Former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino has insisted that he would be open to succeeding Gareth Southgate as England manager.
The Argentine has been out of the game since being sacked by PSG at the end of the 2021-22 season, despite leading the capital side to the Ligue 1 title with four games to spare.
Pochettino was heavily linked with the Manchester United job at the end of his PSG tenure, but the Red Devils opted to move for Erik ten Hag from Ajax instead.
Since the summer, the 50-year-old has been tipped to head to the likes of Aston Villa, Villarreal, Juventus and Nice, but he remains without a management job at the moment.
A return to England with the Three Lions setup has also been strongly mooted for Pochettino, with current manager Southgate due to leave in 2024 when his contract expires.
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Speaking to The Athletic about his future career plans, Pochettino insisted that he was "open to everything" when asked about the possibility of succeeding Southgate at Wembley.
"Of course, my relationship with England has always been very good. We have a very good relationship with the academies, trying to develop young players for the national team," Pochettino said. "I feel so comfortable here. You never know what happens. I am open to everything."
The Argentine also believes that England are realistic contenders for the World Cup crown as they bid to win the tournament for the first time after 1966, adding: "Their mentality, they are so brave, they are so offensive, they go to provoke the opponent and try to dominate.
"They don't care about the team that is in front (of them). They try to deliver their job. I like how they approach the game, and they have very good players."
Pochettino won the only three trophies of his managerial career with PSG, picking up one Coupe de France title and one Trophee des Champions crown while at the Parc des Princes.
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Southgate has come under increasing pressure since England's dreadful Nations League campaign, which saw the Three Lions relegated to League B ahead of the World Cup.
The 52-year-old admitted to reporters in September that a poor World Cup period could threaten his tenure in the hotseat, saying: "I am not foolish. I know ultimately I will be judged on what happens at that World Cup.
"Contracts are irrelevant in football because managers can have three, four, five-year contracts and if results aren't good enough then you accept that's time to part ways. Why would I be any different? I'm not arrogant enough to think that having a contract should protect me in any way from results.
"Of course we understand how the mood changes with the results, and it has changed. I am realistic about that. I'll be judged on what's delivered in Qatar and I am perfectly happy to be judged in that way."
As well as Pochettino, ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is also thought to be a contender to take over from Southgate, but the German was recently made to leave the UK after being relieved of his duties at Stamford Bridge due to post-Brexit regulations.
England will take on Iran, Wales and the USA in World Cup Group B and begin their quest for glory against the former on Monday.
Ben Knapton
