Mauricio Pochettino has fuelled talk that he could make a stunning return to his former club Tottenham Hotspur in the summer by admitting he misses working in England
Mauricio Pochettino admits he 'misses the football scene in England' as speculation linking him with a return to the Premier League and his former club, Tottenham Hotspur, continues to grow.
Pochettino enjoyed a hugely successful five-year spell at Spurs which culminated in him guiding the club to the Champions League final before his departure in 2019. And with the club poised to appoint a new head coach in the coming months, Pochettino's name has been mentioned frequently with the north London outfit.
After leaving Tottenham, Pochettino managed both Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain before becoming the head coach of the United States Men's National Team (USMNT) ahead of their home World Cup, co-hosted by Canada and Mexico this summer.
Rumours persist regarding the managerial situation at Tottenham, with the club languishing just a point above the relegation zone and Igor Tudor's future far from certain.
And while Pochettino has the World Cup on his horizon, his admission that he misses English football will do little to quell talk he will end up back at Spurs this summer.
"I miss the football scene in England. I love the country, its culture, the football culture," the Argentine told L'Equipe in a new interview.
"For anyone with a competitive spirit who wants to measure themselves against others and test their limits, it's the ideal place. Here, you have to give your best constantly."
Pochettino's comments on English football come at a time where Roberto De Zerbi is emerging as a serious contender to take over at Tottenham.
It was reported by The Telegraph on Monday that De Zerbi, who has already held talks with Spurs, would be willing to take over should the club avoid relegation.
The Italian is highly-rated from his two-year stint with Brighton in the Premier League and is unattached after leaving Marseille last month.
Tottenham were plunged deeper into the relegation dogfight at the weekend when they slumped to a chastening 3-0 home defeat against Nottingham Forest. The visitors, who won courtesy of goals from Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi, started the weekend below Spurs in the table before recording a priceless victory in north London.