Zinedine Zidane is under pressure at Real Madrid and the Spurs boss is reportedly the top candidate to replace him.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino would be the only candidate to take over at Real Madrid should Zinedine Zidane be sacked, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has told Sky Sports.
Zidane is coming under increasing pressure at the Santiago Bernabeu due to poor results and Pochettino would be Real president Florentino Perez’s “first, second, third and fourth choice” to replace him, says Ballague.
Pochettino has declared himself committed to Spurs, but the Lilywhites would be wise to line up some potential replacements of their own in case the Argentine is tempted by the lure of Los Blancos down the line.
Here are three managers that Spurs should be keeping an eye on…
Leonardo Jardim
The Portuguese coach, who was never a professional footballer, led Monaco to the Champions League semi-finals last season, while orchestrating some expansive football that would go down a treat with Tottenham fans.
The 43-year-old has had to contend with losing several of his best players, which could feasibly happen at Spurs if Pochettino leaves, but has been able to identify new stars to keep Monaco competitive in the top four of Ligue 1.
Jardim might not be a household name who’d be on the radar of Europe’s biggest clubs, but he has worked his way up the game impressively and appears well suited to the type of long-term project that Tottenham are building.
Brendan Rodgers
Rodgers isn’t taken too seriously in some circles because of a few soundbites or catchphrases that have stuck with him, but the 44-year-old would be well qualified to pick up where Pochettino may leave off at Spurs.
He took Liverpool to within a slip of their first Premier League title, and has made history with Celtic, who have won all four domestic trophies on offer, and set a new British record for matches unbeaten with 65, during his tenure.
Scottish football might be a bit of a laughing stock, but Rodgers isn’t. He has worked with young players, a success story of the Pochettino regime, all of his career, and deserves another shot at a big Premier League job.
Diego Simeone
If Tottenham want a manager who has a proven track record of coaching teams to trophies, against bigger-spending rivals, then Simeone is their guy having won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Europa League at Atletico Madrid.
It is getting harder and harder for Atletico to compete with Barcelona and Real Madrid, and there is a feeling that Simeone has achieved all that he can in Spain and will inevitably test himself in the Premier League one day.
The 47-year-old would retain the importance of defensive application and hard work that Pochettino has instilled at Spurs, and may also give the team the ruthlessness and winning mentality that they are currently lacking.
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