Todd Boehly appears to reveal definitive stance on Mauricio Pochettino's future as Chelsea co-owner acknowledges 'frustration' from fans after dismal Burnley draw

The American businessman swooped in to spearhead the purchase of Chelsea after former owner Roman Abramovich, facing sanctions imposed by the British government due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, announced his intention to sell the club. Private equity firm Clearlake Capital got the keys to Stamford Bridge for a reported £4.25 billion ($5.2bn) that summer, and Boehly has invested a fortune in the squad since then, only for results on the pitch to take a major turn for the worse.

Under Boehly's ownership, Chelsea have spent over $1.3 billion on new players, but they finished 12th in the Premier League in the 2022-23 season and are currently sitting in 11th place, which has given rise to speculation about Pochettino's future in the managerial hot seat. Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter have already been sacked by the Boehly regime, but the American has suggested he is ready to give Pochettino more time to reverse the club's fortunes, despite a damaging 2-2 draw with Burnley last time out that saw the Argentine subjected to more boos from the Blues faithful.

In an interview with Forbes, Boehly said: "We just need to let the process develop and give them the time to go from being unbelievable individual players with great skills to fold into a team. The good news is people care so much. And the bad news is people care so much. That leads to times when they’re frustrated with the team and the owners. I get that, but we just have to continue to stay the course."

Pochettino's credentials will once again be tested this week as Chelsea are set to face Manchester United on Thursday evening in a huge Premier League fixture. A win over the Red Devils would undoubtedly provide some much-needed breathing space for Pochettino, but another defeat would further push him towards the exits, despite the fact he is still under contract until 2025.