Ex-Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino ‘being lined up to replace Athletic Bilbao’s under-fire manager Gaizka Garitano’ as LaLiga club plot BOLD move to hire him despite Manchester United links
- Mauricio Pochettino was sacked by Tottenham Hotspur in November last year
- Manchester United have reportedly enquired about Pochettino’s availability
- He says Athletic Bilbao are ‘exciting’ and has ‘enormous respect’ for them
- Athletic Bilbao are struggling in La Liga with just nine points from eight games
Mauricio Pochettino could make a return to the dugout with Athletic Bilbao reportedly interested in hiring the former Tottenham Hotspur boss.
The Spanish side are struggling in La Liga this season with just nine points from eight matches – and are teetering in 14th after a string of inconsistent performances.
It’s put the pressure on current manager Gaizko Garitano, and according to Football Espana, the likes of Pochettino, former Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde and Valencia boss Marcelino Garcia Toral are in the running to replace him.
Mauricio Pochettino was sacked by Tottenham despite reaching the Champions League final
Athletic Bilbao are considering changing their managers after a woeful start to the season
Pochettino is a known admirer of Athletic Bilbao, with Marca citing him as saying that the club ‘generates enormous respect for everything that they represent’.
Pochettino’s salary demands and interest from other clubs could make the appointment a difficult one.
Pochettino is on a three-man shortlist to replace the under-fire Gaizko Garitano in the dugout
The Argentine is a target for Manchester United, and was reportedly approached by the club to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
But Sportsmail understands United risk missing out on him as the Argentine has had a conversation with at least one high-profile club in recent weeks with a view to a potential return to work.
Pochettino has been out of a job since November last year, when he was sacked by Tottenham for a poor run of form, despite reaching the Champions League final the season before.
Pochettino has also been approached by Manchester United to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
