Mauricio Pochettino has acknowledged a desire to return to the Premier League while stopping short of naming Tottenham Hotspur as his destination. The U.S. men’s national team manager, who has previously managed Chelsea, reignited speculation about a European return on the Stick to Football podcast, where he admitted he “really loves” Tottenham Hotspur and will “one day” return to the Premier League, but he did not specifically name north London as his end destination.

Asked if he wants to return to the Premier League, the 54-year-old said, “One day, yes because I really like England. I think my human profile and coach profile match very well with the Premier League and with the culture, the idea, the idiosyncrasy and the philosophy.” Reports linking him to Real Madrid and Tottenham have accompanied his public remarks.

Pochettino also reflected on Tottenham’s current crisis. “It is really sad,” he said. “I really love Tottenham; it’s one of the most important parts of my life as a coach and in my personal life too. I can talk from my experience in Tottenham and what I can tell you for me it’s one of the biggest clubs in the world.

“Tottenham is a massive club with a massive following.” He noted the club’s recent highs under his tenure and elsewhere, and admitted the team “challenged” for silverware but ultimately “missed this last step.”

This season Tottenham sit 18th with 34 points from 34 games and are two points behind 17th-place West Ham United. The club’s managerial sequence moved from Thomas Frank to Igor Tudor and now Roberto De Zerbi as they attempt to climb to safety. Spurs still face fixtures against Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton as the campaign concludes.

The prospect of relegation to the second tier for the first time since 1977 contrasts sharply with Spurs’ recent achievements: a second-place finish in 2016–17, a Champions League final in 2019 and last season’s Europa League triumph. Pochettino’s comments leave open the possibility of a future return to England, but the club’s immediate plight is the clear caveat.

Roberto De Zerbi has publicly acknowledged the misfortune that has dogged his spell at the club. “I started with not big luck!” he reflected soon after taking charge, and the squad’s current list of absentees has only deepened that problem.

The club face several long-term losses. Solanke’s hamstring injury has been described in a report as “over.” There is a slim possibility of a three-week recovery that might permit limited involvement on the final day, but the account nevertheless presents Solanke’s season as “over.” The forward, noted for his ability to hold the ball up, has been identified as the closest stylistic replacement to Harry Kane at Thomas Tuchel’s disposal. Solanke also appeared in both of England’s March friendlies, but the overstretching at Molineux is likely to have ended his international hopes for the World Cup.

The list of serious injuries continues. De Zerbi had begun forming a “special connection” with Xavi Simons before the Dutch playmaker ruptured his ACL and was left “heartbroken” by the diagnosis. Simons said, “All I’ve wanted to do is fight for my team,” he lamented, “and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me, along with the World Cup .” Wilson Odobert has also succumbed to an ACL injury after an erratic season in front of goal; he has taken 21 Premier League shots without scoring.

Defensive issues have been compounded by Cristian Romero’s absence. The captain endured a difficult debut season, collecting 11 yellow cards and two reds while a backline conceded the fourth-most goals in the Premier League. Romero suffered a knee injury when shoved into his own goalkeeper and has been forced to watch the final six weeks from the sidelines.

Ben Davies has been out since ankle surgery in January. The 33-year-old is out of contract in June, leaving the prospect that his 12-year stay may end if he cannot return this season.

Mohammed Kudus returned to training earlier this month but suffered a relapse that looks likely to keep him out until the World Cup. On that issue De Zerbi admitted: “I don’t want to push too much as we lost Kudus in this way,” the Italian coach admitted. “I will use the players when they are totally available to play and start training; it’s better to lose one more game than get another injury.”

The run-up to the 2026 World Cup is shaping as much around rehabilitation as selection. Across Europe several of the game’s most influential internationals are carrying injuries that have already curtailed club seasons or left their participation in doubt.

Lamine Yamal’s hamstring problem has ruled him out for the remainder of the season with Barcelona, though the club have insisted he should feature at the World Cup. Estêvão and Arda Güler have also suffered hamstring injuries and been ruled out for the rest of their club campaigns at Chelsea and Real Madrid respectively. Reports say Güler is still set to appear at his first World Cup.

Some long-serving figures have been struck down too. Luka Modrić suffered a fractured cheekbone in AC Milan’s match with Juventus and will miss the rest of the Serie A season. Cristian Romero suffered a season-ending knee injury in Roberto De Zerbi’s first game in charge of Tottenham and was in tears at the time; his availability for the tournament remains unclear.

Mohamed Salah’s club season ended with an unflattering final touch for Liverpool, and his previous World Cup involvement in Russia was affected by fitness concerns after a dislocated shoulder in the Champions League final. Éder Militão has again gone down with a hamstring issue and has been ruled out for the rest of the club season alongside Güler, with recent reports suggesting his injury may be worse than first feared.

Mikel Merino has been absent since undergoing surgery on a fractured foot in January but is expected to be considered by Spain. Dejan Kulusevski is still working his way back after nearly a year out and admitted: “I haven’t played in a year. I know what the chances are,” and added, “But if there is one person on the planet who can do this, I would bet on myself. And we are not just going there to participate. Sweden will aim to be one of the best.”

Other concerns include Matthijs de Ligt, sidelined since November with a back problem but back on the grass at Carrington, Reece James with a fresh hamstring setback, Mohammed Kudus whose comeback was ended by a new quad issue and Joško Gvardiol after a broken leg in the new year. For all of them the coming weeks will determine whether they travel in June.