The Argentine has been offered the chance to leave for greener pastures but claims to have refused due to his commitment to the club
Mauricio Pochettino claims to have turned down multiple job offers since taking over Tottenham, though he does not believe it is anything special for managers to receive interest.
Pochettino’s future at Spurs has come into question multiple times in the last few seasons, as success with the London club has reportedly put him on the radar of the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United.
There was some talk he would depart following Spurs appearance in last year’s Champions League final and yet more rumours he could step aside after this weekend’s derby with Arsenal – something the manager has called “stupid”.
However, Pochettino did tell reporters he has received offers over the years to depart the club, but believes it is not something uncommon between himself and his peers at the top of the Premier League.
“Yes, I have had plenty [of offers to leave],” Pochettino said. “Plenty in five years and Daniel [Levy] knows about some – but not all!
“[The offers were] from everywhere. Daniel knows very well how our commitment with the club is. It’s massive, it’s more than what is normal. But it’s normal that different managers [to get offers].
“If you ask [Pep] Guardiola, if you ask [Jurgen] Klopp, if you so ask the best managers… For sure Guardiola is working in City and receives a call from a different club. Or Klopp or a different manager.
“It does not make it special to me. You asked me and that is my honest answer. But I don’t want it, so don’t use it to say how good I am because I said ‘no’!”
Pochettino also downplayed any past interest in leaving, saying that would have been a jusifiable decision to make but he had made a commitment to remaining with the club over the long haul.
“No, because last year when I signed the contract here it was because I wanted to help the club to finish the stadium, to move into the stadium, be sure we are going to move and that it matches the dynamic and not create an issue,” Pochettino said when asked if he considered leaving.
“That was my personal commitment with Daniel. In this moment one year ago, it would have been easy to say, ‘OK, we’ve been here four years, let’s find another challenge and move on’ because always people at Tottenham will remember us very nicely.
“But we showed our commitment with the club and personally with Daniel because we knew it was going to be a difficult summer, impossible to sign players, impossible to move players and we had to keep the same squad while trying to deliver the job.
“I am very happy to be here, very proud. Five years we signed for and started a project at a very different club – and now we are one of the best clubs in the world.
“We have played in the final of the Champions League and now the aim is to remain competitive for the future.”
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