Pochettino is out of a job after he was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain this summer following a disappointing season in which they were eliminated from the Champions League at the last-16 stage.
The Argentine had previously been seen as a candidate to take over at Manchester United
Mauricio Pochettino has been backed to succeed Pep Guardiola as Manchester City manager by ex-striker Trevor Sinclair. Pochettino is out of a job after he was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain this summer following a disappointing season in which they were eliminated from the Champions League at the last-16 stage. The Argentine had previously been seen as a candidate to take over at Manchester United, but the Red Devils opted to hire Erik ten Hag to assume control this summer. Instead, Pochettino could end up continuing his coaching career with the blue half of Manchester, as Sinclair believes he would be an excellent option to replace Guardiola. “You look at him, and he knows how to deal with egos. He seems to have a fantastic rapport with players,” Sinclair said.
According to Sinclair, if Guardiola walks away at a certain stage, that might be a hot seat ready to take for Pochettino
“It doesn’t matter how big the players are; we have seen him managing Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. So on that side of things, I think he is in safe hands. He is a charming man, and I think he comes across well in the media. I actually feel that Manchester City might be the club for him. I think he might have a bit of a sabbatical now because I’m sure he is not struggling with finances. But I think Manchester City could be the one for him. If Guardiola walks away at a certain stage, that might be a hot seat ready to take for Pochettino.” Guardiola’s current contract at City expires at the end of the 2022-23 campaign.
The coach will have spent seven years with the club by the time his deal runs out, and he suggested last August that he will not commit to an extension. “Next step will be a national team if there is a possibility. A national team is a next step,” he said. “After seven years on this team, I think I will have a stop. I will have to take a break and see what we’ve done. And in the process, I would like to train a South American team, a European national side, playing a Copa America – I want to have that experience.”