Less than 48 hours it has taken The Daily Mail to run the story and according to them Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as Real Madrid’s No 1 target to replace Zinedine Zidane should the Frenchman fail to last beyond the end of the season.
The article insists Madrid also have Harry Kane and Dele Alli on a list of possible summer signings as they look to reinvigorate a squad without a so called ‘galactico’ signing for three seasons.
Tottenham’s 3-1 win over Real Madrid caused shockwaves throughout the continent and the article writes that Zidane faces his first crisis since he took over a year and a half ago and our Mauricio is seen as the long-term solution.
Zidane’s Madrid are eight points off Barcelona in Spain and now look set to finish second to Spurs in the Champions League group stage.
The article adds that Florentino Perez(Madrid’s chairman) has an excellent relationship with Pochettino, indeed referring to him as ‘My Poch’ when the two teams met in Madrid two weeks ago.
It adds ‘I have a lot of respect for Florentino,’ Pochettino told Radio Marca. ‘I’m pleased if he feels the same way. He is always friendly towards me.’
The piece says that Pochettino would be a popular choice with Madrid supporters as he has said in the past that he could never coach Real Madrid’s big rivals Barcelona.
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Zidane has won seven trophies in his 19 months in charge however the article says there are questions about his ability to guide the young squad the club has been assembling and that those doubts were further raised after Spurs victory at Wembley.
Kane and Alli are also mentioned as targets after the duo hugely impressed the Spaniards but it does say Tottenham would resist any sale and slap huge prices on their two star players.
It adds that of the two players Alli is seen as more open to a move abroad with the key to his future may well rest with who represents him.
Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes is the current frontrunner and although relations between the agent and the Spanish giants are not as close as they once were, Mendes’s presence would still likely help any move.
However the article says Alli’s adopted family, the Hickman’s,have not ruled out Mino Raiola because he is more open to the idea of taking care of transfers and contracts but leaving them to manage Dele’s day-to-day affairs and PR.
Pochettino would be tempted by Real but could also follow the lead of Arsene Wenger. The Arsenal coach has resisted Perez’s advances three times during his two decades in North London.
So there we have it, less than two days after our famous victory, Madrid want our manager and two of our players. Doesn’t take them long does it.
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