Neville delivers Chelsea prediction and claims Pochettino will have made one huge demand

Manchester United legend Gary Neville thinks the decision to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as manager is “a really good move” by Chelsea.

Widespread reports have indicated that former Tottenham boss Pochettino has agreed terms to become the new manager of Chelsea ahead of the next campaign.

The Blues have had a season to forget in their first full campaign under owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali despite spending around £600m on new players over the last two transfer windows.

Chelsea are currently 11th in the Premier League table and it is now unlikely that they will finish in the top half despite having three matches left to play.

Frank Lampard is currently in charge until the end of the season with Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter both losing their jobs earlier in the season.

But Neville now thinks Pochettino will bring some much-need stability back to Chelsea and is predicting “massive improvements straight away”.

Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast: “I love Mauricio Pochettino. I always thought if Chelsea brought in Pochettino and refined the squad a little, they could have a very good season next year.

“Pochettino will not take a job on if he doesn’t think there’s huge potential there and he obviously thinks he can get Chelsea back of the very top of the league.

“He did it at Tottenham and it’s not a too dissimilar situation at Chelsea. Appointing him early and getting him place way before pre-season will bring stability.

“I think it’s a really good move. I don’t think Chelsea can lose with this appointment, he will make massive improvements straight away.”

Neville added: “I think Pochettino has been going to Chelsea for three or four weeks and they have been in negotiations for what’s felt like three or four weeks.

“I don’t think that will have been about his package or his backroom team, I think that will have been about… are you going to buy into what I want to do with this squad?

“Because he will have looked at them meticulously, Pochettino, and his recruitment people around him and his staff and he will have said, “right, these are the players I want on the bus and these are the players I don’t want on the bus… and you better back me.”

“I suspect that is where the negotiations have been centred in the last couple of weeks.”

READ MORE: Premier League points earned from losing positions: Chelsea remain the joint worst