It is well-known among Tottenham fans that one day Mauricio Pochettino would return to the club in the hopes of achieving success, and that day could be coming very soon. Current Spurs boss Antonio Conte sees his contract expire at the end of the season and while there is an option for an extra 12 months, it looks highly unlikely that will be activated.
A disastrous week for Spurs has seen talk of Conte leaving heighten and following their embarrassing Champions League exit, an interesting claim was made from the head coach. "My contract expires in June," he told Italian TV after the goalless draw. "We will see — they might sack me even before the end of the season, who knows, maybe they are disappointed."
When pushed on his future when speaking in his post-match press conference, Conte, as he has done numerous times this season, reiterated that it will be at the end of the term when he and the club will make a decision.
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"This is not right day to speak about future but my future, I have a contract with Tottenham and then Tottenham know very well which is my thoughts and at the end of season we will meet and then we'll make a decision."
Alongside his own admissions, several reports have emerged recently that certainly hint towards an exit for the Italian. The Times report Conte's break from Tottenham in Italy has only strengthened his will to return to his home country at the end of his contract.
A number of names, that includes Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi, have since emerged on a potential managerial replacement shortlist and understandably Pochettino is also listed. Since his dismissal, the Argentine has spoken about his former club on numerous occasions making it very clear he would love to one day return.
In April 2020, he told BT Sport: “Deep in my chest, my soul, my heart - I am sure that we will cross [paths] again. From the day that I left the club, my dream is to be back and to try to finish the work that we didn't finish. We were so close to winning the right trophies, the Premier League and the Champions League.
"Maybe in five years, maybe in 10 years, and now I'm going to conspire with the universe and to throw out the idea that before I die, I want to manage Tottenham again and try if possible to win one title.”
Roughly two years later, while managing Paris Saint-Germain he told Rio Ferdinand that he still thought of Tottenham as "his club", further proving that he wishes to return. “I still feel that it's my club, my place,” he said.
“I think when you really feel with the commitment and when you feel the people give everything to try to be successful, and they treat you really, really good how they treat us, it's impossible to forget that. That is why I think Tottenham is always going to be a special club for me."
Speaking to talkSPORT in November 2022, Pochettino said: “I miss the Premier League. Why not (return to manage in England)? We are open. I love England, I love living in London and Barcelona. And of course, if that possibility (to return) appears for sure we will consider taking it."
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