Cole Palmer expressed his gratitude to Mauricio Pochettino for fulfilling his aspirations, leading the accolades for the Argentine upon his exit from Chelsea.
The club from west London disclosed on Tuesday evening that they had reached a mutual agreement to part ways with Pochettino, who had served for a mere 11 months.
- The real reason why Pochettino has left Chelsea as details of two-day crisis meeting leaked
- Noni Madueke speaks out on Pochettino’s shock exit
- Arne Slot makes harsh decision after joining Liverpool which could anger some players
In spite of the season’s challenges, Pochettino concluded with a quintet of consecutive wins, ensuring European competition participation. Additionally, he guided the team to the Carabao Cup final and the FA Cup semi-finals.
The ex-Tottenham manager had endeared himself to fans by promoting an offensive style of play, despite managing a youthful team beset by numerous injuries.
Pochettino’s departure was rather unexpected, with reports suggesting the players were informed just before the official announcement.
BBC Sport reported a somber atmosphere among the team, with players discovering the news via their team WhatsApp group, marked by the sharing of ‘sad’ emojis.
The team had shown considerable support for Pochettino and his coaching staff, with several players publicly acknowledging his departure.
Palmer, in particular, credited his coach for his transformation from a Manchester City squad member to Chelsea’s Player of the Year under Pochettino’s tutelage, contributing 22 goals and 11 assists, which also landed him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s provisional Euro 2024 squad.
Writing on Instagram, Palmer said: ‘Gaffer, thank you for everything you have done for me and making my dreams come true. All the best.’
Marc Cucurella posted a similar message, writing: ‘Thanks for everything Mister. Good luck in the future.’
The Spaniard also posted three ‘blushing’ emojis which many Chelsea fans took as an indication that the news of Pochettino’s departure had come as a surprise – and one they perhaps aren’t convinced about.
Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke also thanked Mauricio Pochettino on social media.
Chelsea’s leadership is now focused on identifying a replacement for the Argentine, with Kieran McKenna of Ipswich Town emerging as a leading candidate.
The Blues are intent on appointing a youthful, forward-thinking manager and are evaluating several candidates. Among those likely to be in the running are Sebastian Hoeness of Stuttgart, Girona’s Michel, and Leicester City’s Enzo Maresca.
