Mauricio Pochettino has admitted it was difficult to ignore interest from Real Madrid last summer, claiming managing the Spanish giants is “a dream” for any coach.

Pochettino was a leading target to replace Zinedine Zidane following the Frenchman’s surprise resignation last May. The Tottenham manager had just signed a new five-year contract in north London and he killed the speculation almost as soon as it began by insisting he would honour his new deal.

The Argentine, who has said he could quit Spurs if they beat Ajax tonight and win the Champions League Final against Liverpool, says chairman Daniel Levy refused to entertain interest from the Spanish capital but admitted he felt conflicted by the situation.

Speaking to El Pais ahead of tonight’s Champions League semi-final, second-leg at Ajax, he said: “The situation was difficult. The dream of every coach was at stake: to lead the biggest team that exists. And you must say no. That is momentous. It creates a conflict. Because you know that if a coach wants to leave, he leaves. But I had just signed a renewal with Tottenham. And I felt that I could not do anything. Daniel Levy did not accept the offers to free me and if they ask me to break the contract I cannot accept it because I cannot behave like that.

“If my chairman thinks I’m going to continue, I’m not going to run off. Those are not my values. Why is it going to be good for a club to sign a coach who violates his commitments?”

In Pictures | The coaches who have turned down Real Madrid 7 show all In Pictures | The coaches who have turned down Real Madrid 1/7 Standard Sport runs through the coaches that have turned down the Real Madrid hot-seat since Zinedine Zidane resigned… AFP/Getty Images/Gerard Julien 2/7 Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham) Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 3/7 Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool) EPA 4/7 Massimiliano Allegri (Juventus) AFP/Getty Images 5/7 Julian Nagelsmann (Hoffenheim) Bongarts/Getty Images 6/7 Antonio Conte (Chelsea/free agent) Ian MacNicol/Getty Images 7/7 Michael Laudrup (Al Rayyan) AFP/Getty Images/Nezar Balout 1/7 Standard Sport runs through the coaches that have turned down the Real Madrid hot-seat since Zinedine Zidane resigned… AFP/Getty Images/Gerard Julien 2/7 Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham) Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 3/7 Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool) EPA 4/7 Massimiliano Allegri (Juventus) AFP/Getty Images 5/7 Julian Nagelsmann (Hoffenheim) Bongarts/Getty Images 6/7 Antonio Conte (Chelsea/free agent) Ian MacNicol/Getty Images 7/7 Michael Laudrup (Al Rayyan) AFP/Getty Images/Nezar Balout

Pochettino also revealed that a number of the club’s World Cup stars asked to leave Spurs in the summer, when they became the first club since the introduction of transfer windows not to make a single signing.

“They called me during the World Cup and they said to me, ‘I’m leaving’. I said, ‘Talk to the chairman’. They say, ‘Yeah, but I want to tell you because I’m excited to go and play this or that club’. I tell the chairman, “Do not trust the player who wants to stay, not the one who wants to leave, because the one who wants to go to a big club often does it because he is ambitious and wants to win titles, and that is the kind of footballer who needs Tottenham because that player is also the one who is going to deliver to the maximum’.

Mauricio Pochettino's best results as Tottenham boss 24 show all Mauricio Pochettino's best results as Tottenham boss 1/24 A new era begins..... May 28 2014: Mauricio Pochettino signs a five year deal to become Tottenham's new manager. Getty Images 2/24 Tottenham 5 Chelsea 3 1 January 2015 - Harry Kane announces himself on the big stage as Spurs sweep Jose Mourinho's men aside at the Lane. Getty Images 3/24 Tottenham 2 Arsenal 1 7 February 2015 - Spurs come from behind to see off the Gunners and climb one point above their rivals. 4/24 Tottenham 4 Manchester City 1 26 September 2016 - Manuel Pellegrini's side have no answer to a potent Spurs attack and are powerless to prevent a rout. 5/24 Tottenham 4 West Ham 1 22 November 2015 - Spurs come flying out of the blocks and put a talented Hammers team to the sword with another four-goal haul. 6/24 Manchester City 1 Tottenham 2 14 February 2016 - Christian Eriksen caps a superb away performance at the Etihad Stadium. Pochettino leads the passionate celebrations at full time. AFP/Getty Images 7/24 Tottenham 3 Manchester United 0 10 April 2016 - Louis van Gaal's side are blown away in six second-half minutes. Getty Images 8/24 The next chapter.... Mauricio Pochettino reaches a verbal agreement to extend his contract until 2021. 9/24 Tottenham 2 Manchester City 0 2 October 2016 - An Aleksandar Kolarov own goal and a Dele Alli strike help Spurs sweep Pep Guardiola's men aside. Getty Images 10/24 Tottenham 2 Chelsea 0 4 January 2017 - Dele Alli scores twice to help Spurs bring Chelsea's 13-game winning streak to an end. Getty Images 11/24 Tottenham 2 Arsenal 0 30 April 2016 - Harry Kane and Dele Alli are on target as Spurs confirm a superior league finish to their rivals for the first time since 1994-95. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 12/24 Tottenham 2 Manchester United 1 14 May 2016 - Spurs bid farewell to White Hart Lane in style with Victor Wanyama and Harry Kane on target for the Lilywhites. AP 13/24 Tottenham 3 Borussia Dortmund 1 13 September 2017 - Tottenham banished last season's European disappointment with a thumping opening win at Wembley. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 14/24 Real Madrid 1 Tottenham 1 17 October 2017 - A depleted Spurs impressed in the Bernabeu to record a vital Champions League point. Getty Images 15/24 Tottenham 4 Liverpool 1 22 October 2017 - Spurs put their top four rivals in their place with a resounding win under the arch. Stu Forster/Getty Images 16/24 Tottenham 3 Real Madrid 1 1 November 2017 - Tottenham follow up their result in Madrid with a memorable victory over the Champions League holders at Wembley. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 17/24 Juventus 2 Tottenham 2 13 February 2018 - Tottenham fightback from being 2-0 down inside ten minutes to claim a memorable draw. However, they would lose the second leg 2-1 at Wembley. Getty Images 18/24 Chelsea 1 Tottenham 3 1 April 2018 - Spurs record their first win at Stamford Bridge since 1990 thanks to goals from Christian Eriksen and a Dele Alli double. REUTERS 19/24 Barcelona 1 Tottenham 1 11 December 2018 - A draw a Camp Nou clinched Tottenham's progression to the Champions League knock-out stages. AFP/Getty Images 20/24 Tottenham 3 Dortmund 0 13 February 2019 - Tottenham thump the Bundesliga side in the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 tie. REUTERS 21/24 Dortmund 0 Tottenham 1 5 March 2019 - Harry Kane's goal sealed a 4-0 aggregate win and an impressive 1-0 victory in Germany. Bongarts/Getty Images 22/24 Tottenham 1 Man City 0 9 April 2019 - Heung-min Son scored the only goal of the game as Tottenham won the opening leg of their Champions League quarter-final. AP 23/24 Man City 4 Tottenham 3 Fernando Llorente was the hero for Tottenham as his late goal sent Spurs through to the Champions League semi-finals on away goals. Mike Egerton/PA Wire 24/24 Ajax 3 Tottenham 3 Lucas Moura's stunning hat-trick saw Spurs come from behind to book their place in the Champions League final. Getty Images 1/24 A new era begins..... May 28 2014: Mauricio Pochettino signs a five year deal to become Tottenham's new manager. Getty Images 2/24 Tottenham 5 Chelsea 3 1 January 2015 - Harry Kane announces himself on the big stage as Spurs sweep Jose Mourinho's men aside at the Lane. Getty Images 3/24 Tottenham 2 Arsenal 1 7 February 2015 - Spurs come from behind to see off the Gunners and climb one point above their rivals. 4/24 Tottenham 4 Manchester City 1 26 September 2016 - Manuel Pellegrini's side have no answer to a potent Spurs attack and are powerless to prevent a rout. 5/24 Tottenham 4 West Ham 1 22 November 2015 - Spurs come flying out of the blocks and put a talented Hammers team to the sword with another four-goal haul. 6/24 Manchester City 1 Tottenham 2 14 February 2016 - Christian Eriksen caps a superb away performance at the Etihad Stadium. Pochettino leads the passionate celebrations at full time. AFP/Getty Images 7/24 Tottenham 3 Manchester United 0 10 April 2016 - Louis van Gaal's side are blown away in six second-half minutes. Getty Images 8/24 The next chapter.... Mauricio Pochettino reaches a verbal agreement to extend his contract until 2021. 9/24 Tottenham 2 Manchester City 0 2 October 2016 - An Aleksandar Kolarov own goal and a Dele Alli strike help Spurs sweep Pep Guardiola's men aside. Getty Images 10/24 Tottenham 2 Chelsea 0 4 January 2017 - Dele Alli scores twice to help Spurs bring Chelsea's 13-game winning streak to an end. Getty Images 11/24 Tottenham 2 Arsenal 0 30 April 2016 - Harry Kane and Dele Alli are on target as Spurs confirm a superior league finish to their rivals for the first time since 1994-95. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 12/24 Tottenham 2 Manchester United 1 14 May 2016 - Spurs bid farewell to White Hart Lane in style with Victor Wanyama and Harry Kane on target for the Lilywhites. AP 13/24 Tottenham 3 Borussia Dortmund 1 13 September 2017 - Tottenham banished last season's European disappointment with a thumping opening win at Wembley. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 14/24 Real Madrid 1 Tottenham 1 17 October 2017 - A depleted Spurs impressed in the Bernabeu to record a vital Champions League point. Getty Images 15/24 Tottenham 4 Liverpool 1 22 October 2017 - Spurs put their top four rivals in their place with a resounding win under the arch. Stu Forster/Getty Images 16/24 Tottenham 3 Real Madrid 1 1 November 2017 - Tottenham follow up their result in Madrid with a memorable victory over the Champions League holders at Wembley. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 17/24 Juventus 2 Tottenham 2 13 February 2018 - Tottenham fightback from being 2-0 down inside ten minutes to claim a memorable draw. However, they would lose the second leg 2-1 at Wembley. Getty Images 18/24 Chelsea 1 Tottenham 3 1 April 2018 - Spurs record their first win at Stamford Bridge since 1990 thanks to goals from Christian Eriksen and a Dele Alli double. REUTERS 19/24 Barcelona 1 Tottenham 1 11 December 2018 - A draw a Camp Nou clinched Tottenham's progression to the Champions League knock-out stages. AFP/Getty Images 20/24 Tottenham 3 Dortmund 0 13 February 2019 - Tottenham thump the Bundesliga side in the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 tie. REUTERS 21/24 Dortmund 0 Tottenham 1 5 March 2019 - Harry Kane's goal sealed a 4-0 aggregate win and an impressive 1-0 victory in Germany. Bongarts/Getty Images 22/24 Tottenham 1 Man City 0 9 April 2019 - Heung-min Son scored the only goal of the game as Tottenham won the opening leg of their Champions League quarter-final. AP 23/24 Man City 4 Tottenham 3 Fernando Llorente was the hero for Tottenham as his late goal sent Spurs through to the Champions League semi-finals on away goals. Mike Egerton/PA Wire 24/24 Ajax 3 Tottenham 3 Lucas Moura's stunning hat-trick saw Spurs come from behind to book their place in the Champions League final. Getty Images

Pochettino’s side beat Manchester City in an epic Champions League quarter-final and will set up a meeting with the Reds in Madrid if they beat Ajax.

Both clubs have far greater resources than Spurs, who have a net-spend of just £30million under Pochettino, but the manager said he would not necessarily want to swap places with Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola. “Would I like to be a City or a Liverpool? To some extent yes and to some extent no,” he said. “I prefer to fight for something that can be historical, unique.”