As Antonio Conte seemingly edges closer to an early exit from N17, it does appear that Tottenham Hotspur could make a move to re-appoint former boss Mauricio Pochettino, with the beloved Argentine having been without a club since being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
While there are said to be doubts among members of the Spurs hierarchy with regard to bringing back the 51-year-old, the out-of-work boss is clearly under consideration at present, having previously left the club back in 2019 – just a matter of months after guiding the north Londoners to the Champions League final.
As journalist Shaun Custis told talkSPORT, the one-time Espanyol head coach is believed to be "pushing like mad" to make a return to his former employers, having even reportedly made contact with members of the Tottenham squad in recent times – as per Sky Sports.
The experienced ace would no doubt be hoping to rejuvenate the fortunes of a team who are currently scrapping for a top-four berth, having also been unsuccessful in their attempts to claim long-awaited silverware.
Pochettino's arrival could also, however, help to improve the fortunes of those individuals who have been rather underwhelming this season, with the previously relentless Heung-min Son one such figure who does appear in need of a revival.
Would Pochettino's return benefit Spurs?
It was, of course, Pochettino who was in charge when the South Korea international was signed from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of just £18m back in 2015, with that relative bargain capture going on to prove a real masterstroke, with the wide man having regularly delivered the goods over the years.
The fleet-footed forward notably scored 75 goals and provided 39 assists in 203 games under the tutelage of the one-time Southampton boss, having also been hailed for his all-round impact by the former Argentina international in 2019:
"He works so hard, always pushing, never gives up. He tries, tries, tries. He’s like this in his effort with and without the ball, he's very regular and consistent and that is most important."
Also lauded as "one of the best offensive players in the world" by his former boss, Son would likely benefit from a potential reunion should Pochettino return any time soon, with the 30-year-old having endured a "dreadfully disappointing" campaign to date, as Sky Sports' lead commentator Rob Hawthorne noted during the defeat to Aston Villa on New Year's Day.
The previously prolific menace – who scored 23 league goals last season to finish as the division's joint-top scorer – has been a shadow of his former self this time around, having racked up just six goals in 26 league games to date – with three of those coming against Leicester City back in September.
For whatever reason – be it Conte's potentially pragmatic style of play – the 108-cap dynamo has simply not been able to hit his usual heights this season, with the hope being that a change in the dugout could be just what is needed to spark the struggling dud back into life.
Bringing in a figure whom Son clearly knows such as Pochettino – who has been lauded as an "excellent manager" by Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola – could well be the best remedy for lifting the 6-foot sensation from his current slump.