Mauricio Pochettino: Any big player in the world welcome at French champions Paris Saint-Germain
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Updated 05/01/2021 at 19:26 GMT
New PSG head coach Mauricio Pochettino says he’s open to “any big player in the world” joining the French title winners, but won’t comment specifically on rumours linking the club to moves for Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and his former Tottenham players Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, who’s now at Inter Milan.
Mauricio Pochettino takes Paris Saint-Germain training
Image credit: Getty Images
New Paris Saint-Germain head coach Mauricio Pochettino has refused to comment on transfer rumours, but says “any big player in the world” is welcome at the French champions.
Since joining the club, the Argentine has been linked to moves for Dele Alli and Inter Milan’s Christian Eriksen, who he worked with at Tottenham, as well as Barcelona star Lionel Messi.
Speaking ahead of his first game in charge, a trip to St Etienne in Ligue 1 on Wednesday night, Pochettino said: "I don't need to speak about rumours. The reality is we have just arrived and we are working hard with the players who are available and the players who need to get back from injury.
"Of course Leonardo (PSG sporting director) is in direct contact with us. Paris St Germain is a club with direct structures in place and always keeping an eye on a wide range of players."
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Pochettino also said it’s a “dream” to take charge of the club he once played for, adding Father Christmas had been good to him.
"Since we arrived in Paris on January 2 it has been a crazy period for us, trying to adapt to a new club”, said the former defender.
"But I know what Paris stands for. Santa Claus was generous with me to get me back here.
"It is a chance for me to fulfil a dream by rejoining the club where I played 20 years ago. We are very aware there are huge demands here as it is one of the biggest clubs in the world.”
The move to France is Pochettino’s first job since leaving Tottenham in November 2019, but he still has fond memories of the club he guided to the Champions League final earlier in that same year.
"It is an amazing club and we have unbelievable memories from there”, said Pochettino.
"It is difficult to be objective with Tottenham, because it is still in our hearts and we love Tottenham. It is a relationship that is never going to stop.
"We are always going to think about the club, but now I think it is time for us not to compare and to be 100 per cent focused on Paris St Germain."
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