Real Madrid next manager: Spurs will demand £42.5m for Pochettino

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino joins
Arsene Wenger as one of the top contenders to replace Zinedine
Zidane

One-Minute Read

The newspapers today are unanimous in believing the Tottenham
boss will replace Zinedine Zidane in the most prestigious
managerial position in world club football, although they also
predict Spurs will wring a high price out of the European
champions.

According to The Times, Spurs “will demand £42.5m in
compensation” for Pochettino, who only last week signed a new
five-year contract worth £8.5m a year.

Significantly, notes the paper, the contract “does not
include a release clause”, and chairman Daniel Levy is said to be
“confident” that his manager will rebuff any advance from Real
because Pochettino is relishing the prospect of turning Tottenham
into a force capable of challenging the Spanish club’s dominance in
Europe.

The Guardian disputes that claim, reporting
that the lure of a return to Spain for Pochettino, a country he
knows well from his playing days and his time managing Espanyol
between 2009-2012, “may prove too strong to resist”.

Apparently Real had initially been under the impression
that a release clause was inserted into Pochettino’s contract,
allowing him to leave should they come calling, but Tottenham
“insist that is not the case”.

The Daily Mail says that Tottenham will put up
“fierce resistance” to any approach from Real for Pochettino, who
they say is the club’s No.1 choice to replace Zidane. Intriguingly,
notes the paper, Pochettino is in Spain today to attend the launch
of his book, and they report that “Spurs chiefs will be anxiously
awaiting his return”.

According to The Sun, Real have their eye on another Premier
League manager – Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp. The German led the Reds
to the Champions League final against Real and the Sun says that
Real president Florentino Perez believes Klopp has the “personality
and character required to take over at the Bernabeu”.

Les Bleus next for Zidane?

As for Zidane’s future, French sports daily L’Equipe – who also predict Pochettino will be
the next Real coach – say it’s only a question of time before he
becomes the coach of Les Bleus. His shock decision to step down
from Real Madrid has certainly put the pressure on the current
coach of France, Didier Deschamps, as he prepares his squad for the
impending World Cup.

France play Italy tonight in a friendly and the pre-match
press conference was dominated not by selection for the World Cup
but by Zidane’s resignation.

“I don’t have all the ins and outs, but I can understand
why he made that decision,” said Deschamps, a teammate of Zidane
when France won the World Cup in 1998. “To leave while being at the
top, he has that freedom. Some take it, some don’t. And some are
obliged to.”

Asked if he now felt under more pressure, Deschamps
replied: “I don’t ask myself the question. I’m focused on what lies
in front of us as a squad.”

And when a journalist asked he would be happy to hand over
the keys of the French team to Zidane, he said, laughing: “I don’t
have the keys, it’s the president [Noel Le Graet, of the FFR], who
has them. I don’t know what he’ll decide.”

But Deschamps added that he believes at some point in the
future Zidane will “definitely” coach France. “When, I cannot say.
But it seems logical. It will happen when it
happens.”

Real Madrid next manager odds

When news broke yesterday that Zidane was stepping down
from the Real Madrid job, former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was
the early favourite to take over at the Santiago Bernabeu.
According to the bookies Wenger remains a contender alongside
Pochettino, Guti and Antonio Conte. Here are the latest prices (as
of 1 June).

Oddschecker

• Mauricio Pochettino: 3/1   
• Arsene Wenger: 7/2 
• Guti: 8/1 
• Raul: 10/1 
• Antonio Conte: 12/1 
• Santiago Solari: 14/1 
• Maurizio Sarri: 15/1 
• Massimiliano Allegri: 16/1

Sky Bet

• Arsene Wenger: 11/8 
• Mauricio Pochettino: 13/8 
• Guti: 6/1 
• Antonio Conte: 8/1 
• Maurizio Sarri: 14/1 
• Santiago Solari: 14/1 
• Joachim Low: 16/1 
• Massimiliano Allegri: 16/1