Mauricio Pochettino has been appointed the new Chelsea head coach, starting his role on 1 July 2023.

The former Argentina international defender learned his trade at Newell’s Old Boys in his homeland before moving to Espanyol in Spain at the start of the 1994/95 season.

He joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2001 and represented his country at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, before having a spell at Bordeaux and then returning to Espanyol in 2004, where he retired aged 34.

There he made more than 300 appearances and won the Copa del Rey twice.

He moved into the coaching system at the Barcelona-based club and took over as coach in January 2009, with his team lying third from bottom in LaLiga.

Pochettino guided Espanyol to a 10th-place finish, then 11th and eighth in the following two seasons, narrowly missing out on a UEFA Europa League spot in 2010/11.

He left the club a few months into the 2012/13 campaign and accepted his first job in the Premier League in January 2013 with Southampton.

Under Pochettino, in the second half of 2012/13, Southampton achieved impressive victories over reigning Premier League champions Manchester City as well as Liverpool and Chelsea.

The following campaign proved even more successful as Pochettino led Saints to eighth, matching their highest Premier League finish.

Pochettino was chosen by Tottenham Hotspur to replace Tim Sherwood as head coach for the 2014/15 season.

After a fifth-place finish in his first year, Pochettino's Spurs challenged Leicester City for the title in 2015/16 and came third, achieving their highest Premier League finish and returning to the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2010/11. 

Pochettino signed a new five-year deal in May 2016, with his official title changing to manager.

Spurs continued their progress, finishing second and third again in the next two seasons, while reaching the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League in 2017/18.

Pochettino was rewarded with another five-year contract in May 2018.

Spurs then reached their first UEFA Champions League final following a memorable comeback at Ajax in the closing moments of their semi-final, second leg, but they would ultimately lose to Liverpool.

This loss, coupled with a difficult start to the 2019/20 Premier League campaign, led to Pochettino departing the club in November 2019.

After a spell as coach at former club PSG, Pochettino returns to the Premier League, where he will hope to lead Chelsea's revival in 2023/24.