Mauricio Pochettino says he's ready to manage again amidst links with Manchester United

Former Tottenham and Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino admits he is 'ready and waiting' for his next job and is hoping to return to Premier League football next season. The Argentine manager was sacked late last year with Jose Mourinho replacing him as the new Tottenham Hotspur boss.

Since then, Pochettino has taken a lengthy spell away from football but is itching to get back on the touchlines again. The 47-year-old spoke with Sky Sports' Natalie Pinkham where he discussed his time away from the game, what he achieved at Tottenham, and where he would like to manage next. Pochettino was quoted saying:

"To be honest, I would love to work in the Premier League. It's going to be difficult, I know, and for now it's a moment to wait and we'll see what happens.

"I'm ready and waiting for a new challenge. I have the belief and confidence that the next challenge will be fantastic."

Pochettino proud of the work he did with Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur Training and Press Conference

Pochettino had joined Spurs as a young and aspiring manager and ended up as one of the best tacticians in English football. While the trophies may have eluded the Argentine manager but he was respected equally by the opposing managers and the fans. Recalling his time at White Hart Lane, Pochettino said:

"Of course I feel very proud about everything I achieved at Tottenham and when I analyse my time there, plenty of positive things happened. I took charge at a pivotal moment for the club.

"To play in the Champions League for three or four years and finish above Arsenal many times was a great legacy for us. To win a title would be a great reward but for us that is the legacy, to have the club and the stadium at Tottenham. That is more than winning titles."

Pochettino is heavily linked with the Manchester United job

Pochettino has long been linked with the Old Trafford manager's role. Many believed he was the right person to replace Jose Mourinho when the 'Special One' was sacked last season. However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was given the job on a temporary basis and has been there since then.

However, according to reports, Pochettino retains a great interest in becoming the next Manchester United manager. He and his people are targeting the job and are confident of convincing Ed Woodward and the Glazers to give him the coveted job next season.

Solskjaer has endured a difficult last 12 months and there is a growing belief around Old Trafford that if results do not improve in the coming 2-3 months, the Norweigian manager will eventually get the sack. Pochettino is playing the waiting game here and is most likely to wait for an approach from United before deciding on his next managerial assignment.