Man City will target Mauricio Pochettino to replace Pep Guardiola as boss plots sabbatical - 7M sport

Man City will target Mauricio Pochettino to replace Pep Guardiola as boss plots sabbatical



Posted Thursday, June 13, 2019 by Express.co.uk

Man City will target Mauricio Pochettino to replace Pep Guardiola as boss plots sabbatical
Man City will target Mauricio Pochettino to replace Pep Guardiola as boss plots sabbatical (Image: GETTY)

MANCHESTER CITY will target Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino to replace Pep Guardiola if the Spaniard takes another sabbatical from football.

Manchester City took English football by storm last season becoming the first side in history to win the Premier League, League Cup and FA Cup in a single season.

Despite failing to match their record points tally from the previous season, Guardiola’s inspired side still managed beat Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool into second place.

Although his first three seasons as City boss have been filled with success, the Daily Star have claimed that Guardiola is already planning another extended break from football.

A source has claimed that Guardiola could decide to have a break from the game at the end of next season - but only if he can win the Champions League with no suggestion that he will leave this summer.

"Pep invests so much emotional energy into his work that it takes it's a big toll," the insider said.

"He never stops, but it comes at a cost and leaves him needing a break. It's inevitable he will have to take a step back."

Pochettino is said to have been identified as the man to replace Guardiola in the dugout if he quits the Etihad.

Pochettino has steadily built Tottenham into one of the Premier League's strongest forces and led them to the Champions League final.

Guardiola, 48, took a 12-month sabbatical after leaving Barcelona in 2012 after winning 13 major trophies in just four seasons.

He returned in 2013 to take charge of Bayern Munich after spending most of his break in New York, and went on to win three league titles before moving to England.

When he left Barca he outlined why he needed to have a break from the game, and mentioned a lack of rest as the key reason.

He said: “"The main reason I have taken this decision is because four years is many years. I have given everything.

“I have nothing left and need to recharge my batteries. The demands have been great and I have not been able to rest much.

“I have to recover and the only way I can do that is by distancing myself. Otherwise, we would have ended up damaging each other."

Guardiola was heavily linked to the vacant Juventus job last month by Italian press, but he quickly reassured City fans that there was no truth to the rumours.

“There’s no better place to work than England,” he told City TV. “There’s no better place to do your job as a manager.

I can compare with Spain and Germany, I suspect Italy would be similar. There is no better place than England.

“The fans always support you. I am a blue shirt – I am one of yours.”



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