Mauricio Pochettino has been seen in London amid speculation linking him with a return to Tottenham Hotspur following Thomas Frank's departure. The 53-year-old has emerged as a potential candidate for the Spurs managerial vacancy this summer, once he concludes his duties overseeing the USA's World Cup campaign.
The former Chelsea manager has been tipped for a sentimental homecoming to the club he guided to the 2019 Champions League final. Previously, he has expressed his eagerness to make a Premier League comeback, while also speaking glowingly about his time at Spurs. However, he will not be giving up the opportunity to manage the American hosts at the summer's World Cup. But while the north Londoners' pursuit for a caretaker or long-term appointment continues, Pochettino was photographed in the capital.
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The Argentine shared an Instagram story showing himself at a birthday celebration for a friend at a London restaurant. The social media post offers no further suggestion his presence in the capital relates to discussions with Tottenham's hierarchy.
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The timing appears coincidental given Frank's dismissal immediately following this week's home defeat against Newcastle United. Nevertheless, Pochettino has been open about his ambitions to return to Premier League management.
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Speaking recently to Sky Sports, he revealed: "When I left the club I always remember one interview. I said I would like one day to come back to Tottenham.
"I am in the USA, so I am not going to talk about that now - but what I said then I still, after six years or five years, feel in my heart. Yes, I would like one day to come back."
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During an appearance on the High Performance Podcast this month, he further elaborated: "To win a Europa League, that the team won [under Ange Postecoglou], is good, but it's not enough. It is not enough to challenge for the Carabao Cup, or the FA Cup, or the Europa League, or the Conference [League].
"It's a club that should be, or needs to be, because the fans, what they expect is to be in the Champions League, fighting for the Champions League, trying to believe that you can win the Champions League and also fighting for the Premier League and believing that you can win the Premier League."
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According to football.london, Pochettino remains a genuine contender for a summer appointment, with Spurs prepared to bring in a caretaker boss until the season concludes. Such an arrangement would allow the club sufficient time to assemble an attractive compensation package to persuade the USA to release Pochettino from his existing commitments ahead of schedule.
BBC Sport has learned that acquiring the Argentine could necessitate "one of the biggest financial compensation fees in football history," even if they waited until after the World Cup. In the Premier League, the record fee paid for a manager stands at the £21million Chelsea shelled out to secure Graham Potter from Brighton and Hove Albion.