Mauricio Pochettino has been sacked as Paris Saint-Germain manager just months after guiding the team to the league title, sources have told ESPN.
The club is yet to announce the departure of the Argentine, but sources have told ESPN it was agreed on Wednesday morning. Pochettino had one year left on his contract.
PSG is still trying to secure the signing of their new boss. Christophe Galtier, the Nice manager, is now the front-runner and the favourite of new sporting director Luis Campos, who replaced Leonardo.
Sources have told ESPN that the discussions are positive and Galtier, who won the Ligue 1 title ahead of PSG with Lille, in 2021, is keen on the job.
Zinedine Zidane was the priority of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who owns PSG and has been close to Zidane for many years.
Zidane has been without a club since leaving Real Madrid in the summer of 2021, but sources have told ESPN that he wants to coach the France national team after Didier Deschamps leaves and is unlikely to be the new PSG boss.
Julen Lopetegui, the Sevilla coach, has also been offered, while Marcelo Gallardo of River Plate and Sporting’s Ruben Amorim are other names on the shortlist.
Speculation over Pochettino’s future in the French capital has swirled since PSG were eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid in the round of 16, despite holding a 2-0 aggregate lead at half time of the second leg.
Even PSG’s clinching of their 10th Ligue 1 title last month was marred by a protest from the club’s ultras, who left the game with 15 minutes remaining rather than celebrating with the team’s players.
