Mauricio Pochettino left his post as Chelsea manager on Tuesday after a meeting with the club.
His exit would have come as a surprise to some given how Chelsea finished the season.
The Blues won all of their final five fixtures to secure sixth place and qualify for European football.
Nevertheless, Pochettino and the club wanted to go their separate ways and did just that on Tuesday.
Cole Palmer and Mykhailo Mudryk were quick to thank their former manager after it was confirmed that he would not be at Stamford Bridge next season.
Overall reaction to Mauricio Pochettino’s departure
According to BBC journalist Nizaar Kinsella, most Chelsea players found out about Pochettino’s exit on WhatsApp via a group chat.
In terms of how they reacted, it does not look like they took it well.
Kinsella also claimed on X that the initial reaction from the players was “one of sadness”.
They are going to have to quickly move on, though, with the club already eyeing several different managers.
The above includes Burnley’s Vincent Kompany, who is reportedly under consideration at Stamford Bridge following Pochettino’s departure.
Which Chelsea player will miss Mauricio Pochettino the most?
Palmer is certainly a contender. Under Pochettino, the attacker had one of the best individual seasons ever seen in the Premier League.
In the 33 appearances Palmer made for Chelsea, he came up with 33 goal contributions.
However, it is probably his England teammate Conor Gallagher who will be hurt most by Pochettino’s exit.
Gallagher really had the Argentine’s trust, making 50 appearances and being named captain in the absence of Reece James and Ben Chilwell under him.
The 24-year-old’s future was already in doubt because of his contract situation. With Pochettino no longer at the club, it is really hard to see him getting a new one.
His existing deal expires in 2025, making a sale this summer a real possibility as Chelsea look to avoid losing their midfielder on a free transfer next summer.