Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will appoint Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, the former manager of London club Tottenham Hotspur, as their new coach following their decision to sack Thomas Tuchel, French sports paper L’Equipe reported on its website on Thursday.
Pochettino had previously played for PSG as a defender in the early 2000s.
Earlier, L’Equipe and German newspaper Bild reported that PSG have sacked the German coach.
Tuchel, who guided PSG to the Champions League final in August which they lost to Bayern Munich, oversaw a 4-0 home win against Racing Strasbourg less than 24 hours ago as they moved within a point of Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Lyonnais.
The 47-year-old was appointed PSG head coach in 2018 and has won two Ligue 1 titles along with a domestic quadruple in his second season at the club.
While PSG are not dominating Ligue 1 this term as they have in previous years, Tuchel has steered them into the Champions League last 16 where they face Barcelona after finishing top of a group which included RB Leipzig and Manchester United.
Former Borussia Dortmund coach Tuchel’s contract was set to expire at the end of this season.
He joined the Parisian club in May 2018 on an initial two-year contract after replacing Spaniard Unai Emery, agreeing a one-year extension in May 2019.
PSG are currently third in Ligue 1, a point behind leaders Lyon, while they are also through to the last 16 of the Champions League, where they will face Barcelona.
Wednesday’s victory over Strasbourg moved the reigning champions to within a point of both Lyon and second-placed Lille as the Ligue 1 season heads into a two-week winter break.
Pochettino, who led Spurs to the Champions League final in 2019 where they lost to Liverpool, has been linked regularly with the PSG job in recent months.
He played for PSG between 2001 and 2003, and has been without a job since leaving Spurs in November 2019.
The former Southampton boss joined Spurs in 2014 and guided them to the League Cup final in his first full season while two third-placed finishes sandwiched a runners-up spot in the Premier League in 2017.
