Mauricio Pochettino reveals how he intends to break the infamous ‘No.9 curse’ at Chelsea
Chelsea's massive spending has not been replicated in their performances lately.
(L) Lukaku (R) Pochettino. (Source: Chelsea)
New Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino believes he can end the club’s ‘No.9 curse’ by finding the proper striker. Recent No.9s, like Romelu Lukaku, have underperformed, disappointing fans. Lukaku signed for £97.5 million in 2021 and spent last season on loan at Inter Milan.
Pochettino plans to encourage Chelsea’s upcoming striker to embrace the No.9 shirt, which many consider cursed within the Stamford Bridge community. He stated, “It’s true, [the curse], yes? Oh my goodness, we need to do some things to change the energy. I will ask the kit man to bring all nine shirts, and we will do something to break it.” Further, he also said that now if he brings in a striker it will only be in a faith that he breaks this curse and the fans’ belief on it as well.
Since the departure of Diego Costa in 2017, Chelsea has had a challenging time finding a consistent goal scorer, with Tammy Abraham being one of the few strikers who have performed reasonably well with the No.9 shirt since Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Interestingly, Pochettino appeared unaware of the curse when asked about it. He expressed his determination to change the perception of the number.
Notably, previous new signings like Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson have avoided donning the infamous number. As Chelsea searches for a new forward and may sell Lukaku. They could unveil a fresh No.9 before the approaching transfer window’s Friday closure.
Chelsea keep getting the blues amidst their massive spending and poor results
Finishing 12th place in the Premier League last season, the Blues have yet again come under the radar this season with their average start and over-the-moon spending. Chelsea already spent an astonishing £452 million during the ongoing transfer window, as the CIES Football Observatory reported. Remarkably, there is still over a week remaining in the transfer window.
This is not it! For their spending in the January transfer window alone, there were many who said that ‘the American does not what he is doing’. As they went on to spend a record-breaking £323 million then. Under Todd Boehly-led consortium, backed by Clearlake Capital, Chelsea’s total investment in transfers has reached approximately £900 million since his £4.25 billion takeover was finalized in June 2022.
Mauricio Pochettino’s initial loss as head coach has raised more uncertainties than solutions. His team’s potential for tangible success remains unclear, even with a staggering £346 million spent solely on transfers this summer. As the Blues prepare to face Luton Town, fans will surely be interested to see their new manager tweak in formation and guide them to victory against the newly promoted side.
In case you missed:
- WATCH: Lionel Messi’s ‘unreal’ assist to Leonardo Campana paves the way for Inter Miami to reach the U.S. Open Cup final
- Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag targeting this Fiorentina star to resolve team’s midfield problems: Reports
Syed Talib Haider
(1039 Articles Published)