Tottenham face new battle to keep Mauricio Pochettino after Barcelona performance
Tottenham Hotspur are steeling themselves for a fight to keep Mauricio Pochettino at the end of the season after the Argentine enhanced his reputation in the Nou Camp.
Danny Rose has claimed Pochettino “deserves” to be linked with Real Madrid and Manchester United, and Tottenham’s draw, as well as their performance, against Barcelona in the Champions League was well received in Spain.
Telegraph Sport revealed in October that some Tottenham players fear Pochettino could leave in the summer and club insiders are well aware that Real and United are admirers of their manager.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will do everything he can to keep Pochettino and the club could provide Everton with competition to sign midfielder Andre Gomes from Barcelona.
Gomes is on a season-long loan at Everton, which they would like to make permanent in January, but the 25-year-old may wait to see what his options are in the summer when Tottenham would be interested.
Tottenham’s head scout Steve Hitchen attended the recent Merseyside derby, when it is understood he was watching Gomes.
But Levy’s number one priority will be keeping Pochettino, who has masterminded Tottenham’s best-ever Premier League start and qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League against the backdrop of the new stadium delays and no signings.
“It’s no coincidence that every day you read Real Madrid want him or United want him,” said left-back Rose. “It’s exactly what he deserves.
“What he has done here in the last four or five years has been amazing. Not only for myself, but the club. He has transformed how others think of us outside the club and he has transformed how we think of ourselves, and how we approach big games.
“The belief he gives everybody is just amazing. For example, Kyle Walker-Peters made a mistake in Barcelona, but that will not affect what the manager thinks of him. He will stick with Kyle no matter what. That’s the sort of man he is, once you win his trust it will take an awful lot to break that. He has been amazing for myself and this club, and we hope he is here for a very long time.
“It’s no secret all the teams have spent a lot more than what we have. The manager, or the club, did not make any signings in the summer and he is probably not going to make any signings in January.”
Asked why he believes Spurs will not sign anybody in the January transfer window, Rose added: “Well, I’ve not heard anything, so I am guessing. For him (Pochettino) to do what he has done and what he is doing now speaks volumes of him. Like I said, it’s no coincidence big teams are being linked with him and we hope he stays for a really long time.”
Rose hopes the result in Barcelona and Tottenham’s qualification for the last-16 of the Champions League will strike fear into some of Europe’s biggest clubs ahead of next Monday’s draw.
“We’ve gone to Barcelona and got a result,” said Rose. “Hopefully, the rest of Europe will take notice of that and fear being drawn against us in the next round. We’ve proved ourselves against the top teams in Europe, so roll on the next round. We’re looking forward to it whoever we get.”
