Chelsea have begun scouring the market for potential Mauricio Pochettino replacements as pressure continues to mount on the Argentine manager at Stamford Bridge.
Pochettino signed a two-year deal with the option of a third when he joined the Blues, but his tenure has gone pear-shaped, especially with European football looking highly uncertain.
The Daily Mail reports that the west London giants are eyeing a move for promising Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim, with Pochettino’s job hanging by a thread.
Amorim is one of the most highly rated managers in Portugal, and his exploits at the Jose Alvalade Stadium have vindicated the club’s decision to pay a hefty compensation to land his services.
The 39-year-old’s first top-flight job was at SC Braga, where he oversaw just 13 games before winning the Portuguese League Cup with a hugely impressive 2.38 points per match (PPM).
He was only two months into his top-flight career as a manager when Sporting forked out €10m to snap him up in March 2020.
During his ongoing tenure at Sporting, the exciting Portuguese tactician has won the Primera Liga, a Portuguese Super Cup and two Portuguese League Cup titles.
Amorim is on his way to a second Primera Liga title in four years. Sporting sit second on the league table, two points adrift of pacesetters Benfica, although Amorim’s side have a game in hand.
While Amorim could be the perfect fit to galvanise and rejuvenate a struggling Chelsea side, the Blues will have to fend off competition from their Premier League rivals Liverpool.
The Merseyside giants are also hot on the trails of the highly rated tactician who is on their extensive shortlist of potential replacements for the outgoing Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds have their heart set on appointing Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso, but Bayern Munich are also keen on the Spaniard.
Liverpool could push for Amorim if they fail to secure Alonso, but Chelsea are weighing up the possibility of luring the Portuguese manager to Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.
Following the gut-wrenching EFL Cup final defeat to Liverpool, Pochettino finds himself teetering on the brink of a sack, and Chelsea’s next six fixtures could be make or break for the under-fire Argentine.
