Mauricio Pochettino Teases Potential Tottenham Hotspur Return—But There’s a Catch

The Argentine is out of contract with the USMNT following the 2026 World Cup.

Mauricio Pochettino left the door open for a return to the English top-flight. | Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images, Visionhaus/Getty Images

U.S. men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted he “really loves” Tottenham Hotspur and will “one day” return to the Premier League, but he did not specifically name north London as his end destination.

The Argentine, who spent six years at Spurs, made the switch from club management to the international stage in Sept. 2024 when he took over the Stars and Stripes. It has been anything but a straightforward journey for Pochettino in the United States, and there is plenty of speculation that his time at the helm of the USMNT will end once his contract expires after the 2026 World Cup.

Pochettino himself has fueled such rumors, openly flirting with a potential return to Europe as reports link him to Real Madrid and Tottenham—and he only stoked the flames on the Stick to Football podcast.

When asked if he wants to return to the Premier League, the 54-year-old said, “One day, yes because I really like England. I think my human profile and coach profile match very well with the Premier League and with the culture, the idea, the idiosyncrasy and the philosophy.”

Pochettino, who also previously managed Chelsea, did not delve further into what team he has in mind for such a return, but his vocal fondness for Spurs certainly left the door open for the manager to reclaim his place on the touchline at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ... if they survive a tense relegation battle.

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Pochettino Breaks Silence on Spurs’ Fall From Grace

Tottenham have just one league win in 2026. | Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images

One of the biggest stories in the Premier League this season has been Tottenham’s descent down the table. The club currently sits in 18th place with 34 points from 34 games this season.

Spurs’ managerial carousel went from Thomas Frank to Igor Tudor, to now Roberto De Zerbi as they try and climb to safety to avoid a shock relegation. They are two points behind 17th-place West Ham United, but still must face Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton to close out the season.

“It is really sad,” Pochettino said about Tottenham’s current crisis. “I really love Tottenham; it’s one of the most important parts of my life as a coach and in my personal life too. I can talk from my experience in Tottenham and what I can tell you for me it’s one of the biggest clubs in the world.

“Tottenham is a massive club with a massive following.”

Yet they could get relegated to the second tier in England for the first time since 1977, an incredible fall from grace considering Spurs finished second in the 2016–17 season, made the Champions League final in 2019 and won the Europa League last season.

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Is Pochettino the Answer to Tottenham’s Woes?

Mauricio Pochettino managed Tottenham for six years. | Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images

The first two of the aforementioned accomplishments for Spurs happened under Pochettino’s reign. The Argentine admitted the team “challenged” for silverware but ultimately “missed this last step.”

Of course there’s an idyllic reality in which Pochettino returns to north London and gets the club back on track, leading Tottenham back to the top four and forgetting about their disastrous 2025–26 campaign, much like Manchester United’s sudden resurgence under Michael Carrick, who has all but secured the Red Devils’ Champions League return next season.

Yet the last time Pochettino managed Spurs, he had the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min to lead the team to new heights. Now, there is a stunning lack of true game-changers in north London, and the return of Pochettino will not immediately change that. After all, the biggest talents in Europe are certainly not keen on joining a team in such turmoil.

Without better recruitment, the team will likely continue to fall below their previous standards no matter who is on the touchline. Sure, Pochettino could perhaps speed up the process, but he is by no means a fix-all for a team largely full of unproven talents who cannot even win matches, let alone challenge for trophies.

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