Paris Saint-Germain have officially announced Mauricio Pochettino as the club’s new manager after the sacking of Thomas Tuchel. Former Tottenham boss Pochettino spent two years in Paris during his playing career.
PSG dismissed Tuchel on Christmas Eve, just hours after recording a 4-0 win against Strasbourg in Ligue 1 and despite the German guiding the club to a maiden Champions League final appearance last season.
Pochettino, who had been out of work since being sacked by Spurs in November 2019, was immediately installed as the favorite to take over at the Qatari-backed giants.
PSG confirmed the much anticipated appointment of the 48-year-old Argentine on Saturday, revealing that Pochettino had signed a contract until the summer of 2022, with the option for an additional year.
Welcome Mauricio Pochettino ? pic.twitter.com/sMXDA7p5Hh
Domestic success will be seen as a bare minimum for Pochettino at PSG, with the club having won seven of the last eight Ligue 1 titles.
He will more likely be judged on results in Europe, where PSG’s big-spending Qatari owners are desperate for a return on their investment.
Pochettino led Tottenham to a surprise Champions League final appearance in 2019, when they lost to Liverpool, but ultimately failed to win any silverware during his five years in North London.
He takes over a talent-packed squad at PSG containing the riches of 22-year-old French World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe as well as Brazilian star Neymar.
One of Pochettino’s primary tasks will be seen as persuading Mbappe and Neymar to sign extensions to their current contracts at PSG, which both run until 2022.
Former defender Pochettino spent two seasons as a player at PSG during the early 2000s, playing alongside the likes of Brazilian legend Ronaldinho.
Despite the news of Tuchel’s sacking emerging just before Christmas, PSG only officially confirmed the departure of the German on December 29.
Tuchel had led PSG to back-to-back Ligue 1 titles as well as domestic cup success in his two and a half seasons in charge.
Pochettino’s first game in charge will be away at St-Etienne when PSG resume their Ligue 1 campaign on January 6.
