Mauricio Pochettino, the former Chelsea manager, is set to leave Brighton after just one season due to a disagreement with Roberto De Zerbi.
Pochettino, who managed high-profile acquisitions like Moises Caicedo for £100 million and Romeo Lavia for £53 million from Southampton, had different views on the potential signing of Barcelona’s Ansu Fati, a winger who eventually joined Brighton under De Zerbi’s management.
The Athletic reports that Pochettino turned down Chelsea’s bid to sign the 21-year-old Spaniard. Fati, who chose to spend the 2023–24 season with Brighton, was seen by De Zerbi as a top-tier Premier League player. This decision highlighted the differing perspectives between Pochettino and De Zerbi regarding the talent required for their teams.
Fati’s move to Brighton was surprising, given his high profile. De Zerbi, who signed Fati for a season, spoke highly of the player, stating, “I’m extremely thrilled, it’s a big player.
We needed one key guy, and we lost Enciso. We are fortunate to have a large number of young players who have the potential to be elite players and will carry additional responsibilities.”
De Zerbi emphasized the importance of managing young talent carefully. “We cannot make mistakes with these players because football needs this skill, and you have to handle it in different ways. If you deal with this talent, you have a lot of responsibility because it’s our football heritage.
This is how I’ve always thought. I feel it is my duty to assist the very talented players in becoming outstanding players.
Football requires exceptional players, but occasionally coaches are just concerned with their own performance and career goals. I feel a great deal of responsibility for it. I believe that our aesthetic closely resembles his traits and attributes.”
Despite the initial excitement, Fati’s time in England was short-lived as he struggled with form and injuries, managing only four goals in thirty games across all competitions. He is expected to return to a Hansi Flick-managed Barcelona team in the upcoming campaign.
Meanwhile, De Zerbi is a top candidate to become the new manager of Chelsea, potentially taking over from Pochettino. Other names in consideration include Thomas Frank of Brentford and current Leicester boss Enzo Maresca.
Pochettino’s departure from Brighton and the potential managerial changes at Chelsea indicate a significant reshuffle in the Premier League’s coaching landscape.
De Zerbi’s success in nurturing young talent and his potential move to Chelsea could bring a new approach to the club, aligning with the long-term vision for developing elite players.
