Chelsea 'contact' manager who created 'revolutionary 2-7-2 formation' to replace Mauricio Pochettino

Chelsea have made contact with a budding manager who created a revolutionary 2-7-2 formation, according to a report.

Mauricio Pochettino is under fire at Chelsea following an extremely underwhelming 2023/24 campaign.

The Blues will go the season without a major trophy and have lost a staggering 11 league games, including a recent 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal.

Ahead of the summer, Todd Boehly is set to scrap a 'golden rule' that he followed through during last summer's transfer spree.

But Chelsea could be recruiting new players for the 2024/25 campaign without Pochettino at the helm.

Pressure is mounting on the 52-year-old, with Italian outlet Calciomercato claiming the Premier League side have made an initial enquiry for Thiago Motta.

Pochettino could be replaced by Motta, who has impressed as a manager since calling time on his playing career.

He managed Genoa and Spezia before taking charge of Bologna, where he currently has them in fourth place in the Serie A table.

But the 41-year-old began his managerial journey at Paris Saint-Germain, where he ended his career as a player.

He managed PSG's under-19s side and said he wanted to revolutionise the game with a 2-7-2 formation, where he'd use a 'short' team who 'control the game with high pressure and a lot of movement with and without the ball'.

Bologna manager Thiago Motta has been linked with replacing Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea. Image: Getty

Motta has enhanced his reputation as a manager this season as Chelsea face stiff competition to land his services if they part ways with Pochettino at the end of the season.

He's also been linked with replacing Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, but it seems Juventus are leading the race to appoint him as their new gaffer.

Juve's current boss Max Allegri appears set to depart the Turin-based outfit at the end of the season, with the Brazilian-born Italian being lined up to replace him.