Mauricio Pochettino has already been offered the job as the next Tottenham Hotspur manager and will be the permanent successor to Thomas Frank, a former Premier League star has revealed, while his colleague has made a confident relegation prediction that should instantly put supporters’ minds at rest.
The north London side decided to sack Frank on Wednesday morning after a run of form had seen the club win just once in 11 Premier League games, leaving them just five points from the relegation zone. Defeat at home to Newcastle, coupled with a point for Leeds at Chelsea, was enough to see Tottenham plummet to 16th – and leave club bosses with little choice but to bring the Dane’s 38-match tenure to a close.
As a result of his dismissal, club overlords ENIC now have two issues to solve: who can lead the club through the remainder of the season and ensure they don’t suffer a first relegation from the top flight since 1977, and who should manage the club in the long-term and ensure a team of their stature is battling it out at the right end of the table.
In terms of a long-term solution, our correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, reported last week, before Frank had been sacked, that Pochettino was ready to say ‘Yes’ to a return to the club, citing unfinished business and with his popularity still at an all-time high with their disgruntled fan base.
Those hopes were significantly fuelled when one broadcaster dropped a tantalising four-word tease.
Now those hopes of bringing Pochettino back to N17 have reached new heights after former Premier League star Jason McAteer revealed that those close to the club have already told him Pochettino has been offered the job, with the role his if he wants it.
“If they wait for Pochettino, because that’s the noise, that he’s got it,” McAteer revealed on beIN Sports, before asking: “What do they do now? Who’s the firefighter that can keep them up?”
His co-presenter, Richard Keys, immediately responded by insisting Spurs will not go down, commenting: “Spurs won’t get into trouble, there’s only one place that you’re trying to avoid, and it’s either West Ham or Nottingham Forest,” he said, in reference to which club will finish 18th.
Want more breaking news from original sources? Add TEAMtalk as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.
Next Tottenham manager: De Zerbi cannot be ignored
However, the major downside with Pochettino is that Spurs would need to wait until mid-July, and after the World Cup, before Spurs can welcome the Argentine’s return – something which could hinder both transfer plans and their ambitions going into next season as a result.
In light of that, the credentials of Roberto De Zerbi are not to be scoffed at either.
Fletcher also revealed back on January 7 that the Italian was aiming to return to the Premier League this summer and with either of the Manchester United or Tottenham jobs in his sights. Now he has departed Marseille – ironically leaving the role just as Spurs’ defeat to Newcastle was confirmed – he is very much seen as a contender for the vacancy.
To that end, we revealed De Zerbi was one of seven names being discussed by the Tottenham board on Wednesday.
Following on from that, the i Paper’s Pete Hall, Mark Douglas and Kat Lucas all report that De Zerbi is ‘ready to pick Spurs over the United job’.
They state he is ‘ready to get straight back into work’ after his Marseille exit and sees Spurs as the ‘logical next step’ in his career, despite the turmoil at the club.
Furthermore, they state Spurs know that they can scupper United’s plans by acting quickly to appoint the Italian.
Left-field choice for interim Spurs role; pre-agreed transfer could collapse
Should De Zerbi take the job now, that will eliminate Spurs’ need for an interim coach and ensure they have a strong plan in place going forwards.
But if they do opt for Pochettino, then they will still need an interim option to see them through the remainder of this season.
In light of that, a genuine 61-year-old Spurs legend has emerged as a shock contender to take on the interim manager role, though reports have flagged up why alarm bells should be ringing over his potential appointment.
Another name linked with the job is Robbie Keane, and the Ferencvaros coach walked out on a TV interview when asked about the job and after the odds on him taking the job were slashed.
On the transfer front, the departure of Frank as manager could see Spurs abandon a pre-agreed summer transfer, with the player in question suddenly left in no-man’s land and having to prove himself all over again, according to sources.
Elsewhere, we can reveal that Spurs target Christian Pulisic is increasingly open to a return to England, with intermediaries now confirming that Premier League interest in the American star is not only real but growing by the week.