Tottenham Hotspur manager candidate Mauricio Pochettino is 'pushing hard' for the job – and reportedly has an ace up his sleeve.

What's the latest on Pochettino to Spurs?

The 51-year-old is a serious contender to replace Antonio Conte after Spurs parted company with their ex-boss by mutual consent last week. Pochettino is seen as a fan favourite option given his cult hero status at Tottenham, where he often overachieved with limited resources and even guided the Lilywhites to their first-ever Champions League final in 2019.

The South American joins Luis Enrique, Julian Nagelsmann, Zinedine Zidane and Brendan Rodgers as the most heavily-linked free agent managers of the past fortnight. There have also been murmurs of a potential move for ex-Chelsea boss Graham Potter, with chairman Daniel Levy thought to be a fan of his work.

Pochettino is perhaps the most curious case, though, with a large section of supporters very eager to see him return to north London. Tottenham fans have even been seen singing his name in response to rumours he could make a sensational comeback.

Now, as per Football Insider, there has been a rather interesting development in their links to the Argentinian. Indeed, it is now claimed that Pochettino is 'pushing hard' for the Spurs job behind closed doors and has even taken steps to put him out in front of other names.

The former Southampton boss apparently has an ace up his sleeve – namely his attempt to garner media support. Pochettino has even treated one high-profile broadcaster to dinner in an effort to push his case.

It's also understood that Spurs are leaning towards hiring an unemployed manager given their free-agent status and lack of any club standing in the way of a possible appointment. However, Pochettino may still have work to do, as Levy and co apparently still don't see him as the top choice as things stand.

Should Spurs go for Pochettino?

We're pretty surprised he is not the favourite going by this report, especially given his credentials which arguably make him a very enticing candidate.

Pochettino already has proven experience as a success in the Premier League with Spurs – attracting praise from Jamie O'Hara who called him a 'world-class' coach for what he did with little transfer backing.

The 4-3-3 boss could also bring back an exciting brand of football after the more pragmatic years of Conte, Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho.

Given Pochettino is apparently desperate to re-join, surely Levy should take him up on his offer?