Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed he has held “no talks” with Tottenham amid rumours linking him with a remarkable return to north London.
United States head coach Pochettino, 54, was addressing the media before his side’s friendly against Portugal when questioned about the vacant role at Tottenham following Igor Tudor’s exit on Sunday.
Tudor, 47, was sacked after a disastrous 44-day spell that saw him secure just one victory from his eight fixtures across all competitions, and that came in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid. The Croatian failed to claim a single Premier League triumph during his tenure at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, collecting one point from a possible 18.
With Tottenham sitting 17th and only one point and one place above the drop zone, former Spurs manager Pochettino has been touted as potentially arriving amid the battle to prevent relegation, though Roberto De Zerbi has emerged as the frontrunner to assume control.
And on Monday, the Argentine was questioned about whether he has conducted discussions with Tottenham during the club’s hunt for a new manager. “No talks,” a resolute Pochettino responded. “We are very very focused here on the World Cup.
“Everyone knows that I have a commitment with the national team here. It’s not the point to talk about the future. No one approached me. But who knows what is going to happen. And by the way, we are open [to staying with the USMNT], why not if the federation is happy?”
Pochettino was appointed as the USA’s national team manager in September 2024. The former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager has since been preparing the USMNT for hosting this summer’s World Cup, and has established a mixed record during his time at the helm, winning 13 and drawing two of his 24 matches.
The USA are scheduled to face Senegal and Germany in additional warm-up fixtures ahead of the World Cup, where they will compete against Paraguay, Australia and a further nation yet to be confirmed.
While Pochettino dismissed the prospect of becoming the next Tottenham manager, he did share his thoughts on the club’s battle to avoid the drop and retain their Premier League status.
When quizzed on whether he believes Spurs will survive in the top flight, Pochettino responded: “Yes, they can stay up. Of course, it’s a difficult time, but they have the capacity to win, with or without a new coach.”
De Zerbi remains the overwhelming favourite to succeed Tudor as the new Spurs head coach. Reports indicate that the Italian has agreed to a five-year deal and is anticipated to take charge ahead of their next fixture, a Premier League visit to Sunderland on Sunday, 12th April.