Man City Tipped to Rival Man Utd for Mauricio Pochettino
By Tom Gott
Manchester City officials are keeping a close eye on former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino's situation, with the Argentine also on the radar of cross-town rivals Manchester United.
Pochettino has been linked with United for what feels like an eternity, and with current boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer facing real pressure after a shocking start to the season, club officials are said to have reached out to Pochettino as they evaluate their options.
Old Trafford chiefs remain determined to give Solskjaer the chance to get things back on track, with the deadline-day arrivals of Edinson Cavani, Alex Telles and Facundo Pellistri expected to help, but they know full-well that managers of the Argentine's calibre don't often end up on the free market.
As noted by The Mirror, there is a fear that failing to pull the trigger on Solskjaer now could effectively push Pochettino over to City, who have their eyes on the former Spurs man as they prepare for Pep Guardiola's potential departure at the end of the season.
Guardiola's contract expires at the end of the current campaign and there are yet to be any real signs he will put pen to paper on an extension, so City chiefs are preparing a list of replacements and have put Pochettino near the top.
United are well aware of Pochettino's allure and what he would bring to the team. Aside from his impressive play style and ability to incorporate youth, his man-management skills are also something United want in the dressing room.
Paul Pogba's latest flirtation with Real Madrid - he described joining Los Blancos as a dream - have left United feeling as though they need a stronger, more authoritative figure to ensure things like that don't happen in the future.
Nevertheless, Solskjaer will be given the chance to prove himself once more, while Guardiola will also be given the chance to commit to an extension over the coming months - but both sides are regularly checking up on the Argentine.
Pochettino has made it clear that he feels ready for a return to the Premier League after recharging his batteries, but he also has plenty of admirers from overseas and the two Manchester sides don't want to see him commit to anywhere else before they have made final decisions on their respective bosses.