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Published 21:08 IST, May 30th 2023

Mauricio Pochettino makes it clear to Chelsea that he doesn't want one player in team

Mauricio Pochettino has stated that he does not want to keep the Portuguese star Joao Felix as his loan spell ends with Chelsea and will be returning to Madrid.

Reported by: Aryan Suraj Chadha
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Mauricio Pochettino
Image: AP | Image: self

Mauricio Pochettino has been named as Chelsea Football Club's next coach for the upcoming two campaigns. The Argentine, who is well-known for his accomplishments at Tottenham Hotspur, has been given the tough challenge of turning around a Chelsea squad that has been on the decline since their 2021 Champions League victory. Following a poor campaign under the leadership of Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, and Frank Lampard, the American wealthy owner of the pack, Todd Boehly, has shown his faith in Pochettino's capacity to turn things around.

Pochettino now has one of the biggest challenges of his football managing career, as now he has to reshape the Chelsea squad, which consists of 33 players and also includes a few individuals on loan. One of them includes the Portuguese star João Félix, who joined the club on loan this January from Atletico de Madrid. He has shown his desire to continue for the English club after openly criticizing Diego Simeone's style of play. However, Mauricio Pochettino has reportedly said that he does not desire Félix in his team for the approaching season, putting a dent in the player's expectancies of a permanent move to Stamford Bridge.

Read More: Chelsea Announce Mauricio Pochettino As New Manager To Rebuild Team After Woeful Season

Chelsea news: What statement is made on Joao Felix's Future?

Atletico Madrid president, Enrique Cerezo, confirmed this story, acknowledging that Pochettino has no plans to fit Félix in his Chelsea squad. Cerezo voiced uncertainty about the player's future, stating, "We don't have anything planned yet; Joao is an Atlético player now."

Unfortunately for Félix, his options for the next chapter of his career seem restricted. With no factual offers on the table, it remains uncertain whether he will continue at Atlético Madrid or find a new club. The chance of remaining at Chelsea, which had seemed plausible, now appears to be definitively shut.

Read More: Ligue 1: Kylian Mbappe Edges Past Lionel Messi, Makes Intentions Of PSG Exit Clear

This season has been a difficult one for João Félix. With his performances dropping short of expectations, he has scored a total of nine goals between his time at Atlético (five goals) and Chelsea (four goals), carrying a similar average to his last three seasons. However, these digits have not met the lofty benchmarks set for a player of his caliber, a player who once said aspirations of succeeding in the Ballon d'Or.

The 23-year-old young forward has still a decent time to revive his career with the next club he is going to play with. But what is ahead for him may only become clear with time, but one thing is for certain: his future is anything but definite.

Updated 21:08 IST, May 30th 2023