���˿���

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino says "stupid rumours" about his future need to end but admits he does not know if he and his staff will be at the club next season.

Pochettino, 52, signed a two-year contract with the option of a further year when he was appointed last May.

However, Chelsea have had an inconsistent season and their manager has had to deal with a number of injuries to key players and the inexperience of a young squad.

Chelsea have spent heavily in three of the past four transfer windows since the Clearlake ownership group took over the club in May 2022, spending more than £1bn on new players.

The Blues hierarchy planned for European football at Stamford Bridge next season, which Pochettino can still achieve.

And there is understanding at the top of the club that the manager has not been able to use his full squad this season because of injury problems.

"I wanted to say that it is enough with this type of rumours, that if I have one year more [under] contract here and no-one says nothing [to me], [I] suppose I'm going to be here," Pochettino said.

"Only if then, the season finishes and someone says to me 'ciao'... Because we don't know at the moment. I suppose that I have one more year contract and that I am going to be here. Enough about the stupid rumours.

“You need to ask the club if they want me to keep going or not, not to write things that have no sense.”