The 51-year-old Argentine has been out of work since he was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season.
Mauricio Pochettino has held ‘multiple rounds of positive talks’ with Chelsea Credit: AFP
SunSport confirmed in January that he was on Chelsea’s radar.
And now he is being linked as a permanent replacement for Graham Potter at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea contacted him over the job and now several reports are claiming that he has boosted his chances of landing the gig after “a series of positive talks” between him and the West London club.
However, due to his Tottenham connections, many Blues supporters do not want him anywhere near their dug-out.
One fan tweeted: “@todd_boehly … You better not hire Pochettino to Chelsea.”
Another wrote: “I don’t want Pochettino at Chelsea.”
While another raged: “If anyone wants Pochettino at Chelsea they don’t want the best for the club 100%.”
The ex-Spurs head coach is more likely to get the job now after Julian Nagelsmann dropped out of the running, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim is also now seen as an outsider for the Chelsea role.
But Luis Enrique has NOT been placed among the top candidates for the position.
The Spaniard, 52, flew to London for talks with club bosses two weeks ago, but things have not progressed since then.
And that could leave the door open for Spurs – who are keen on the ex-Barcelona man despite Daniel Levy previously holding reservations about his lack of Premier League experience.
Poch has also been linked with a return, and some supporters that are desperate to have him back are fuming with the Chelsea speculation.
One wrote: “Why would you want Poch if he’s been talking to Chelsea? No thanks.”
While another said: “Please Poch, don’t go to Chelsea. Please. That will be the finisher, I can’t take any more hits…..”
Pochettino is one of Spurs’ most successful and popular managers in recent history – despite failing to win a trophy with the club.
He averaged 1.89 points per game – the most for any Tottenham boss in Premier League history with a minimum of 38 Premier League games in charge.
The ex-Southampton chief capped off his five-year stint at White Hart Lane by leading Spurs to the 2019 Champions League final, where they lost to Liverpool.
But he was sacked just months later following a poor start to the 2019-20 campaign before eventually taking over at PSG in January 2021, winning the Coupe de France and Ligue 1 prior to his departure.