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Mauricio Pochettino has refused to dismiss a potential move to Real Madrid.

The Tottenham boss said: “You never know in football. That is the problem. It is a very unstable situation.”

Pochettino is among the candidates to succeed Zinedine Zidane , with the European champions currently fourth in La Liga, a massive 19 points behind leaders and arch-rivals Barcelona, and dumped out of the Spanish Cup this week by little-known Leganes.

The Argentinean, who played for and later managed Espanyol, the city of Barcelona's other top side, insisted he would rather work on a FARM than boss either their derby rivals Barca or Spurs’ bitter enemies, Arsenal.

(Image: Getty)

But he insisted he does not enjoy the job security enjoyed by Arsene Wenger at the Gunners and former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

He said: “I am never going to be manager of Barcelona or Arsenal, because I am so identified with Tottenham and Espanyol.

“That is my decision — I prefer to work on my farm in Argentina than in some places.

“My commitment is massive in this club. I am working like I am going to be here for ever.But in the end, it is like the players, you never know what is going to happen in football.

(Image: Reuters)

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“It is a lot of rumours about this, about that. Tomorrow, Daniel [Levy, Spurs' chairman] could have a bad night and say, ‘Oh, I am going to sack Mauricio.’ And then I look stupid saying I am not going to work in one place or another or another.

“It is different if it was Ferguson or Wenger, that they are symbols of the club.

“It is not a position like Ferguson or Wenger – they have full control of everything and they decide if they stay two more years or another year or retire.”

(Image: Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty) (Image: Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty) (Image: Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty)

Pochettino has also called on Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger to understand the scale of the job the Spurs boss has performed at the other end of the Seven Sisters Road.

In a swipe at the praise directed at Pochettino and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, Wenger complained earlier this week that other clubs were receiving more credit than the Gunners even though Arsenal have won three of the last four FA Cups compared to none for the other two.

But Pochettino — whose side play at League Two giant-killers Newport, winners over Leeds in the previous round, in the FA Cup on Saturday evening — disagreed.

On an inferior budget, he has broken into the Champions League places and retained the club’s position at the top table.

He hit back: “Going back to Liverpool and Tottenham... this is what he (Wenger) has to understand — how difficult it is for a manager or coach here, with these clubs [where] you don’t have full control.

“That is the difference to him. He has full control of everything. He decides whatever he wants to do.

“That’s why you appreciate when Liverpool or Spurs play well. They are completely different for the managers.”