It looks like Chelsea always had some doubts about Mauricio Pochettino.
The Argentine and Chelsea agreed to go their separate ways last week after just one season together.
Mauricio Pochettino is now set to be replaced by Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca.
According to the reliable Fabrizio Romano, the 44-year-old’s move to Stamford Bridge is almost done.
However, it appears that Chelsea were thinking about other managers even before Pochettino had left the club.
Chelsea sounded out manager during the season
Chelsea finished the 2023/24 campaign quite strongly, winning all of their final five games to secure sixth place.
For the majority of the season, though, they disappointed and found themselves in mid-table.
It would not have been a surprise if Chelsea made a change during the campaign and if they did, Girona’s Michel could have been the man they turned to. According to journalist Matteo Moretto, they enquired about him earlier in the season.
Speaking to CaughtOffside, he said: “The idea is for him to stay and continue the project at Girona next season. He’s a managerial profile that a lot of clubs like, and it is true that Chelsea sounded him out earlier in the season, but in a very soft manner.
“Chelsea have other priorities, but he is a coach that lots of teams in England appreciate a lot, not just Chelsea.”
Michel would not have joined Chelsea
Girona did exceptionally well in La Liga this term, finishing third in the table, just four points behind Barcelona.
It would have been extremely difficult to lure Michel away from Estadi Montilivi.
With Maresca coming in, Chelsea do not need the Spaniard or another manager. But if the Italian fails at Stamford Bridge and Michel continues to do well at Girona, then maybe he could be someone who the Blues look at again in the future.
Maresca will be the third permanent manager Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali have appointed, though. They really need this to work out.