Premier League rivals confirm big news that could hit Liverpool’s summer transfer plans

Cheslsea have confirmed the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino as the club’s new head coach.

The former Tottenham Hotspur boss has signed a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge - and is tasked with ensuring the London outfit are again challenging for major honours.

Chelsea endured a dire 2022-23 season despite spending more than £500 million in transfers during the first year of Todd Boehly’e ownership. They finished just 12th in the Premier League, sacking Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter along the way before Frank Lampard served as interim manager.

Now the Stamford Bridge outfit have turned to Pochettino, who has been out of work since he left PSG last summer.

Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, said: “Mauricio’s experience, standards of excellence, leadership qualities and character will serve Chelsea Football Club well as we move forward. He is a winning coach, who has worked at the highest levels, in multiple leagues and languages. His ethos, tactical approach and commitment to development all made him the exceptional candidate.”

Pochettino will now assess his Chelsea squad as he plans for the 2023-24 season. One player whose future is up in the air is Mason Mount.

The midfielder helped the Blues win the Champions League and Club World Cup yet finds himself in a state of limbo with one year remaining on his contract. Despite being awarded the club’s Player of the Year in 2020-21 and 2021-22, Mount has hit an impasse over a new deal to stay in the capital.

His situation has alerted Liverpool, who are in the market to bolster their midfield in the summer transfer window. Mount is on the Reds’ list of transfer targets although Manchester United and Arsenal are also said to be keen.

The England international reportedly wants to be handed a fresh deal of similar value to fellow academy graduate Reece James.

The Evening Standard has reported that Pochetinno wants to retain Mount and sees him as part of his rebuild. However, the 24-year-old is no closer to coming to an agreement with Chelsea.