The chances of Mauricio Pochettino returning to Tottenham Hotspur to succeed Thomas Frank as manager are gathering significant pace after the Argentine revealed the warm affection he still feels from the club and with a broadcaster dropping a tantalising four-word tease that suggests a move is well and truly ON.
Pochettino guided Spurs through one of their most memorable era in recent years after they reached the 2019 Champions League final with some pleasing-on-the-eye football, overseeing a five-year spell in charge that saw him rack up a solid 54.27 win percentage record. Still revered fondly by supporters to this day, many a Tottenham fan feel the club has never truly recovered from his sacking in November 2019.
Now, with current incumbent Thomas Frank clinging on to his job by his fingernails, speculation is gathering pace that an emotional return to N17 could be on the cards for the 54-year-old Argentine.
The speculation started to gather pace on February 8, when our correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, exclusively confirmed on TEAMtalk that Pochettino would say ‘Yes’ to a return to Spurs and that he would happily return to the club once his World Cup commitments with the USA have been concluded.
And while sources told Fletcher of the “unfinished business” that Pochettino feels he has with the club, he still feels duty-bound to honour his contract with USMNT, which runs until the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup and meaning his potential return to north London would have to be put on hold until, at the latest, 19 July.
However, after interviewing Pochettino for his High Performance Podcast, broadcaster Jake Humphries has dropped another tantalising hint that Pochettino is ready for a second crack of the whip with Spurs.
Reflecting on the interview, and asked afterwards if he feels Pochettino would return to Tottenham, Humphries dropped a four-word tease that will have fans drooling.
“I sense he might,” was his simple, but effective reply.
In addition to that, Pochettino’s comments about Spurs and his advice to the club can now also be revealed, potentially offering another hint that a return is imminent…
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Pochettino tells Tottenham Hotspur what has changed
After the struggles of both Ange Postecoglou and Frank – albeit with the latter winning the Europa League and ending a 17-year trophy drought – the return of Pochettino would feel like a breath of fresh air for their long-suffering fans, who are eager to see the club re-establish itself as a leading force in the English game again.
The 54-year-old, speaking on the High Performance Podcast, admits the club has changed a great deal in the six or so years since his departure.
“It’s a little bit unfair to compare this period with another period, because now, Tottenham is a club that needs to think about winning the Premier League and the Champions League.
“The facilities are Champions League, and in the past, we didn’t have that, but now it’s about winning the Premier League or Champions League.
“I think it’s true that the fans today appreciate us because we were challenging for the Premier League and for the Champions League.”
Pochettino admits Spurs fans would like to see the club fighting for glory on both fronts.
He added: “To win the Europa League is good because when you celebrate a trophy, that is good, but it’s not enough.
“It’s not enough for a club like Tottenham. It’s not enough to challenge for the Carabao Cup or the FA Cup, the Europa League or the Conference.
“The fans expect to be in the Champions League, fighting for the Champions League, trying to believe that you can win the Champions League.
“Also fighting for the Premier League and believing that you can win the Premier League.”
Fuelling talk that a return could be on the cards, Pochettino admits he still feels the love from Spurs fans around the world to this day.
“Still, the people on the street, the fans of Tottenham, really show the love and the appreciation, and I think that is why it’s so special,” he concluded.
Thomas Frank ‘breaking point’ arrives; Romano names dream signing
Meanwhile, sources have revealed that Frank could be one match away from losing his job as Tottenham manager in the wake of a series of damning stats, and, with club bosses seemingly at the end of their tether.
Per Monday’s exclusive update from Fletcher, Spurs are ready to act if Tuesday’s match against Newcastle does not go their way.
On top of that, Fletcher has revealed the club not only has a growing hope that they could soon land Pochettino, but with plans also in place for an interim appointment to see the club through to the remainder of the season.
Meanwhile, reputed transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed the summer target that Tottenham Hotspur are ‘dreaming’ of signing, though the club will have to completely obliterate their current transfer record to seal a deal.
One man the club will do well to hang on to, however, is Micky van de Ven, with a failure to secure Champions League football highly likely to see the highly-rated Dutchman pushing to leave.
Now, former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood has named Van de Ven’s next destination – and it is not Liverpool or Real Madrid.