BRIDGE BUILDER

Poch is a man with a plan as his start date nears

- MATTHEW DUNN

MAURICIO POCHETTINO is happy to back his man-management skills over Todd Boehly's chequebook.

The new Chelsea boss's stance will give the Blues owner the 12 months he needs to sort out the mess of his first year in charge of the club.

The former Tottenham manager is spending his last few days on holiday before taking up the reins at the west London club a week today in line with the terms of his severance package with Paris St-Germain.

But providing the Chelsea board can continue to clear the decks of their surplus of players mainly due to the £650m misguided splurge of the new regime - Pochettino is happy with just a trio of new signings to restore the club to the upper tier of the game.

France international Christopher Nkunku's deal was already tied up in a pre-contract signed in December and his planned arrival was a central part of the negotiations when Pochettino agreed to become Chelsea manager.