He’s very passionate. You can tell sometimes he wants to be out there himself, putting in tackles, running about.
"You respond to that. On nights like that, big occasions, you just want to do him justice. We’re buzzing, he was very happy in the changing room. We should enjoy it. But I know him — he’ll be focused on Saturday and trying to win against Burnley."
Just a few months prior, Kane offered Chelsea fans a glimpse of how Pochettino acts in the transfer market. That summer no players arrived through the door in north London, but Kane explained a possible reason for why no transfers were made.
He said after the 3-0 win over Manchester United; "That's what happens. The gaffer said he's not just going to bring in players for the sake of it. What that does is it give the rest of the squad huge belief because it shows he has belief in us, so now we have to repay him for that and repay the club for that."
Later on in that Champions League season, with Tottenham earning a spot in the final against Liverpool, Kane's latest verdict on Pochettino spoke volumes. "He’s been massive," Kane said. "Since he took over he’s had a plan to become one of the best teams in Europe and now we’re not far away from the biggest game in Europe and in our club’s history.
"He’s done a fantastic job, he’s a great manager. All the players want to fight and play and do everything for him.
"That’s the standards he’s set, you see the way the club is now, the training ground, the stadium, playing in Champions League finals, that was the plan and now it’s to win it, and step on and to go on to win more and more. It starts on Saturday.
"It’s a chance to make a statement in this club’s history and there’s no bigger stage to do that."
Unfortunately for many Spurs fans and Kane, Pochettino was sacked in November 2019. Following the news, Kane posted a heartfelt message to his former boss which clearly shows to Chelsea the strong relationship between the duo which could be reunited in west London.
"Gaffer. I’ll be forever thankful to you for helping me achieve my dreams," Kane wrote on social media after Pochettino had been sacked by Tottenham in November 2019.
"We’ve had some amazing moments in the last 5 and a half years that I will never forget. You were my manager but my friend as well and I thank you for that relationship. Good luck with your next chapter!"
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