'Really sad': Mauricio Pochettino issues Tottenham relegation verdict | OneFootball

Argentine has been previously linked with a return to north London

Mauricio Pochettino has given his verdict on Tottenham’s relegation battle ahead of the Premier League run-in.

Pochettino, who managed Spurs from 2014 through to 2019, had been linked with a move back to north London after his current deal with the United States expires following this summer’s World Cup.

Roberto De Zerbi’s appointment last month on a five-year deal means Pochettino is unlikely to make a return to Spurs any time soon.

But he has described the situation at his former club as “really sad” and said it was difficult for him to accept.

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Under Pochettino, Spurs routinely challenged for the Premier League title, top-four finishes and reached the 2019 Champions League final.

The Argentine’s departure, five months after losing to Liverpool in the European Cup final, was met with a mixture of anger and regret from supporters.

Many felt that Pochettino had not been backed properly in the transfer market, famously going 18 months without making a single first-team signing between January 2018 and July 2019.

“It’s a shame,” Pochettino added. “We were winning every season because with all the circumstances that we were fighting, we spent 18 months with not one signing. That was a record in the Premier League.