Raheem Sterling insists Mauricio Pochettino will ‘challenge players’ at Chelsea

Raheem Sterling has backed Mauricio Pochettino to have a huge impact at Chelsea ahead of his arrival as their new manager.

The Blues confirmed Pochettino’s appointment as their new head coach on Monday afternoon, after he signed a two-year deal that also includes an additional one year.

Pochettino will start work on July 1 and will bring with him trusted backroom team members Jesus Perez, Miguel d’Agostino, goalkeeper coach Toni Jimenez plus son and fitness coach Sebastiano Pochettino. 

There remains optimism at Stamford Bridge that the Argentine will be the manager to steady Chelsea’s ship and redirect them after a season to forget in 2022-23. 

And, ahead of Pochettino’s arrival at the club, Sterling has already sang his praises and insisted the Argentine will bring ‘respect’ and ‘leadership’ to the club. 

Chelsea star Raheem Sterling has welcomed the recent appointment of Mauricio Pochettino

The former Tottenham Hotspur manager has signed a two-year contract at Stamford Bridge

According to Arab News, the England star said: ‘From his time before at Tottenham, I heard a conversation about him and he’s the exact person that we need. 

‘He will bring leadership, he will challenge players physically and mentally. 

‘I feel he is going to come here and he is going to have the personality that everyone is going to respect. That’s what we need, someone in charge.’

Chelsea’s woes began to mount up after their squad full of superstars – which they spent over £600m signing in the campaign – failed to deliver on the pitch.  

‘We have a good squad, the quality is there,’ Sterling continued. ‘We will add some players and some will leave, I get it, but there’s no doubt in my mind we will be challenging again very soon.

‘My first two years at City, it was not all beauty. We had to build step by step and that’s exactly what we have to do here at Chelsea.’ 

Former Spurs boss Pochettino will now have the challenge of adding stability to the Chelsea side who have faltered under three separate managers this season.

Sterling insists that the Argentine will bring ‘leadership’ and ‘respect’ to the west London club

Under Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea failed to live up to expectations in the league and hadmade a miserable start to their Champions League campaign.

Former Brighton boss Graham Potter was then brought in but, with just a 38 win per cent from his 31 matches in charge, was dismissed at the start of last month. 

Since then, club legend – and recent Everton boss – Frank Lampard has been in charge and it’s safe to say their form has hardly improved.

The Blues have won just one out of his 11 games in charge and slumped to a 12th placed finish in the Premier League.