Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen has tried to play the mind games ahead of the meeting with Manchester United at Old Trafford by claiming that the Red Devils missed an opportunity to sign Mauricio Pochettino as the manager. Pochettino was linked with a move to United as a replacement for Louis van Gaal when the Dutchman was sacked in the summer. Those rumours came just after Pochettino had led Tottenham to a third-place finish in the Premier League and qualified for the Champions League group stages.
The 44-year-old is clearly one of the young and upcoming managers in the Premier League. He may not have the experience of José Mourinho, but Vertonghen reckons that Pochettino would have been a great manager for United. His comments come at a time when United are searching for the second league win in eight matches. As quoted by the
As quoted by the Express Sport, Vertonghen said:
“When the rumours were getting bigger we were always worried, especially with this manager.
“If I was Manchester United I would have tried to take him from us, especially when you see what he can do to a team.
“The team is very happy he stayed. He signed a long-term deal like so many of the players and it is good to have that stability in the club.”
Pochettino dismissed all the rumours by signing a new contract with Tottenham until the summer of 2021. Vertonghen says that the entire Tottenham squad felt huge relief with the news confirming the manager’s extended stay. Paper rumours are constant throughout the campaign, but an entire squad feeling concerned about the manager quitting Spurs for United certainly sounds more than just a rumour.
There is a little doubt that the presence of the Argentine has enabled Spurs to tie up a number of players on long-term contracts this season. After having recently extended the contracts of Jan Vertonghen and Harry Kane, the club are now only left to focus on the likes of Hugo Lloris. After much speculation, Vertonghen extended his contract by three years. The Belgian has been one of the best signings for Spurs since his £12 million move from Ajax in 2012.
Spurs will be heading to Old Trafford with confidence on the back of two consecutive wins. Prior to the wins against Swansea City and CSKA Moscow, the club were struggling big-time just like United. A run of just one win – courtesy of a late goal – in 10 games kept Spurs in serious trouble when it comes to even finishing in the top four. After having just rediscovered the confidence, Spurs will be hoping to build on the recent results and possibly take advantage of United’s dismal home form.
