Every word Mauricio Pochettino stated on Chelsea transfers, Marc Cucurella, and Djordje Petrovic.
How much more transfer business?
To be honest, I’m not sure. We’ve been so concentrated on trying to rehabilitate the players and getting ready for tomorrow’s Carabao Cup game against Wimbledon. I know the club is working extremely hard to complete our business. Something could happen, maybe. At the present, the club is merely working and attempting to offer what we desire.
Every word Mauricio Pochettino stated on Chelsea transfers, Marc Cucurella, and Djordje Petrovic
More outgoings? Romelu Lukaku to Roma, Callum Hudson-Odoi could leave…
I’m not involved in any of these cases. I’m concentrating on the team. The club and the athlete are both working extremely hard, but I am not involved in the situation. I’m afraid I can’t tell you anything. Nothing has changed as of yet, and no one has communicated that something has been completed. When anything is completed, the club will notify you.
If Marc Cucurella leaves will you be short in the position?
I can’t discuss speculation or rumours. Nothing has changed for the time being; he will be able to play tomorrow. Nothing regarding this matter was communicated to me by the club.
One you would like to keep?
We have plans for all of the guys on the team. Then you’ll understand what I’m saying. It all comes down to scenarios, players and clubs, clubs and players. Then it’s decision time. Even though they aren’t playing right now, all of the players in our team are in our plans.
Same situation with Trevoh Chalobah?
He is injured and will not play tomorrow. If all of the decisions were determined before the start of the pre-season, something like what happened to Kepa may happen. I believe that in and out after is for the convenience of both the club and the athlete. We are always available; the situation is 50/50 between the player and the club.
Could Benoit Badiashile or Armando Broja be back tomorrow?
Tomorrow, no.
The weekend?
We will have to wait until the international break and then we will see.
Mudryk?
Maybe he is closer than Badiashile or Broja but still we need to assess day by day.
Does the Carabao Cup have greater significance with no Europe?
Chelsea is interested in all of the competitions. We are currently in difficult circumstances due to several injuries. Following that, we have a game against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. We are going to try the best team to ensure that we perform in the way that we desire because we have some players who need to avoid risk and relax. That’s why I said we were so focused on examining and analyzing the players in order to make a selection for tomorrow’s competition.
Why is everything left so late in the transfer window?
I think the club is doing a fantastic job. That was the plan before we arrived because the plan was to do a lot of business and to create a different project. That is why the club is working so hard to deliver it and it is never easy to do everything in one or two months. The club is doing a fantastic job in terms of doing business. We try to do things to improve the squad.
Is three months long enough?
I think so, already we are crazy with a few days more. I think it is too long.
[Banging noise]
It is a strange thing happening. It looks like someone is under here. It is not me! Charlie (press officer)?
For a club like Chelsea in the process that we are, I think it is healthy three months. For a different club working in a different way or in a different process, I think it is crazy but it is helping us try to do what we want to do. I am not going to complain, maybe in the next few years I will complain more.
Is Raheem Sterling back to form?
I’ll say it again: he deserves credit. He will only work for the team if a player requests it. What we’re doing is building a platform for all of the gamers to find their best selves and feel at ease. We can address topics for which we have solutions and situations for which we have not found solutions in the past.
I believe that with a player like him, performing like he has in recent games, the duty is within him, and he deserves the credit.
How difficult is it to prepare for a team that has nothing to lose against Wimbledon?
We are not thinking in this manner; rather, we intend to begin with XI players who can execute in the manner that we desire. Our assessment and risk, because we have numerous injuries and a small squad at the moment. We’ll deploy four or five young boys from the program, 17 and 16 years old.
Chelsea has always produced talented young players; now it is a matter of opportunity. It’s not because it’s our current mentality; I need to clarify because I can’t be a hypocrite; it’s because we need to introduce young players into the first squad because we have some players who can’t play tomorrow.
It will be beneficial to provide this opportunity for the young men. Because the academy and coaches there work so hard, part of the objective is to create players for the first team, and a club like Chelsea will always have players from the academy who can convey the club’s identity.
You just said the squad is not big enough?
No, I’m talking about now, for this game. That’s why we’ll be bringing in some young players from the academy.
But, if you don’t sign anyone before the window closes, will you be happy with the roster you have?
Yes, I am content. So far, I am really pleased with the group we have assembled. Of course, [they are] welcome if we add any or improve some positions. If not, I am content with how things are presently.
Will Petrovic make his debut?
I can affirm that I will play Sanchez because we have yet to receive confirmation on whether Petrovic is available or not. We require confirmation [about the employment permit]. We don’t sure if we’ll be able to use him tomorrow, so we prepared for the game with Robert. However, I believe he (Petrovic) requires more time to grasp the concept with Tony [Jiminez] and Hilario. He’s doing well, but we don’t want to rush him. We don’t know if he’ll be on the bench because the permit is still missing.
When you were at Tottenham, you talked about being judged on winning the Premier League and Champions League. With no Europe this season, is this competition more important to you now?
I am not going to make the same mistake because it is going to follow me for all of my life! I want to win the Carabao Cup, i want to win the FA Cup and I want to win the Premier League. See what happens after. In Tottenham I never I said I prefer to win…I think. I want to win tomorrow, I want to win the cups, the Premier League even if in the next few years we are involved in the Champions League or different [European] competitions. Every single competition is going to be a challenge for us and going to be an option for me.
Felt misunderstood then about your relationship with this competition?
Perhaps my English was not good enough. When I was at Southampton, it was always too difficult to translate the idea of what I mean sometimes, priorities and things like that. The message was not clear, and it is difficult to change this idea (impression). We are older guys now, more experienced, I learn. I want to win every single competition. Look as I get older, I want to win, I can’t wait. I can’t say ‘okay, this season I only focus on this and next season…’
