Mauricio Pochettino will leave his job as Paris Saint-Germain boss a year before his deal at Parc des Princes was set to expire.

Pochettino PSG
Mauricio Pochettino is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain a year before his contract expires. (Image: mirrorfootball.co.uk)

PSG hasn’t made any official announcement regarding Pochettino yet, but the manager has been told the team will go forward without him. The 50-year-old Argentine joined PSG a year and a half ago, replacing Thomas Tuchel. Pochettino failed to win the league in 2021, then conquered the French title at his second attempt. Still, the PSG hierarchy saw this as small consolation given that the club signed Messi, Ramos, Hakimi, Donnarumma, or Wijnaldum last summer, dreaming of continental success. PSG went out from the Champions League last season in the Round of 16 phase.

Pochettino was one of the candidates to replace Ralf Rangnick at Manchester United this summer, but the club finally opted for Ajax boss Erik ten Hag to become the next permanent manager at Old Trafford. Poch’s name was also taken into consideration at his former club Tottenham before Antonio Conte’s appointment.

At the end of April, when rumors regarding his departure from PSG were intensifying, Pochettino told French media that he was “100% staying” until the end of his contract.

Who’s next? Just two names really in the chase to replace Pochettino

PSG’s bosses want the team to have a new playing identity starting next season. Despite rumors linking Jose Mourinho or Roberto Mancini to the job, it’s now clear that just two coaches are in the running. Zinedine Zidane and Christophe Galtier are the names involved in the negotiations with PSG at the moment. Odds favor Galtier, but on a narrow margin. The now Nice boss is at -110, with Zidane, who’s free of all duties after leaving Real Madrid in 2021, at +100.

Roberto Mancini, Thiago Motta, Sergio Conceicao, and Ruben Amorim are all at +2000, while Jose Mourinho, Julen Lopetegui and Gian Piero Gasperini sit at +2500.

PSG is at -1000 to lift the Ligue 1 title next season no matter who joins as head coach. The Paris giants were last denied the joy of winning the league by Galtier himself in 2021 when he was leading Lille. Once more, the focus will be on European glory. PSG dreams of glory in the Champions League. They are fourth-favorites to win in 2022-23, according to the bookies’ estimations. Manchester City tops the list at +330, with Liverpool behind at +500 and Bayern Munich third at +550. Paris sits at +600, ahead of Real Madrid at +1000.