‘Huge’—USMNT’s Compensation Demands for Mauricio Pochettino Amid Tottenham Turmoil

Tottenham are once again in the hunt for a new manager following the departure of Igor Tudor.

Mauricio Pochettino has been heavily linked with Tottenham | John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

As Tottenham Hotspur once again go in search of a new manager following the swift exit of interim boss Igor Tudor, Mauricio Pochettino has once again been floated. However it would reportedly take a “huge,” potentially record-breaking, compensation fee to extract the U.S. men’s national team head coach from his contract before this summer’s World Cup.

Pochettino’s deal runs until the conclusion of the tournament which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. All 18 months of Pochettino’s reign for the USMNT have been explicitly geared towards the global jamboree on home soil, yet he has made little secret of his desire to return to club management.

Several members of the Tottenham board are said to “still admire” Pochettino, according to The Independent. However, that will come at a cost.

When the prospect of Pochettino’s terms first being broken were raised last year, BBC Sport quoted a source within the United States Soccer Federation who claimed that it would take “one of the biggest financial compensation fees in football history” for any team to pry the 54-year-old away.

---

Most Expensive Managers in Soccer History

Julian Nagelsmann cost a pretty penny when signed by Bayern Munich. | IMAGO/Eibner

Tottenham are no strangers to splashing the cash on a coaching hire. The acquisition of Thomas Frank and his fleet of backroom staff from Brentford cost $9.2 million (£6.7 million). However, it would reportedly take more than triple that sum to secure Pochettino’s services.

The lucrative terms of the deal which the former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea boss agreed with the USSF affords him an annual salary north of $6 million. It also comes with a buyout clause thought to be valued in the same region as the $28.9 million Bayern Munich paid for Julian Nagelsmann in 2021.

The most expensive managerial appointment in Premier League history belongs to Chelsea, who spent roughly $28.7 million on getting Graham Potter out of Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022. The revered tactician got a sharp haircut and bought a turtleneck jumper but managed to torch his reputation during a disastrous 31-game stint. Without even taking his salary into consideration, that’s about $925,000 per match.

---

Would Mauricio Pochettino Dump the USMNT Before the World Cup?

Mauricio Pochettino is nearing a final roster for the 2026 World Cup. | Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

Pochettino has made his position abundantly apparent. “I would like one day to come back,” the former Spurs boss bluntly told Sky Sports in March 2025.

“Look, when I left the club I always remember one interview I said I would like one day to come back to Tottenham and that is of course...” he trailed off. “I am in the USA, I am not going to ... no, I’m not going to talk about that, but what I said then still after six years or five years, I still feel in my heart that, yes, I would like one day to come back.”

This overt stance on returning to N17 was undoubtedly linked to the presence of Daniel Levy, the club’s former chairman who Pochettino still has a “very good relationship” with. However, Levy was relieved of his duties back in September, paving the way for a new-look leadership group without any obvious ties to the USMNT boss.

That hasn’t stopped Pochettino pining after the Premier League.

Back in December, the Argentine coach opened himself up to a return to club management in England. “The Premier League is the best in the world,” he gushed. “Of course I miss it. I am so happy in the USA, but I am always thinking about returning one day. It is the most competitive league, and of course I would love to come back again.”

Pochettino even refused to rule out a move to Real Madrid amid reports of his admiration in the Spanish capital earlier this year. Yet, he was keen to add: “I always maintain a very good relationship with almost all clubs, not just with Madrid.”

For all the public flirting, Pochettino is said to be “fully committed” to the USMNT, per BBC Sport.

---