Talk centred around who will be Manchester United’s next manager continues to dominate discussions.
Interim boss Ralf Rangnick will be in charge until the summer and as it stands, there’s a reported five-man shortlist to replace him.
One of the leading candidates on United 's shortlist is thought to be Paris Saint-Germain manager, Mauricio Pochettino.
The ex-Tottenham boss is only a year into a two-and-a-half-year deal, and his side are currently runaway Ligue 1 leaders.
However pressure on the Argentine was increased this week following his side’s shock Coupe de France exit to Nice.
There’s also greater pressure than ever from the PSG hierarchy for the club to win the Champions League, particularly following the signing of Lionel Messi in the summer.
Even if he secures the Ligue 1 title, Pochettino’s failure to deliver Europe’s biggest crown this season could result in his departure, especially taking into account reports late last year which stated that PSG had been approaching other managers to gauge their interest in taking over from Pochettino if his relationship with club officials declined.
If the parties are to go their separate ways at the end of the season, then that’s something that’d play right into the hands of United who have been long term admirers of the 49-year-old on the back of the impressive work he did at Tottenham.
His attractive and high-octane tactics turned Spurs into one of the Premier League’s most dominant sides, and Pochettino can count himself as hugely unlucky that he didn’t manage to achieve more success in terms of silverware during his five-year stay in North London.
Whilst it’s his footballing philosophy that tends to draw the most praise, this week we were reminded of the proficiency of his man-management skills too.
On Monday, Everton announced that they’d appointed Frank Lampard as their new manager. And the former England international was quick to get to work with the transfer deadline fast approaching, signing United’s Donny van de Beek on loan and then later Dele Alli from Tottenham.
Although Alli arrives at Goodison Park on the back of a forgettable few years in North London, it shouldn’t be forgotten just how good he was upon joining the club back in 2015 from MK Dons.
He thrived playing in behind strikers and at the top end of his side’s attack, scooping back-to-back PFA Young Player of the Year awards during his first two full Premier League campaigns, thanks in large to scoring a combined 28 Premier League goals and further 16 league assists.
Yet the departure of Pochettino in 2019 triggered a change for Alli and he struggled to replicate his best self under the colder and constraining management of the likes of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and more recently, Antonio Conte.
The pragmatic approach of their tactics didn’t suit, nor did their man-management styles. Pochettino though knew how to get the best from the England man, providing him with enough encouragement and nurture which in turn helped him perform at his absolute best.
The magnitude of Pochettino’s influence in the eyes of Alli was highlighted again this week when the new Everton man posted a message on his social media thanking Spurs fans and officials for his time at the club.
Within the same, he directed a special thank you to Pochettino for his guidance during the time they worked together.
“I want to give a special mention to Mauricio and his staff for their trust and guidance in the early part of my career at Spurs, which gave me the confidence and platform to show what I can do”.
Alli didn’t thank any of Pochettino’s three managerial successors.
Beyond the arrival of a new manager, we know that it’s set to be a big summer transfer window for United with many squad deficiencies needing to be addressed.
Pochettino's track record highlights how good he is in not only bringing in key profiles but also creating an environment for them to perform at their absolute best.
