Mauricio Pochettino has conceded it will be hard for Chelsea to add to their multi-club model by buying a team from his native Argentina.

Chelsea’s owners bought RC Strasbourg , who play in Ligue 1, in June 2023 but always planned to add more sides to their portfolio.

Last month the Argentina president Javier Milei claimed that Chelsea had expressed an interest in buying one of Boca Juniors, Racing, Estudiantes, Newell’s Old Boys and Lanus.

Milei is open to the idea of investors from abroad helping Argentinian clubs and hopes it could improve their chances of success, particularly Boca Juniors, who he is a fan of.

Pochettino could not confirm whether Chelsea have put plans in motion or not, but does believe it will not be straightforward.

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The Chelsea head coach, who started his playing career at Newell’s Old Boys, explained: “It’s so difficult because Argentina is a country where it is not normally like here, where people arrive from outside and buy clubs.

“The fans feel they belong to the club and the club belongs to them and it’s not easy to change the mentality. Maybe in time, yes, but at the moment I don’t believe it is going to be easy to buy a club there.

“But of course, the president has new ideas and he wants to help the country and the people to have better lives.

“It’s a difficult situation, but all the Argentines, we are going to support and we are going to do everything to try to help the country, Argentina, to stay in a better situation.”

Pochettino’s Chelsea sit 10th in the Premier League standings, with the head coach speaking ahead of Saturday’s visit to Manchester City.

(Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)