Jurgen Klopp has emerged as a frontrunner to replace Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid and this is thought to be Florentino Perez's "dream." Reports claim that the German coach is the man whom Perez desperately wants to take charge of Los Blancos in the summer.
Klopp seems a good fit given his track record of success and handling teams with big egos. He led Liverpool to Champions League and Premier League glory while dealing with a well-documented clash between Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
Madrid need a manager who his players gravitate towards and understand he calls the shots. There are several names being linked alongside Klopp but one possible candidate has gone under the radar.
Perez admires Mauricio Pochettino
Klopp has already downplayed suggestions he could replace Alonso by pointing out the issues that are occuring at the Estadio Bernabeu. The German gave a grim verdict of Madrid's decision to part with the Spanish tactician after just six months.
This raises concerns about potential managerial targets having doubts about taking the job because the clear lack of support Alonso received from the board. But Madrid is the biggest club in the world and with that comes an enormous desire to have spent your career in the Bernabeu hotseat.
Perez might be a fan of Klopp but he has also spoken highly of Mauricio Pochettino who will be taking charge of the United States national team at this summer's World Cup. Los Blancos' president praised both managers when Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur met in the 2019 Champions League final (via The Standard):
"Klopp and Pochettino are phenomenal. I've never tried to sign them, but that doesn't mean we won't try to in the future."
Pochettino has been in charge of the USMNT since September 2024 and a difficult start to his tenure, the Argentine has impressed. He has overseen wins over Japan (2-0), Australia (2-1) and Federico Valverde's Uruguay (5-1) just months ahead of the World Cup.
The 53-year-old's contract is up after the international tournament and he might just be chomping at the bit to get back into club management. While his time in charge of Chelsea was dissapointing, his spell as Spurs boss was a massive success.
Pochettino worked with limited resources but managed to guide the Lilywhites to the 2019 Champions League final. He implemented an exciting brand of football that even saw his team challenge for the title in the 2015-16 season.
The former Espanyol player and manager also spent time in the Paris Saint-Germain dugout, winning the Ligue 1 title in 2022. But his dismissal came after reported tension with Lionel Messi which holds similarities to that of Alonso's frosty relationship with Vinicius.
Spurs stars adored 'father figure' Pochettino
While there are concerns over Pochettino's communication skills, there is no doubting his ability to build a team and get youth talent to reach their potential. He turned Dele Alli into one of the best attackers in England while also developing the most prolific forward partnership in the Premier League's history between Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.
Someone like Arda Guler could benefit from a manager like Pochettino who is willing to give youngsters opportunities and not rely on veteran options. He might also be able to create a fearsome partnership between Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe, the latter he coached while at PSG.
Son was full of admiration for Pochettino when reflecting on his time playing under the Argentine. He said (via GOAL) in November 2023:
“He coached me very hard and he made me the player the way I am now so I have a lot, a lot of respect [for him]... He was almost like my father when he was here."
Spurs' former goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris spoke about the special team he built while in North London (via The Guardian):
"He (Pochettino) brought a new generation of players to a new level. He created something really special in the building. You could feel the unity and we really enjoyed competing for each other."
Pochettino might not be one of the favorites for the Madrid job but Perez might be quietly assessing him as an option. But you'd expect the main focus to be on appointing someone who can stamp down their authority and that's where the Argentine might just fall short in comparison with a Klopp.