Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has warned Real Madrid that they face a tough task in trying to bring Mauricio Pochettino to Spain.
Madrid are expected to dismiss Julen Lopetegui as manager on Monday following their 5-1 humiliation at the hands of fierce rivals Barcelona in the El Classico which has left them in nine place in La Liga and are already 7 points off the pace.
Pochettino was heavily linked with a move to Bernabeu after Zinedine Zidane resigned after guiding them to their third successive Champions League crown. However, the Spurs boss committed his future to the club by signing a new five-year contract extension along with his backroom staff.
Guardiola believes that Madrid would have a difficult time in persuading Spurs chairman Daniel Levy in parting company with his manager.
He told the Evening Standard: “I think he is already a top coach,”
“For many years he is training at a high level.
“He did an incredible job at Espanyol and Southampton and especially here at Tottenham. I have a lot of respect of the job he has done in his career so he is already a reality as a manager, no doubt.
“He has been linked many times with Real Madrid. He can answer that question – but I don’t know what happens. What I think is Mr Levy is not an easy guy to negotiate with.”
Keep up to date with all the latest Tottenham news and opinion by following SpursWeb’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
