In the race to secure the signing of midfielder Manuel Ugarte, Mauricio Pochettino, the manager of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), reportedly advised Chelsea against matching PSG’s bid. Journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed that Pochettino had conversations with the Chelsea board during negotiations for Ugarte and agreed with them not to compete with PSG’s offer to avoid potential problems in the dressing room.
Both PSG and Chelsea were interested in acquiring the highly-rated 22-year-old midfielder, resulting in a bidding war between the two clubs. However, PSG ultimately increased their bid from approximately €5 million (£4.3 million) to €10 million (£8.6 million), causing Chelsea to withdraw from the race for Ugarte’s signature.
Despite missing out on Ugarte, Chelsea’s focus remains on signing a top-quality defensive midfielder for the upcoming season. Romano further disclosed on his YouTube channel that Pochettino suggested Chelsea exercise caution in their pursuit of Ugarte, stating, “Pochettino was involved in conversations with the Chelsea board throughout Ugarte’s negotiations and agreed with Chelsea against matching PSG’s proposal to avoid creating problems in the dressing room. Poch suggested not doing any madness in general on the market.”
Pochettino’s decision appears to be well-founded, as spending such a significant amount on a player who is still developing may have led to an unfavorable atmosphere within the squad. Other players could have potentially sought improved contracts if they perceived the club had surplus funds to spend.
Ultimately, Chelsea made the right choice not to outbid PSG for Ugarte, as doing so would have contributed to further excessive spending, despite the young player’s potential. Pochettino is known for his sensible approach to management, and his involvement in this decision indicates a desire to curb extravagant transfers, contrasting with the lavish spending witnessed in Chelsea’s previous transfer windows.
However, it is expected that Pochettino understands the need to allocate significant funds towards resolving the club’s issues in the center-forward position, demonstrating a balanced approach to utilizing the club’s resources.
