Mauricio Pochettino holds Chelsea academy talks as bid to change club culture continues

Nizaar Kinsella13 July 2023

Mauricio Pochettino has undertaken a tour of Chelsea’s academy before meeting with bosses Neil Bath and Jim Fraser.

The new Blues manager discussed academy strategy and establishing a working relationship with the outstanding Cobham talent pool ahead of the pre-season tour to the United States.

Pochettino is keen to have a homegrown core to his team with Reece James, Levi Colwill, Armando Broja and Conor Gallagher among those set to benefit next season.

They are deemed important to establishing a new club culture following last season’s dismal 12th-placed league finish.

Part of building that culture has been a mass exodus of players who didn’t want to remain at Stamford Bridge. Eleven players have left for £232million and a further group could leave this week.

Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have been told they don’t need to come into training this week as they seek moves away from west London.

The trio have now been given Monday start dates which could see them train in a separate group before the Chelsea first-team travel to face Wrexham in the US.

Callum Hudson-Odoi is also up for sale and currently training with the Under-21s, while Ethan Amapdu can leave but is with the first-team squad and now likely to travel on the tour.

Inter Milan are locked in talks to sign Romelu Lukaku and Chelsea hope Saudi Arabian buyers emerge to secure both Ziyech and Aubameyang.

Hudson-Odoi has Premier League interest from Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace.

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