Manchester United are ready to pay a world-record compensation fee to tempt Tottenham to part ways with in-demand Mauricio Pochettino, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The newspaper claim United are “hopeful” of securing Pochettino at the end of the season although Spurs insiders believe Real Madrid are a “bigger threat” to their chances of keeping hold of the Argentine.
The Telegraph report there is a fear at Tottenham that the Spanish giants could be difficult for Pochettino to resist and United’s interest could force the hand of Real at the end of the season.
OPINION
The report does not state the ‘world record’ sum United are prepared to pay for Pochettino, but it is likely to be the kind of transfer fee Spurs would hope to get for one of their most effective first-team players. Managerial compensation fees for the best in the business have tended to hover around the £10million mark and that was the sum of the release clause in the first contract Pochettino signed when he joined the north Londoners from Southampton. His two subsequent contracts removed the release clause, but he penned a five-year deal in January reportedly worth £8.5million-a-year. There will be four years remaining at the end of the season, leading to speculation of a £34million compensation fee to any club looking to buy Pochettino out of his contract. Some reports have gone further and suggested an eye-watering sum of around £50million. What is certain is that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will make it as difficult as possible for any club attempting to prise manager-of-the-moment Pochettino from his club.