The summer transfer window is the time for teams to try and make adjustments to their side, but for the media, it’s time for the rumour mill to start up – and boy oh boy do they take advantage of it. Every single player or club under the sun gets linked to someone over the course of the window, and the coverage is often absolutely relentless. This year has already been no different, with the managers being no exception to the rule.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has done a magnificent job in North London, and there’s really no way of getting around that. He just seems to ‘get it’, whatever ‘it’ is. Sure, the trophies haven’t been coming thick and fast, but the progress this club has made is well worth noting above all else.
Big stakes
Pochettino is set to guide Spurs into the UEFA Champions League final next weekend, where he finds himself just one win away from making history. It isn’t going to be a straightforward encounter against a side of Liverpool’s quality, but there just seems to be this feeling in the air about Tottenham this season. They were never supposed to be here at this stage, and the fact that they are says a lot about their grit and determination.
One team who seems to enjoy that grit and determination is none other than Juventus. The Italian champions are currently on the hunt for a replacement for Allegri, who is heading for the exit door. As you can imagine, Poch’s recent success has peaked their interest – to the point where they are actively going after his services. The Argentine has been heavily linked with a switch away from Tottenham for quite some time now, but after the positions at Manchester United and Real Madrid were filled, it seemed like he could stay put.
It seems like this decision could wind up depending on the success or failure of the Champions League final, but either way, we certainly aren’t going to get an indication of which way he’s going to lean until it’s all said and done in Madrid. Juventus would certainly be a step up for them in terms of resources, but would it be a step up in terms of quality?
A step up, or down?
Based on European competitions this season it’s clear to see that the Premier League is the best division in world football right now, with all four finalists coming from the English top flight. In addition to that, this Juventus side were knocked out of the Champions League by Ajax – and Tottenham beat them.
It all depends on what kind of legacy Pochettino wants to have, to be honest, and whether or not he feels like he has accomplished all that he can with Tottenham. The bookmakers believe they’re the underdogs heading into the final, but either way, that isn’t going to matter one bit.
In terms of his future, Poch has earned the right to make that decision as and when he sees fit.
