Pochettino Slams Club for £17M Transfer Mistake: “He’s Now One of the Best in the World”
Former Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has stirred up controversy with bold comments about a Premier League club’s decision to sell a player in 2019 for just £17 million — a move he now considers a huge blunder. According to Pochettino, that same player has since transformed into a global football superstar.
“They made a big mistake selling him,” Pochettino said in a recent interview. “He was let go for £17M, and now he’s one of the world’s best — at the top of the game.”
Though Pochettino didn’t name the club or player directly, fans on social media quickly speculated. The leading guess? Moussa Diaby — the French winger sold by PSG to Bayer Leverkusen in 2019. Diaby has since developed into a top-tier talent, now shining in the Premier League with Aston Villa and representing France internationally.
Another potential candidate mentioned is Serge Gnabry, who was sold by Arsenal and once struggled on loan at West Brom. He later rose to prominence at Bayern Munich, winning the Champions League and becoming a Bundesliga mainstay.
Regardless of the player, Pochettino’s criticism highlights a pattern in English football: young talents are often sold off too early, only to thrive elsewhere. His remarks reignite debates over short-sighted transfer decisions and the lack of patience some Premier League clubs show with developing players.
Fans, scouts, and former coaches are now left reflecting on what might have been, as players once considered surplus are now commanding global respect.
