Real Madrid willing to pay £40m to hire Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino

Real Madrid want to speak to Mauricio Pochettino about the possibility of him replacing Julen Lopetegui at the Bernabeu and are willing to pay Tottenham £40million to cancel his buy him out of his contract.

Pochettino was Madrids first choice to replace Zinedine Zidane last summer but the Argentine said he had unfinished business with Spurs and signed a new long-term contract in north London.

Lopetegui has made a nightmare start to life at the Bernabeu and Real are in seventh after losing three of their first nine matches this term.

Now Madrid want to speak to Pochettino again and they believe Spurs slim hopes of reaching the Champions League knockout phase could help tempt the Argentine to the Spanish capital, according to the Sun.

Madrid had believed to have been interested in former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte but the Italians brother denied those reports today.

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In any case, Contes legal tangle with the Blues means his appointment would be complicated at the Bernabeu and his style of football isnt considered suitable by a number of Madrid board members.

More: Tottenham Hotspur FC

Pochettino has ruled out leaving Spurs for to directly join another Premier League club, while his ties with Espanyol make a move to Barcelona impossible.

That leaves the 46-year-old with a dearth of options and Madrids appeal is obvious.

However, Pochettino is unlikely to leave Spurs midway through their campaign and Tottenham owner Daniel Levy will not entertain any interest.

MORE: What Unai Emery told Arsenal squad at half-time to inspire win against Sporting Lisbon

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