Pochettino convinced €65m winger to join Chelsea just before axe – ‘Now what must he think?’

Will Ford
Pochettino Chelsea Estevao
Pochettino persuaded the Estevao to join Chelsea before leaving the club.

Mauricio Pochettino reportedly convinced the latest signing of the Todd Boehly-led Clearlake Capital ownership to join Chelsea shortly before his exit from the club.

Pochettino left the club by mutual consent on Tuesday after the Chelsea owners became convinced that the Argentinian could not work effectively in the club’s structure.

The former Spurs boss led the Blues into Europe with a fine run of form at the end of a campaign in which he struggled with an inexperienced squad and significant injury problems.

But the owners reportedly thought Pochettino deserved some of the blame for those injuries and were also unimpressed by his ‘antiquated’ training sessions and his public criticism of co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.

‘Now what must Estevao think?’

He did though do them the solid of securing the signing of Estevao from Palmeiras – who will now work under Kieran McKenna or the next manager after him, or the one after that – before he left Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea insider Ben Jacobs said: “Pochettino spoke to Estevao on phone, now what must Estevao think?”

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Estevao to join after Club World Cup

Brazilian journalist Paulo Vinicius Coelho opened up Estevao’s transfer to Chelsea, claiming that although it’s not yet officially been signed and sealed, it is a done deal.

“Palmeiras have put a clause in the process of selling Estêvão, which is at an end. Estêvão will be sold to Chelsea, it’s not signed yet, but he will be sold to Chelsea and there are clauses that André Hernan brought to you on Saturday, first hand, for the deal to reach R$360m, €65m, which is €20m more than Estêvão’s termination fine, which is €45m,”said Coelho.

“With the performance bonuses, Estevão will certainly reach all the goals set for him at Palmeiras before the Club World Cup, that’s for sure. What’s more, it’s been put in the contract: Estêvão won’t leave Palmeiras before the 2025 FIFA Club Super Cup.”

Palmeiras were desperate to retain Estavao for the Club World Cup in the summer of 2025, in which Chelsea will also compete having won the Champions League in 2021, and want that part of the deal written into the contract.

Estevao will then be able to join Chelsea ahead of the 2025/26 season.