Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino refuses to rule out Real Madrid job... but would rather work on a farm than manage Arsenal or Barcelona

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Mauricio Pochettino is refusing to rule out moving to Real Madrid one day — but says he would rather work on a farm in Argentina than manage Arsenal or Barcelona.

Zinedine Zidane is under pressure at Real and Sportsmail revealed in November that Tottenham boss Pochettino would be their No 1 target if the Frenchman is sacked.

Pochettino is keen on staying at Spurs - so much so that he is working as if the rest of his life will be spent in north London - but is not closing the door on a switch to the Bernabeu, declaring: ‘You never know what is going to happen in football.’

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is refusing to rule out moving to Real Madrid

Zinedine Zidane is under pressure at Real and Sportsmail Pochettino would be their No 1 target

The Argentine, who is the son of farm labourer, accepts the instability of top-level management in the Premier League and is unwilling to rule out options in case he is ever sacked.

But there are three clubs he says he would never join.

‘I am so clear,’ Pochettino said. ‘I am never going to be manager of Barcelona or Arsenal because I am so identified with Tottenham and Espanyol. I grew up with Newell’s Old Boys and will never manage (their rivals) Rosario Central.

‘That is my decision because I prefer to work on my farm in Argentina than in some places.’

Pochettino is working at Tottenham as if he will spend the rest of his career there - bringing through young players, preparing for the future - but he admits his own is not entirely certain.

‘My commitment is massive in this club. I am working like I am going to be here forever,’ he said. ‘But in the end, it is like the players, you never know what is going to happen in football.

Pochettino told Arsene Wenger to stop talking about Tottenham after his trophy jibe

‘It is a lot of rumours about this, about that. Tomorrow (chairman) Daniel (Levy) 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.

‘You never know in football. That is the problem. It is a very unstable situation.

’It’s not only you. It’s about the results, the ideas, it’s the chairman, he can change the chairman and say come on… out.’

Pochettino wants Spurs to ‘write our own history’ with silverware this season, and told Arsene Wenger on Thursday to stop talking about Tottenham after the Arsenal manager’s trophy jibe from earlier in the week.

'Everyone makes a mistake and he made a mistake to talk about us,' said Pochettino

Wenger insisted that Arsenal are judged by different standards to the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham and claimed the media ‘celebrate’ other clubs despite them not delivering silverware.

But Pochettino says Wenger is making a ‘mistake’ talking about Spurs.

Arsenal reached the Carabao Cup final on Wednesday night, while Tottenham will resume their bid for a first trophy in 10 years in the FA Cup at Newport County on Saturday night.

‘Football is not only to win trophies, it’s the circumstances of different clubs,’ Pochettino said.

‘For me he (Wenger) is and will always be one of the best managers in the world, I respect him but I think he needs to talk (about) himself and Arsenal.

‘He is a special manager, but everyone sometimes makes a mistake and for me he made a mistake to talk about us or a different team.’