LONDON — Tottenham has hired Mauricio Pochettino as the club’s manager with a five-year contract.
The former Argentina national-team defender makes the move from fellow Premier League team Southampton.
Pochettino replaces Tim Sherwood, who was fired on May 13 after just five months in the job following Tottenham’s sixth-place finish in the Premier League.
The 42-year-old Pochettino developed a strong reputation for playing an attacking brand of soccer in his 18 months at Southampton, which he joined from Spanish side Espanyol. Southampton finished eighth in the standings this season, with its highest Premier League points total of 56.
“This is a club with tremendous history and prestige and I am honored to have been given this opportunity to be its head coach,” Pochettino said. “There is an abundance of top-class talent at the club and I am looking forward to starting work with the squad. We are determined to give the supporters the kind of attacking football and success that we are all looking to achieve.”
Pochettino is the eighth permanent manager appointed in Spurs chairman Daniel Levy’s 13 years at the club.
“In Mauricio I believe we have a head coach who, with his high energy, attacking football, will embrace the style of play we associate with our club,” Levy said in a statement. “He has a proven ability to develop each player as an individual, whilst building great team spirit and a winning mentality. We have a talented squad that Mauricio is excited to be coaching next season.”
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