Clause in Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham Contract Could Thwart Manchester United Move
By 90min
Mauricio Pochettino will reportedly have to refund Tottenham the £12.5m compensation payoff he received when he left the club last month, if he takes another job in the Premier League this season.
The Argentine boss was paid off after a dismal start to the season and was replaced by Jose Mourinho within 24 hours in a move that proved controversial among fans.
Pochettino remains a highly respected coach, however, having overseen one of the most successful periods in the club's history - taking them to within 90 minutes of winning the Champions League in June.
As such, there is a feeling that Pochettino can take his pick as far as his next move is concerned, and he has been heavily linked with a contentious move to Manchester United, who continue to struggle under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as well as several big clubs across Europe.
There have even been suggestions that the Argentine could be approached by Spurs' great rivals Arsenal after they sacked Unai Emery. However, that appointment seems particularly unlikely.
The break between Pochettino and Tottenham may not be as clean as previously thought, however. According to a report in The Express, a clause in the manager's contract detailed an obligation to repay any compensation should he take another Premier League job in the same season he left Spurs.
If true, it would mean the payoff he received, believed to be in the region of £12.5m, would have to be paid back to the club if he was to take the reins at United or another Premier League job.
And that may prove to be a deciding factor in his thinking over his future, as he could move to the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain without having to give back his Spurs payoff - according to the Express' report.
Alternatively, he could wait until the season is over before joining another Premier League club. Arsenal may still be in the hunt for a new permanent boss by then, as could United, whose managerial situation remains unpredictable for the time being despite their apparent resolve to stick with Solskjaer.
In any case, the news adds another layer to what is proving to be one of the stories of the season so far. Tottenham fans won't want to see their legendary boss in another Premier League dugout, and this may well prove to be their saving grace.
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