USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino admits to Tottenham return 'dream' but refuses to reveal how close he came to landing Man Utd job

Argentine tactician Pochettino severed ties with Spurs in November 2019 a matter of months after leading them to their first-ever Champions League final, with 293 games being overseen during a five-and-a-half-year tenure. He has since worked with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea at club level.

An international offer was accepted in September 2024, with Pochettino agreeing to lead the United States towards a home World Cup in 2026. He is just six games into that reign, but has revealed that another stint in the Premier League forms part of his long-term plans.

Pochettino told talkSPORT of taking in a second spell at Tottenham: "To be honest, the day that I left the club always I was thinking one day to come back. It's not that I was thinking before the offer from the USA national team, I was thinking to come back.

"The day that I left I was thinking I would love to one day come back to Tottenham because like I told in the past, I said for me, I felt empty in the moment that I left. It was like an unfinished job and that is why. It's a feeling, it's a feeling, it's a dream.

"I don't know how you can take or I can explain or describe but I think for sure it's a club that is always going to be special for me. And I would like to one day to have the possibility again to try to arrive in a situation that we are back to finish in a different way."

While Pochettino is happy to discuss professional ties to Spurs, he is reluctant to reveal how close he came to landing the Manchester United job – having been linked with the Red Devils on a regular basis. Pretending not to hear the question, the 53-year-old said: "I don't… I cannot hear!"

Of more immediate concern to Pochettino is the United States’ upcoming CONCACAF Nations League semi-final clash with Panama, as the first leg of that contest – as major silverware begins to fall within reach – is set to take place on March 20.