Real Madrid have a tough job on their hands this summer in identifying the ideal successor to Zinedine Zidane after he resigned this week.
The French tactician enjoyed a trophy-laden spell in charge of Los Blancos which included an historic three consecutive Champions League triumphs.
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In turn, it’s going to be some act to follow to maintain Madrid’s success levels over the past three years, and club president Florentino Perez will hope that he can appoint the right man for the job.
According to The Times, Mauricio Pochettino wants the job in what could be a huge blow for Tottenham and their bid to hold on to their influential manager.
Pochettino has been instrumental in their progress over the last three years, turning Spurs into a regular top-four outfit in the Premier League while playing a crucial role in the development of key young players at the club.
However, the ongoing criticism of both the Argentine coach and his squad is that they’ve been unable to end their wait for a trophy, and given Real Madrid’s haul in recent years, that shouldn’t be an issue for him if he wishes to edge closer to achieving his ambitions in the game.
In the event that he does take the job, it won’t be easy at the Bernabeu though. Pochettino would have to prove himself at the highest level by not only motivating a group of players to go again after such great success, but also with fundamental figures now passing the 30 mark.
Nevertheless, based on his work with the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli, he could relish the idea of a squad rebuild in the coming years, and that is a quality that could make him stand out for the job, particularly if there is a reported willingness on his part to make the move to the Spanish capital.
In a conflicting report, Sky Sports pundit Guillem Balague suggests that Real Madrid are going to look elsewhere for their next coach, and so it remains to be seen who is providing the most accurate insight.