Mauricio Pochettino (52), head coach of the United States men's national soccer team, faces a realistically slim chance of returning to Tottenham.

The BBC reported on the 25th (Korean time), "While Pochettino expressed his desire to return to Tottenham, exciting the fans, the actual chances of a return are low. This is because he has a contract with the United States men's national soccer team and the penalty fee could be the highest in history."

Pochettino became the head coach of the United States men's national team in September last year. He signed a two-year contract with the United States Soccer Federation to prepare for the 2026 North America World Cup, and his salary is approximately £4.6 million (about 8.7 billion won). Recently, he has been struggling with poor performances, finishing in 4th place after suffering back-to-back defeats in the North America Nations League.

Amid this, rumors of him reuniting with Tottenham, which he previously led, have surged. The speculation was ignited by a report from the British media 'Caught Offside,' which noted on the 20th that "Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy was spotted with Pochettino at a cafe in North London," and that "with current Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou having an underwhelming season, Tottenham is considering a new manager, and Pochettino has emerged as a strong candidate."

Pochettino also hinted at his willingness to return. In an interview with 'Sky Sports,' he said, "When I left Tottenham, I stated that I wanted to return someday. That feeling still remains," adding, "We experienced many emotional ups and downs together over nearly six years, and we parted on good terms. I still maintain a very good relationship with Chairman Levy."

However, the reality is not easy. This is because Pochettino still has a contract with the United States Soccer Federation, and Tottenham would need to pay a huge penalty fee to bring him in. The BBC reported, "If Pochettino transfers to another team during the contract, a penalty fee could arise that is the highest in soccer history."

According to the BBC, the highest penalty fee recorded to date is £21 million (about 40 billion won). Chelsea paid £21 million to bring in Graham Potter from Brighton. Bayern Munich also paid the same amount when it acquired Julian Nagelsmann from RB Leipzig in 2021.

Levy is known to be very cautious about expenditure. Currently, the likelihood of bringing back Pochettino, even at the expense of voiding the contract with the United States, is almost nonexistent. Even if Pochettino wants to return, it is analyzed that Tottenham is not in a situation to implement it.

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