Pochettino on red alert for potential Man City job

Former Spurs chief Mauricio Pochettino could be set to remain in the Premier League in his next role, with reports suggesting Manchester City’s hierarchy is weighing up whether the Argentine is a credible replacement for Pep Guardiola. That’s because contract revelations have emerged that Guardiola could choose to leave the Etihad at the end of the 2019/20 Premier League season, without breaching his contract.

A testing 2019/20 could see City and Guardiola part ways

City have endured something of an unremarkable campaign thus far, leaving them an incredible 14 points adrift of runaway leaders Liverpool. They have even been pushed into third place, with Leicester City enjoying a barn-storming season in 2019/20, even more so than their title-winning 2015/16 campaign. Even prominent football pundits such as Ryan Elliott, who offers tips and advice across English football, are finding it hard to make a case for City’s fightback to Liverpool in the title race. In fact, the legitimate challenger to Jurgen Klopp’s Reds this term looks more like being Leicester than the current champions.

City are also in danger of falling out of the Champions League at the last 16. Guardiola’s men have been paired against Real Madrid, who remain a favourite to become European champions once again in May 2020. Guardiola has so far been unable to win the Champions League at the Etihad helm, something which will almost certainly frustrate him. Whether the lack of a European trophy will be enough to keep him in Lancashire remains to be seen.

Why Poch could slot in seamlessly at the Etihad

Popular football writer Martin Samuel believes that Pochettino would be a perfect fit for Manchester City; even more so than Manchester United, who are also reported to have admired the Argentine from afar. One of the main reasons why Samuel feels Pochettino could be such a good move for City is the fact that the playing squad is at a point where ageing stars are slowly being phased out in favour of the next generation. The likes of Phil Foden are pushing through, while the likes of David Silva are heading closer to the exit door. Pochettino could be the ideal figurehead to reinvigorate City and create a new era.

If there has been any frustration from City supporters during Guardiola’s era, it’s been that too few Academy graduates have gone on to make the grade in the first team. You only have to look back to 2017 when Jadon Sancho decided joining Borussia Dortmund in Germany was preferable to warming the bench at the Etihad. On the contrary, Pochettino is someone that is not afraid to give youth its chance. Many Tottenham starlets have gone on to cement themselves in the senior side under his management, including Harry Winks, Dele Alli and even Harry Kane.

It’s also possible that Pochettino and City would be the only dream-team that could entice Spurs ace Harry Kane away from North London. Kane has already been very outspoken about his close working relationship with Pochettino during his time in the capital, and City are almost certainly the only team with the finances to launch an audacious bid with Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy.

There can be no doubt that Pochettino has needed the break that he’s currently enjoying. He looked drained towards the end of his Spurs reign, having transformed Spurs into perennial top-four finishers rather than Europa League hopefuls. A break away from the game for the remainder of the season should help the Argentine recharge his personal batteries, leaving him in pole position to assume the City helm in the summer, if Guardiola decides enough is enough.

Barcelona would certainly be on red alert if Guardiola was to decide his time was up at the Etihad. Although Barca boss Ernesto Valverde has helped the Catalan giants to the La Liga summit, they have been by no means at their fluent best in 2019/20, suffering three league defeats in their opening 16 games. Some might feel Pep’s return to Catalunya would galvanise the playing squad and help it to recapture an air of invincibility that’s been lost to some extent since his previous spell in charge.