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Manchester United and Arsenal have been urged to move sooner rather than later if they want to hire Mauricio Pochettino as their next manager, with the former recently-sacked Tot...
Mauricio Pochettino kicks Arsenal and Manchester United into life with admission he's ready for return
Manchester United and Arsenal have been urged to move sooner rather than later if they want to hire Mauricio Pochettino as their next manager, with the former recently-sacked Tottenham Hotspur boss admitting he is targeting a swift return to football with one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
With the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid potentially on the lookout for a new manager in the near future, Pochettino is unlikely to be short on offers to return to the game, with United maintaining interest in the Argentine and Arsenal open to approaching their recent north London rival to replace the departed Unai Emery.
But even though Pochettino remains contracted to Tottenham – having been effectively placed on gardening leave instead of being sacked by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy – he is determined to secure a swift return to management with a club that meets his vision. It will however require an interested suitor to negotiate a deal with Levy to spring the former defender from his £8.5m-a-year contract, which still has more than three years to run, if he is to take a new job before the end of the season.
“I am open to listen to the projects that are presented to me [but] my intention is to redirect in Europe,” Pochettino said in Argentina on Monday after returning home to spend time with family, as well as visit his former club Newell’s Old Boys. “At my age one does not need much time to recover. There are a lot of clubs and attractive projects for me to take on.”
United were previously keen on Pochettino when they sacked Jose Mourinho last December, but decided against paying the hefty buy-out fee that they would need to pay Spurs and hired former striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer instead.
1/33 Mauricio Pochettino joins Tottenham
Mauricio Pochettino poses with chairman Daniel Levy after joining Tottenham from Southampton in May 2014
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I
2/33 Up and running
Mauricio Pochettino celebrates after Eric Dier's late goal secured Tottenham victory against West Ham on the opening day of the 2014/15 season
Getty Images
3/33 The first North London derby
Mauricio Pochettino's first North London derby ended in a 1-1 draw in September 2014
Getty Images
4/33 Revenge against Chelsea
Tottenham reaped revenge against Chelsea for an earlier defeat in the season, winning 5-3 on New Year's Day 2015
Getty Images
5/33 Back to the future
Jose Mourinho and Mauricio Pochettino share a hug before the New Year's Day match between their two sides
Getty Images
6/33 Over and out
Mauricio Pochettino's first European campaign with Tottenham came to an end with their round of 32 defeat by Fiorentina in February 2015
AFP via Getty Images
7/33 Ending on a high
Mauricio Pochettino ended his first season in charge of Tottenham with a win against Everton thanks to Harry Kane's goal
Getty Images
8/33 Opening defeat
Mauricio Pochettino started his second season in charge with a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford
Getty Images
9/33 Spurs mean business
Spurs beat Manchester City 4-1 on 26 September 2015, a result which showed that Mauricio Pochettino and his men meant business
Getty Images
10/33 Huth the heartbreaker
A late Robert Huth goal consigned Spurs to defeat, with the title race heating up as Spurs, City and Arsenal gave chase to the Foxes
Getty Images
11/33 Another European campaign draws to a close
Tottenham were beaten 5-1 on aggregate by Borussia Dortmund in the last 16 of Europa League to bring another European campaign to a disappointing close
Getty Images
12/33 Spurs keep the pressure on
Tottenham beat United 3-0 in a strong showing at White Hart Lane to keep the pressure on Leicester
Getty Images
13/33 Battle of the bridge
After pulling two goals ahead at Stamford Bridge, Spurs were eventually pegged back by Chelsea in a fiery encounter in the capital to confirm Leicester as champions.
AFP via Getty Images
14/33 Poch shows his class
Mauricio Pochettino showed his tactical class and brilliance as a manager in inflicting the first defeat upon Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the 2016/17 season
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I
15/33 Spurs take it up a notch
Harry Kane hit twice as Tottenham demolished Swansea 5-0 at White Hart Lane
Getty Images
16/33 More European woe
Defeat by Monaco in November dashed Tottenham's hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Champions League
Getty Images
17/33 North London is white
Harry Kane's penalty goal made sure of victory in the second North London derby of the 2016/17 season
Getty Images
18/33 Farewell White Hart Lane
Mauricio Pochettino addresses the crowds after Tottenham's last ever home game at White Hart Lane (a 2-1 win over United)
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I
19/33 Tottenham run riot against Hull
Spurs ran seven goals past Hull City on the final day of the 2016/17 campaign. Mauricio Pochettino's men ended that season in second with 86 points - their highest ever haul in the Premier League.
Getty Images
20/33 Spurs brush aside Liverpool
Tottenham beat Liverpool 4-1 in October 2017 in a dazzling display of attacking football at their new home Wembley
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I
21/33 European underdogs no more
Spurs beat Real Madrid 3-1 at Wembley in one of their best Champions League performances to date under Mauricio Pochettino
Getty Images
22/33 Spurs stumble heading into Christmas
Defeat by Leicester - Spurs' third loss in five - saw Mauricio Pochettino and his men stumble heading into the Christmas period of the 2017/18 season
Getty Images
23/33 Tottenham out of Europe - again
Tottenham were narrowly beaten by Juventus in the last 16 of the Champions League, losing 4-3 on aggregate
Getty Images
24/33 On a roll
Tottenham beat Stoke 2-1 in April 2018 to make it 14 straight games without a loss
Getty Images
25/33 Champions League football secured
Spurs ended the 2017/18 season in third place with 77 points to secure Champions League football once again
Getty Images
26/33 Spurs on the up
Lucas Moura struck twice in Tottenham's 3-0 win over Manchester United in the third game of the 2018/2019 season
Getty Images
27/33 Against the odds, Spurs make it into the last 16
A gritty 1-1 draw against Barcelona at the Camp Nou secured Spurs a spot in the last 16 of the Champions League after a miserable start to the group stages
Getty Images
28/33 A new chapter begins
Tottenham beat Crystal Palace 1-0 in their first game at the new stadium
AFP via Getty Images
29/33 Pochettino's finest moment
Mauricio Pochettino's finest moment. It doesn't get much better than the stunning comeback win against Ajax to book a place in the final of the Champions League
AFP via Getty Images
30/33 Misery in Madrid
There was to be no fairytale ending for Mauricio Pochettino, with his men succumbing to a 2-0 defeat against Liverpool in the Champions League final
AFP via Getty Images
31/33 Writing on the wall
Tottenham were beaten 3-0 by Brighton on 5 October. This followed the 7-2 hammering by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, as well as a string of other disappointing results and rumours of disaffection in the changing room
AFP via Getty Images
32/33 Pochettino's final game in charge
Mauricio Pochettino's final game in charge was the 1-1 draw with Sheffield United on 9 November. He was sacked on 19 November
Getty Images
33/33 Mourinho takes charge
Jose Mourinho is announced as Tottenham's new manager after Mauricio Pochettino's dismissal the night before
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I
1/33 Mauricio Pochettino joins Tottenham
Mauricio Pochettino poses with chairman Daniel Levy after joining Tottenham from Southampton in May 2014
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I
2/33 Up and running
Mauricio Pochettino celebrates after Eric Dier's late goal secured Tottenham victory against West Ham on the opening day of the 2014/15 season
Getty Images
3/33 The first North London derby
Mauricio Pochettino's first North London derby ended in a 1-1 draw in September 2014
Getty Images
4/33 Revenge against Chelsea
Tottenham reaped revenge against Chelsea for an earlier defeat in the season, winning 5-3 on New Year's Day 2015
Getty Images
5/33 Back to the future
Jose Mourinho and Mauricio Pochettino share a hug before the New Year's Day match between their two sides
Getty Images
6/33 Over and out
Mauricio Pochettino's first European campaign with Tottenham came to an end with their round of 32 defeat by Fiorentina in February 2015
AFP via Getty Images
7/33 Ending on a high
Mauricio Pochettino ended his first season in charge of Tottenham with a win against Everton thanks to Harry Kane's goal
Getty Images
8/33 Opening defeat
Mauricio Pochettino started his second season in charge with a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford
Getty Images
9/33 Spurs mean business
Spurs beat Manchester City 4-1 on 26 September 2015, a result which showed that Mauricio Pochettino and his men meant business
Getty Images
10/33 Huth the heartbreaker
A late Robert Huth goal consigned Spurs to defeat, with the title race heating up as Spurs, City and Arsenal gave chase to the Foxes
Getty Images
11/33 Another European campaign draws to a close
Tottenham were beaten 5-1 on aggregate by Borussia Dortmund in the last 16 of Europa League to bring another European campaign to a disappointing close
Getty Images
12/33 Spurs keep the pressure on
Tottenham beat United 3-0 in a strong showing at White Hart Lane to keep the pressure on Leicester
Getty Images
13/33 Battle of the bridge
After pulling two goals ahead at Stamford Bridge, Spurs were eventually pegged back by Chelsea in a fiery encounter in the capital to confirm Leicester as champions.
AFP via Getty Images
14/33 Poch shows his class
Mauricio Pochettino showed his tactical class and brilliance as a manager in inflicting the first defeat upon Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the 2016/17 season
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I
15/33 Spurs take it up a notch
Harry Kane hit twice as Tottenham demolished Swansea 5-0 at White Hart Lane
Getty Images
16/33 More European woe
Defeat by Monaco in November dashed Tottenham's hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Champions League
Getty Images
17/33 North London is white
Harry Kane's penalty goal made sure of victory in the second North London derby of the 2016/17 season
Getty Images
18/33 Farewell White Hart Lane
Mauricio Pochettino addresses the crowds after Tottenham's last ever home game at White Hart Lane (a 2-1 win over United)
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I
19/33 Tottenham run riot against Hull
Spurs ran seven goals past Hull City on the final day of the 2016/17 campaign. Mauricio Pochettino's men ended that season in second with 86 points - their highest ever haul in the Premier League.
Getty Images
20/33 Spurs brush aside Liverpool
Tottenham beat Liverpool 4-1 in October 2017 in a dazzling display of attacking football at their new home Wembley
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I
21/33 European underdogs no more
Spurs beat Real Madrid 3-1 at Wembley in one of their best Champions League performances to date under Mauricio Pochettino
Getty Images
22/33 Spurs stumble heading into Christmas
Defeat by Leicester - Spurs' third loss in five - saw Mauricio Pochettino and his men stumble heading into the Christmas period of the 2017/18 season
Getty Images
23/33 Tottenham out of Europe - again
Tottenham were narrowly beaten by Juventus in the last 16 of the Champions League, losing 4-3 on aggregate
Getty Images
24/33 On a roll
Tottenham beat Stoke 2-1 in April 2018 to make it 14 straight games without a loss
Getty Images
25/33 Champions League football secured
Spurs ended the 2017/18 season in third place with 77 points to secure Champions League football once again
Getty Images
26/33 Spurs on the up
Lucas Moura struck twice in Tottenham's 3-0 win over Manchester United in the third game of the 2018/2019 season
Getty Images
27/33 Against the odds, Spurs make it into the last 16
A gritty 1-1 draw against Barcelona at the Camp Nou secured Spurs a spot in the last 16 of the Champions League after a miserable start to the group stages
Getty Images
28/33 A new chapter begins
Tottenham beat Crystal Palace 1-0 in their first game at the new stadium
AFP via Getty Images
29/33 Pochettino's finest moment
Mauricio Pochettino's finest moment. It doesn't get much better than the stunning comeback win against Ajax to book a place in the final of the Champions League
AFP via Getty Images
30/33 Misery in Madrid
There was to be no fairytale ending for Mauricio Pochettino, with his men succumbing to a 2-0 defeat against Liverpool in the Champions League final
AFP via Getty Images
31/33 Writing on the wall
Tottenham were beaten 3-0 by Brighton on 5 October. This followed the 7-2 hammering by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, as well as a string of other disappointing results and rumours of disaffection in the changing room
AFP via Getty Images
32/33 Pochettino's final game in charge
Mauricio Pochettino's final game in charge was the 1-1 draw with Sheffield United on 9 November. He was sacked on 19 November
Getty Images
33/33 Mourinho takes charge
Jose Mourinho is announced as Tottenham's new manager after Mauricio Pochettino's dismissal the night before
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I
But with United eight points off the top four and Solskjaer under increasing pressure, the availability of Pochettino will not go unnoticed for long at Old Trafford – as it will not the Emirates Stadium.
Despite the obvious issues with hiring a man who until last month was manager of their fierce rivals, Arsenal are open to the idea of hiring the 47-year-old – although he is just one of up to 12 candidates being considered to replace Emery after his dismissal last week. Although Freddie Ljungberg remains in interim charge of the side and the board making clear their determination to take their time to make the right appointment, the ticking clock on Pochettino’s availability could rush the Gunners into action.
That’s because Bayern are currently on the lookout for a new manager after sacking Niko Kovac, with current interim boss Hans-Dieter Flick unlikely to be granted the job on a full-time basis, while Real Madrid retain a long-term interest in Pochettino that dates back to when current Bernabeu incumbent Zinedine Zidane first resigned as manager in 2018.
But while Pochettino wants a top job in Europe with a club that will give him more flexibility and firepower in the transfer market than Levy afforded him at Tottenham, he is not entirely against returning to Argentina permanently – if only to be closer to his family.
“For the time being, the most important thing is for me to clear my head after five-and-a-half incredible seasons with Tottenham,” Pochettino added. “My aim is to rebuild myself and get my self-motivation back. But now I need to be calm for a few days and see what happens. I haven’t had a lot of time to digest what has happened with me.
“My best decision was to come to Argentina to switch off for 10 days. It is hard for me to imagine a project in Argentina. However, for the sake of my family, I would not refuse to work over here. My first decision was to come back to Argentina, return to my home and see family and friends. But I expect to return to Europe to make decisions on my future.”
This news item was provided by the The Independent - Premier League website - the original link is: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/mauricio-pochettino-next-club-manager-odds-arsenal-manchester-united-tottenham-spurs-contract-a9230311.html