Pochettino’s transfer plan revealed as Chelsea squad learn number of departures

Chelsea are preparing for a overhaul this summer and Mauricio Pochettino’s ideal squad size has been revealed, according to reports.

Three games are left in Chelsea‘s season before they start fully focusing on their plans for the 2023/24 season.

It’s going to be a big summer in terms of recruitment, with outgoings prioritised to reduce the bloated first-team squad, as well as making a few additions to the side. A goalkeeper, a midfielder and a striker are all being targeted.

Pochettino‘s head coach appointment is yet to be officially confirmed by Chelsea, confirmation is imminent, but the Argentine has already started discussions with the club over areas which need to be addressed this summer.

One problem Chelsea’s managers have struggled with this season is the size of the first-team group.

Although it has been riddled with injuries throughout the campaign, Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard, as well as Bruno Saltor for one game, have had to work with a group in excess of 30.

That has come with its challenges and Pochettino is ready to address it head on when he arrives in west London as Chelsea prepare to go into the transfer market with an aggressive approach.

As reported by Andy Dillon of The Sun, Pochettino is aiming to trim the core number of the squad to around 24 or 25.

Uncertain futures hang over Edouard Mendy, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech, with others too, with Pochettino set for the final say over who stays and who goes.

Caretaker Frank Lampard will oversee the final three games in the next week against Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle United before handing over the reigns, and the 44-year-old has warned the team that they are playing for their futures.

“No, absolutely (not),” responded Lampard ahead of facing Man City to whether or not the games were dead rubbers.

“It is really important that they take (it like) that. Whatever their motivation is, whether it is to impress an incoming manager, whether it is to impress another club that they are maybe moving on to, if that’s the motivation they need, they should take it and use it.

“We have really tough games, three of the top four, two away from home starting at Manchester City. If you are a player, there are two ways you can look at it — you can go ‘I don’t fancy that because it is going to be too challenging’ or you go ‘no, I’m going to show individually in my own way what I can do in the game’.

“Since I have been here I can tell there are some players who do that. The other ones I want to see if they want to show that. It’s as simple as that in terms of performance.”