Pochettino: I Hope to Return to Premier League and Win the Title

Mauricio Pochettino says he hopes to return to the Premier League after his four-year USA contract to win the title. The former Tottenham and Chelsea head coach also called Mikel Arteta the best coach in the Premier League today.

Ambition: Pochettino wants to come back to English football and win the Premier League.
USA commitment: He signed a four-year extension with the USA, taking him to 2030.
No Spurs approach: He says a return to Tottenham was never close this time.
Arteta praise: He calls Mikel Arteta the best coach in the Premier League today.
Balogun: He would have liked Folarin Balogun to play in the Premier League.

What was said

"I have the ambition. My dream now is to be in the USA for four years, but after that, why not? We are still young, and I think coming back is always my goal; to win the Premier League, to be in the Premier League and to build a project with the possibility of winning."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on his future after his USA contract

"I love the football here. I think to have the chance again is one of my wishes and I hope that happens."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on returning to English football

"Always I say, one day, why not?"
— Mauricio Pochettino, on a return to Tottenham

"People talk and maybe we receive some approach, but it never was close."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on whether Spurs approached him

"We were not open during the World Cup to talk with different clubs that were interested."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on interest during the World Cup

"Yes, always. Yes, always have different, you know, options."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on clubs interested in him

"We never gave the opportunity to be close. We always closed the door before it got close."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on how close clubs came to appointing him

"They are investing like other clubs."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on Tottenham's spending

"You never know. We need time to see if that works or not."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on Tottenham's new strategy

"Like in all the games, when you make a decision like a coach that can work well or not. I think it's a different strategy and a different way to operate. I always wish the best for Tottenham because it's in my heart."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on Tottenham's new direction

"Buying players like this you can expect to fight, to be a contender for the Premier League."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on Chelsea's transfer policy

"Of course they are disappointed after the defeat against Arsenal, but I think we need to give time to Xabi's first season after three games in the Premier League."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on Chelsea and Xabi Alonso

"I think we need to give time, and of course for Tottenham the same."
— Mauricio Pochettino, urging patience for Chelsea and Tottenham

"Mikel [Arteta] is the best coach in the Premier League today. Knowing what he needs to do, it's going to be tough to beat them."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on Arsenal and Mikel Arteta

"If you pay attention to the noise, you become crazy."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on the Balogun suspension saga

"We are much better coaches now."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on what he learned at the World Cup

"Everything needs to be perfect."
— Mauricio Pochettino, on the demands of tournament football

Pochettino's comments make clear that his time with the USA has sharpened him rather than drained him. He talks about translating ideas to a group that spends far less time together than a club side, which is exactly the challenge that defines international management.

On the Balogun saga, he was asked about the "politics and manipulation" that overshadowed the game against Belgium. He understood the anger, but his role was simpler — he ignored the noise and focused on the football.

What Pochettino said about his old clubs

Tottenham have changed their approach, spending big on players who already know the Premier League. Pochettino sees the logic after a couple of difficult seasons, though he stopped short of predicting success. He wished the club the best because it remains "in my heart".

Chelsea have also shifted direction, changing the head coach role to manager and buying Premier League-ready players rather than projects under Xabi Alonso. Pochettino urged patience after Arsenal beat them, insisting Alonso needs time in his first season.

Analysis: Why Pochettino's return talk matters

Mauricio Pochettino is not angling for a job — he has just signed for four more years with the USA. But his words are a signal. If he sees out that contract to 2030, six years away from club football would be a long absence. His stated goal is to win the Premier League, which narrows his future options to a handful of clubs.

For Tottenham, this is a reminder of unfinished business. Pochettino says an approach may have come but "never was close". Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor have already come and gone as the club flirted with the drop, so the emotional pull of a Pochettino return will not disappear.

For Chelsea, the message is more immediate. Pochettino backs Xabi Alonso to make the new model work, but he also identifies the pressure: buying established Premier League players raises expectations to contender level. The defeat to Arsenal was a reality check, and patience is the theme.

And on Arsenal, Pochettino is unequivocal. He calls Mikel Arteta the best coach in the league and admits it will be tough to beat them. Coming from a manager who knows the English game intimately, that is a significant endorsement of the project at the Emirates.

Talking points

Would Pochettino actually be welcomed back at Tottenham after the way his first spell ended, or has that ship sailed for good?
If Arsenal are already the best team in the league, does that make the title race a formality, or is there a weakness Pochettino is overlooking?
Should Chelsea fans read Pochettino's praise of Alonso as a warning that expectation is rising too fast?
Does the USA contract to 2030 rule Pochettino out of the next Premier League vacancy, or will clubs wait for him?

What happens next

Pochettino continues with the USA through his four-year deal. In the Premier League, the focus stays on Arsenal's title charge and Chelsea's early-season recovery under Xabi Alonso. Tottenham's new-look spending will be judged over the coming months.