Gary Neville has claimed that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is facing a huge battle to keep hold of Mauricio Pochettino.
The Sky Sports pundit told the broadcaster’s website that the Argentine is a “fantastic” manager who will be eyed by the world’s biggest clubs such as Real Madrid.
Manchester United legend Neville is in no doubt about Pochettino’s calibre and claims Levy will be worried about losing him.
“I think there is no doubt Mauricio Pochettino will be sought after by many clubs because he is just a fantastic coach,” Neville told Sky Sports in his Class of ’92 weekly diary. “Tottenham are a huge club, but when you talk about Real Madrid and clubs like that you are talking about another level.
“There will always be that risk for Tottenham, Daniel Levy will be hanging on to him for dear life I’m sure, to be the key in ensuring Tottenham stay consistent. Particularly they’ll need it at this time, with the financial pressure they’ll be coming under because of the overspend on the new stadium.
“At this moment in time, they can least afford to lose their manager because he’s brought so much consistency and performance, with that means revenue, high finishes in the league, prize money, Champions League football.”
OPINION
Some Spurs fans might wonder what the fuss is all about. After all, Pochettino signed a five-year contract in May that made him comfortably the best paid manager in the club’s history. Nothing to see here? Not quite. Elite football doesn’t work like that. Things change quickly, and the riches swimming around mean everyone is disposable and can move. Tottenham are certainly well placed to get a huge compensation fee from whichever club does try and poach the Argentine. Levy protected his asset by securing Pochettino to a new contract. But there is more to this than simply a long-term deal. If the manager since 2014 desperately wants to go, and a club like Real, who are widely speculated to be searching for a new head coach, are willing to pay a huge sum to prise him from Tottenham, it could well happen. Levy will know this better than anyone. He’ll make it as difficult for Real as possible, but that doesn’t mean a deal for Pochettino can’t be done.