Pochettino has already ruled himself out of two top jobs after leaving Chelsea

Mauricio Pochettino taking the helm at Barcelona or Arsenal is a no-go, according to the ex-Chelsea boss.

On Tuesday, the Argentine abruptly parted ways with Stamford Bridge following only one year where he led the Blues to sixth place in the Premier League and a ticket to European football next season.

Talk of Pochettino stepping into Erik ten Hag’s shoes at Manchester United has begun to gain momentum this week as the 52-year-old veteran manager seeks out his new path in football. However, from the man himself, Barcelona and Arsenal are definitely off the table, reports the Mirror.

Pochettino doesn’t hide his deep-rooted loyalty for Espanyol, a Spanish second-division team he represented for nine years in two separate tenures as a player. The former defender laughed off rumours linking him with the Barcelona position back in 2017, citing his affection for their city rivals.

Amongst speculation, he also brushed off any potential interest in the role at Arsenal because of his affiliation with north London adversaries Tottenham. In 2017 he told the Guardian “But I am an Espanyol supporter,” when discussing the possibility of replacing Luis Enrique.

“I don’t think I need to speak too much. It’s like if one day [the Tottenham chairman] Daniel Levy sacked me in a few years it would be impossible for me to manage Arsenal.

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“In football, I know it is so difficult to keep your values and to be loyal with your heart and emotion. But for me before being a manager, before being a player, being loyal is more important. I am an Espanyol fan. I love Espanyol. It’s like Tottenham for me now. It will be impossible, one day, to move to Arsenal. It will be impossible.”