Reports have claimed that Mauricio Pochettino's potential return to Tottenham Hotspur is dependent on the Londoners paying a significant compensation package to the USA men's national team.

Ange Postecoglou was dismissed as Spurs boss on Friday despite winning the Europa League final in May, ending the club's 17-year trophy drought.

Tottenham's hierarchy deemed that domestic results were too poor to justify giving the Australian another season in charge, and it is not difficult to see why he was sacked given his side ended the season in 17th place.

A host of names have been linked with the vacant managerial role at the club, including former head coach Pochettino.

However, a BBC report claims that while supporters would welcome the Argentinian's appointment, prying him away from the US national team would involve one of the biggest compensation packages "in football history".

Why Pochettino could be a good candidate

Pochettino has publicly admitted himself that he would like to return to Spurs to be manager, but he insisted that a homecoming was years away when he told reporters in March: "I am in the USA, so I am not going to talk about [a return], but what I said then I still, after six years or five years, feel in my heart. Yes, I would like one day to come back."

The 53-year-old was head coach of the club between May 2014 and November 2019, and he managed to reach the EFL Cup final in 2014-15, as well as the Champions League final in 2018-19.

Pochettino guided Spurs to a second-placed finish in 2016-17, and their points total of 86 was two higher than current champions Liverpool managed in 2024-25.

While some criticised him for his failure to deliver silverware, he was often not backed in the transfer market with funds.

In fact, Tottenham became the first Premier League team since the creation of the summer transfer window in the top flight to fail to sign a single player in it during the 2018-19 season.

Considering the Argentinian was not sufficiently backed, there is an argument that he would be able to finally get the North London outfit over the line if he returned and was provided with the necessary backing in the summer.

Written by
Lewis Nolan