Mauricio Pochettino has reached an agreement with Tottenham over a deal that will see him remain at the club till 2023, as announced on Thursday.
Tottenham have made an official statement to announce that they have reached an agreement with Mauricio Pochettino and his staff to extend his stay with the club. The extension will see the Argentine remain at Camp Nou till June 30, 2023, snubbing interest from Chelsea for a possible cross-London switch.
Mauricio Pochettino arrived at Tottenham in the summer of 2014, with the club seeking to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in English football. Over the last four years, the Argentine has overseen an upward swing in the North Londoners’ stock, with Spurs establishing themselves as regular faces in the Champions League.
After a fifth-placed finish in his first campaign as the manager, Pochettino has guided Tottenham to a top 3 finish in each of the last three seasons. The 2017-18 also suggested a positive shift in temperament, as far as Champions League is concerned, with Spurs beating Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid in the group stage before running Juventus close in the Round of 16.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 24, 2018
However, Tottenham’s advent under Pochettino has put the spotlight on him, and rightly so, with Gary Neville recently opining that he would like to see the manager taking charge of Manchester United. While the Red Devils haven’t registered an interest in the Argentine, Chelsea are reportedly aiming to sign him in a shock move.
Antonio Conte’s future at Stamford Bridge is highly uncertain after a rocky season that saw Chelsea fall way short in the defence of their Premier League title. The Blues finished fifth on the table, a massive 30 points adrift of champions Manchester City and will play in the Europa League next season as a result.
Chelsea’s performances in the Champions League were far from impressive as well, as they bowed out in the Round of 16, although they were much improved in cup competitions. Conte’s men reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup and went two steps ahead in the FA Cup, beating Manchester United in the final last week.
Despite the cup triumph, Conte is on the edge at the Bridge, having clashed with the Chelsea board over their transfer policy in recent windows. With a lack of clarity over his position at the club, the Blues have been in search for a new manager, with the Tottenham boss a top target.
Pochettino’s fluid style of play would complement talisman Eden Hazard, who often cut a frustrated figure over the course of the season. Additionally, he has shown the ability to work well with limited budgets, something that left Conte vexed at Chelsea this term.
However, Chelsea’s bid to land the Tottenham manager will fail to materialise, with Pochettino and his staff signing new five-year deals with the North Londoners. The Argentine is now set to lead Spurs into a new era as they move into their new stadium next season. And Pochettino said that he didn’t hesitate in penning a new contract.
“I am honoured to have signed a new long-term contract as we approach one of the most significant periods in the Club’s history and be the manager that will lead this team into our new world-class stadium. This is just one of the factors that makes this one of the most exciting jobs in world football.”
Tottenham can now turn their attention towards bolstering their squad this summer to continue the manager’s project. As far as Chelsea are concerned, they must now turn their attention elsewhere in search of a new boss, in case they end up parting ways with Conte.
