Mauricio Pochettino unfazed by Chelsea rumours

Mauricio Pochettino is unfazed about being touted as Jose Mourinho’s long-term successor at Tottenham’s London rivals Chelsea.

The Tottenham boss insisted he did not care when quizzed on rumours Chelsea could seek to lure him to Stamford Bridge this summer.

“No I don’t mind, we are supposed to receive the rumours and we are in a media that all is about rumours,” said Pochettino, when asked if links to the Chelsea job could cause any unrest at White Hart Lane.

“But I don’t care about that.

“It’s the same with any rumours about players, there’s a lot of names in the media now. My focus is here, to try for success at Tottenham and to work hard.

“I always work for the present and the future. I’m very happy here. We’ve created after 18 months a very good group, with a strong basis for success in the future and I’m very happy. My job is to be focused, not to hear rumours.

“The most important thing is that I’m focused on my job.”

Tottenham travel to Colchester today with Pochettino admitting he could spring England stars Harry Kane and Dele Alli from the bench.

Austrian defender Kevin Wimmer is poised to deputise for Jan Vertonghen, missing with knee ligament trouble.

Pochettino insists Spurs have sufficient quality in their current ranks to cope with the loss of both Vertonghen, and Andros Townsend, who joined Newcastle this week.

Victory at Colchester would hand Tottenham 10 games in 35 days, but Pochettino continues to insist his squad boasts the depth to cope with such rigour.

“I think yes, I believe we already have enough quality, and it’s true that we lost people a few times, but that’s why we have a squad of 24 to 25 players,” said Pochettino.

“With Jan’s injury, it’s important that a player like Kevin Wimmer can show his quality.

“It’s important for that that you always keep all the players fit and focused. It’s a very good period now to show we have a very strong squad.

“It’s a test for our squad that’s true, a very busy period with a lot of games.

“But we’ve come through a very busy period too and that was a big test for the squad. We’re not worried, I think we’ve shown we’ve got enough quality to compete across all the competitions.”

Pochettino refused to rule out completing a deal to bring Fulham’s Moussa Dembele to White Hart Lane.