Mauricio Pochettino admits player could now earn £250,000 a week under his new Chelsea captaincy

Mauricio Pochettino admits player could now earn £250,000 a week under his new Chelsea captaincy

Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that he is considering making Reece James his new Chelsea captain.

He told Football London that he has yet to make a decision about who will lead his team when they start the Premier League season in less than two weeks.
James is certainly one of the names that has thrown his hat among the candidates to become the club’s next permanent captain.
Several leaders have left the club in the last two transfer windows. Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho and N’golo Kante all left in 2023. This may have presented Pochettino with a decision he hadn’t anticipated and having a young squad at his disposal made the decision difficult for him.

Pochettino sees James as captain

The obvious candidate is Thiago Silva, who has more experience at the top level than most of his squad combined.
However, you have to take into account that he might be on the bench more often than he is used to this season. This may be his last to reach this level and the Blues need to chart a path for their young stars.

With the decision still pending, Pochettino confirmed he was still unsure who would take the armband at Stamford Bridge next Sunday. He said, “Not yet, not yet. There are still 10 days left until the first match. I don’t know if we will change, but Reece is a possibility.”

With James looking to link his future at the club with his recent new contract worth £250,000 a week, it certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea to make the 23-year-old the new long-term leader.

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Chelsea transfer news: Stamford Bridge’s latest media briefing reacting to stories about Kylian Mbappé and Robert Sanchez

Mauricio Pochettino has been busy this summer making necessary improvements to his Chelsea attack, but there could be another blockbuster. While the midfield appear to be in desperate need of reinforcements, the Blues continue to be linked with a new number nine to add competition from Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson.
Kylian Mbappé’s services are currently available and on sale from Paris Saint-Germain. The chances of the French international making a move to the Premier League have always seemed slim, but that could very well change

Following reports on Saturday that Liverpool were preparing a loan deal for Mbappé, Chelsea are now being presumed to be hatching their own plan. West Londoners are said to be negotiating a deal with a cash-plus player to take the 24-year-old to Stamford Bridge.

According to the Daily Record, PSG have encouraged Chelsea to take Mbappé off their hands, with chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi holding direct talks with Todd Boehly. It’s not yet clear who wants Chelsea in the deal, but a move would see Pochettino work with Mbappe again.

football.london says: Signing Mbappe would make Chelsea one of the best teams in the Premier League. SW6 have long lacked a prolific goalscorer and the 24-year-old would solve that problem.
Mbappe will likely be interested in proving himself in the Premier League after winning all sorts of things in France. Working under Pochettino could also be an attractive option for the striker as the club face a decision. Chelsea would obviously like the idea of ​​Mbappé taking the lead. However, the finances associated with the deal could prove crucial. The striker is expected to demand a hefty salary which could potentially make him the biggest earner at the club.

And with Mbappe’s famous desire to play for Real Madrid at some point in his career, there will always be doubts over his future. Signing Mbappé may bring short-term success, but the long-term security isn’t there. Elsewhere, the Blues have reportedly identified Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez as a potential replacement for Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Sánchez fell out of favor under Roberto De Zerbi at AMEX and was linked with a move to Stamford Bridge for some time.
Sanchez’s contract with Brighton expires in June, meaning Chelsea can secure his services this summer. According to Nathan Gissing, Chelsea have decided ‘internally’ to proceed with the transfer to Sanchez. However, there is still no contact with the player’s agent. football.london says: With the transfer of Edouard Mendy to Saudi Arabia, Chelsea are incredibly lacking in quality opportunities in goal. Kepa should clearly be Pochettino’s first choice, but an assistant ready to step in when needed is a must.

Sanchez has proven himself in the Premier League and is more than capable of taking on the role of sweeper and playing in defence. All in all, it would be a smart deal. After a string of mistakes throughout his England career, there are still doubts over Kepa which means the Spain international has a chance of becoming a number one. Chelsea have plenty of time to finalize a deal. Negotiating a deal for Moises Caicedo with Brighton is proving difficult. So we’re crossing our fingers that they can easily follow Sanchez and avoid repeating the saga with this move.

Which of the following youngsters would you like to see in the first team or loan out to gain experience? Swipe to join the conversation…