Tottenham Hotspur appointed Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager on a five-year contract on Tuesday, but the news will have left one 'world-class' manager disappointed, according to Football London correspondent Alasdair Gold.
A week ago, it appeared doubtful that Tottenham would be able to convince their number one manager target - both now and in the summer - to join now, with the club embroiled in a relegation battle and with just seven matches of the season left to play.
The Italian had made it clear in initial discussions that he had no interest in joining until the summer, but Spurs chiefs worked on an agreement that meant he couldn't afford to turn down taking over immediately to replace Igor Tudor.
Tottenham have handed De Zerbi a long-term deal and made him the third best-paid manager in the Premier League, as they look to start a long project together.
The 46-year-old will begin his reign against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on April 12th, as he looks to lead Spurs away from the drop zone.
Gold. Pochettino Wanted Tottenham Job This Summer
According to Gold, posting on X in the hours after the De Zerbi agreement was initially reached, Pochettino was keen on a summer reunion with Tottenham.
GIVEMESPORT sources revealed after Tudor's exit that De Zerbi was Spurs' number one target now and for the summer, with the club also keen to appoint him before the appointments of Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor in the last 12 months.
The arrival of De Zerbi is seen as a huge coup for Tottenham, given what some of his managerial peers have said about him in recent years.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot labelled him as 'one of the best managers in the world' ahead of his side's Champions League clash with Marseille in January, while Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola previously called him 'one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years'.
Why Did Tottenham Pick De Zerbi Over Pochettino?
The consensus seems to be that Pochettino would have been the preferred candidate for Tottenham supporters, given the love they have for the Argentine from his previous five years in charge of the club.
They made their feelings clear about the 'world-class' manager as they chanted his name during Frank's final game in charge against Newcastle, doing the same at times during Tudor's short reign too.
But while Gold confirms that, in an ideal world, Tottenham would have waited until the summer to take advantage of a wider managerial market, they simply had no choice but to try and land their top target now.
The advantage of De Zerbi was that he was available now, whereas the same couldn't be said of Pochettino, who won't be available until after the USA's 2026 World Cup campaign comes to an end.
Tottenham will hope that the decision to go with De Zerbi pays off and that the Italian can keep them in the Premier League in the remaining seven matches.