Harry Winks has seemingly claimed that one of Chelsea’s top managerial targets ranks above their former boss Mauricio Pochettino, while also appearing to snub a two-time Champions League-winning coach.
Chelsea are currently on the hunt for a new manager after the bombshell news dropped last week that Pochettino had mutually agreed to part ways with the club.
Despite a difficult start to the season, with the west London club being plagued by injuries, the Argentine had weathered a storm of mounting pressure to clinch a sixth-place finish in the Premier League, simultaneously securing a berth in the Europa Conference League next season.
Winks, 28, worked under Pochettino during the manager’s five-year spell at Tottenham, notably lauding the 52-year-old coach right before the Argentine was sacked by Spurs in 2019.
The Tottenham academy graduate, who joined Leicester on a permanent deal last summer, also worked under Jose Mourinho during the Portuguese manager’s two-year spell in north London.
Leicester City midfielder Harry Winks has revealed the best manager he has worked under
Winks appeared to snub former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino (pictured) stating another manager was ‘by far the best coach to play under’
Winks (left) played under Pochettino (right) for several seasons before the Argentine left Spurs in 2019
The midfielder had notably struggled for game time under Mourinho during the 2020-21 season where he started in nine Premier League matches while making just 15 top-flight appearances.
After 21 years at the club, he was snapped up by Leicester, and has gone on to be an integral part of Enzo Maresca’s Championship winning side, playing in all but one of their league matches this season, returning two goals.
On Monday, Mail Sport revealed that Maresca had emerged as Chelsea’s leading candidate to succeed Pochettino at Stamford Bridge, after the Italian guided the Foxes back to the Premier League this season.
It is understood that the Leicester boss is open to a switch to the west London club, despite his successful season with the Foxes. Chelsea, meanwhile, have also called Kieran McKenna to advise him that they would not be pursuing a move to appoint the Ipswich boss as their new permanent manager.
Having worked under the 44-year-old for a season now, Winks believes Maresca is a better manager than both Pochettino and Mourinho, lauding the Leicester boss for his man-management skills.
‘He’s by far the best manager I’ve worked for,’ Winks told Sky Sports. ‘He’s incredible. Everybody will say he’s going right to the top in terms of managerial stature. He’s got everything. He’s a great man manager.
‘He’s tactically incredible in some of the decisions that he tells us to do before the game and how he views the match is something I’ve never experienced before in football.’
‘So yeah, he’s opened my eyes a lot to football and the way it’s played and the kind of Pep Guardiola style as well – who I know he worked with for a while as well.
‘So I’m loving my football, it works perfectly for me. It’s exactly the kind of football that I want to play and buy into and I think since he has come in, I’ve learned so much and continue to do that.’
Winks instead claimed that Enzo Maresca (pictured) was the best coach that he’s played for
The Leicester manager (left) has emerged as the top candidate to take over as Chelsea boss
Winks (left) also seemingly snubbed ex-Tottenham boss and two-time Champions League-winning manager Jose Mourinho (right)
The 28-year-old (pictured) lumped praise on Maresca for his tactical genius and man-management skills
He added that he has learned a lot under the new manager and has been enjoying his football
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna was one of the candidates under consideration but has since fallen out of the race
Maresca also arrived at Leicester last summer, after Brendan Rogers left the club following their relegation to the Championship.
The coach had previously been plying his trade as Pep Guardiola’s assistant coach at Manchester City.
Mail Sport reported last week that Chelsea had begun their search for a new manager and had begun holding several informal interviews with potential successors to Pochettino.