Tottenham make Gareth Southgate their top target to succeed Mauricio Pochettino

EXCLUSIVE: Spurs chiefs ready to make move for England boss if Mauricio Pochettino leaves at the end of the season

Posted Monday, September 30, 2019 by Dailystar.co.uk

Gareth Southgate is Tottenham ’s first choice to succeed Mauricio Pochettino.

The north Londoners view the England boss as the perfect man to assume the reins whenever Poch eventually exits N17.

Indeed, the Spurs hierarchy were ready to make an approach for Southgate, 49, at the end of last season after Pochettino had raised serious doubts about staying for a fifth year.

The Argentine coach admitted before the Champions League final against Liverpool that if Spurs won he could well leave - with nothing left for him to achieve.

Those comments seriously rocked the powers that be at White Hart Lane - and forced chairman Daniel Levy to consider the best candidates to replace him.

And Southgate’s name was very much top of his list - thanks to close ties with a significant number of Tottenham stars on the international stage.

Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Harry Winks, Danny Rose and Eric Dier have all made huge progress under the Three Lions surpremo over the last couple of seasons

Whether Southgate would have been willing to swap country for another crack at club management back in July is highly debatable.

However, depending on how next summer’s Euros go for England, he may be tempted if a club of Spurs’ stature come calling for his services.

Gareth Southgate is Tottenham's top target to succeed Mauricio Pochettino

After a shocking start to 2019-20 - they kicked off the weekend TEN points behind Liverpool in the league and still reeling from their Carabao Cup exit to League Two Colchester in midweek - the pressure is cranking up on Poch’s troops.

And a poor result against Bayern Munich in the Champions League this week will only heighten the growing crisis inside the Spurs dressing room

Though he still has a good relationship with Levy - and there is no chance he would be sacked at this stage – it is increasingly likely this will be the former Southampton and Espanyol coach’s final campaign.

And should that prove the case, Levy will pull out all the stops to land ex-Middlesbrough boss Southgate.