Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly on the verge of being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain and replaced by Tottenham manager Antonio Conte.
PSG regained the Ligue 1 title on Saturday evening with a 1-1 home draw against Lens, a result that was met by a chorus of boos. Despite his recent success, Pochettino has failed to impress in the French capital since he was appointed in January 2021.
The Argentine hasn't won the Champions League - the trophy PSG want the most - and they didn't even win Ligue 1 last term, the minimum requirement at the Qatari-backed club. They've also suffered defeats in the French Cup and French Super Cup this season.
And, according to Le Parisien (via GFFN ), Pochettino will be removed by PSG "imminently". It's believed the club's board want him to leave and he's open to an exit. "I have one year left on my contract, so logically it is not a question of desire but a question of contract," said Pochettino at a press conference earlier this month.
The French newspaper also claim Conte is willing to move to Paris on a two-year deal. The club's preferred option is said to be Zinedine Zidane, although he is interested in succeeding Didier Deschamps as France manager after this year's World Cup.
Rumours suggest it would cost €15million - around £12.6m - to sack Pochettino and his backroom staff. PSG are still thought to be negotiating a pay-off with the coaching team, who all have 12 months remaining on their existing deals.
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Pochettino is said to have remained in contact with Tottenham chief Daniel Levy and the latter would like to see his former employee back in London. Whether the 50-year-old coach would be willing to make a comeback remains to be seen.
It's unclear when Pochettino's alleged exit will be confirmed. It's unlikely anything will happen before the end of the season, as PSG have nothing to play for and Spurs are battling for Champions League qualification. They're currently fifth in the Premier League.
Pochettino will ultimately be judged on PSG's performances in Europe, considering they've won eight of the last 10 Ligue 1 titles. The French outfit reached the semi-finals of the Champions League last year but were defeated 4-1 on aggregate by Manchester City.
Yet it's their loss to Real Madrid in this season's competition that will have annoyed PSG's hierarchy. Leading 2-0 on aggregate, Pochettino's team capitulated in the final 30 minutes - conceding a Karim Benzema hat-trick at the Bernanbeu.
Pochettino was in the running for the Manchester United job before Erik ten Hag was named as Ralf Rangnick's successor on Thursday morning. His failure to impress in France cost him the Old Trafford job, as his stock was very high before becoming PSG boss.
The former Southampton boss had earned a reputation as an elite manager during his five-and-a-half-year spell at Tottenham, guiding them to their first Champions League final in 2018-19. They also finished second in the Premier League in 2016-17.
