Mauricio Pochettino has opened talks with AC Milan over taking charge of the Italian club, according to BBC Sport. The discussions remain at an early stage, but they signal growing interest from both parties as Milan seek a new direction following the dismissal of Massimiliano Allegri.

The 54-year-old Argentine is presently focused on preparing the United States for the FIFA World Cup 2026, co-hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico this summer. His contract with the US national team expires at the conclusion of the tournament, leaving him free to return to club management.

A coach in demand

Pochettino's club career has taken him across several of Europe's biggest leagues. He spent five and a half years at Tottenham, guiding the north London club to the 2019 UEFA Champions League final, where they were beaten 2-0 by Liverpool.

A season and a half at Paris St-Germain followed, during which he won the Ligue 1 title and the French Cup. His most recent club role came at Chelsea for the 2023-24 Premier League season — a campaign that ended with the Blues finishing sixth and losing the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool.

Earlier in his managerial career, Pochettino also worked with Espanyol and Southampton. As a player, the Argentine was a defender who earned 20 caps for Argentina.

Milan's troubled season

AC Milan parted ways with Allegri earlier this week after a campaign the club's leadership publicly labelled an "unequivocal failure." The club slipped from third to fifth in Serie A on the final day after a 2-1 home defeat by Cagliari, a result that denied them UEFA Champions League football for the second consecutive season.

Milan did secure a UEFA Europa League berth, but the failure to reach Europe's elite competition has made the search for a new manager a matter of urgency. Pochettino, with his experience at the highest level and his record of developing young talent, appears to fit the profile Milan are targeting.