Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that he would have been open to discussing the managerial job with Arsenal before the Gunners appointed Mikel Arteta as their new head coach.

The former Espanyol and Southampton boss was sacked by Tottenham Hotspur in the middle of November after a difficult start to the 2019-20 campaign.

The Argentine had been linked with the post at the Emirates Stadium in the aftermath of his dismissal, but Arsenal ultimately decided to appoint the club's former midfielder Arteta as the permanent replacement for Unai Emery.

Pochettino has said that his loyalties to Tottenham would not have stopped him talking to his former club's bitter rivals about a potential switch.

"No, when I say I am open, I am open, I cannot say that I am open but I'm closed to someone," Pochettino told The AP.

"It's different if you receive an approach and you listen and say yes or no. That's different. But you can't say that I'm open but on that I am not open. You are open and then you are open. Anything can happen. When I say I am open, I am open to listen to any club."

Pochettino has also recently been linked with Manchester City as a potential replacement for Pep Guardiola.

Written by
Matt Law