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Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino says he doesn't have final say on transfers

"Pep has total control of the plan at City. It's a different model at Tottenham and other clubs."

Mauricio Pochettino does not believe the Champions League will take his side's focus
Image: Mauricio Pochettino says he does not have the final say on transfers at Tottenham

Mauricio Pochettino says he does not have the final say on transfers at Tottenham, insisting those decisions are made by chairman Daniel Levy.

Spurs are closing in on their first signing since January 2018, with 18-year-old Leeds winger Jack Clarke expected to join the club after he passed his medical on Thursday.

Sky Sports News also understands Tottenham have agreed to pay a club-record fee of around £65m for Lyon midfielder Tanguy Ndombele.

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Tottenham have agreed to pay a club-record fee of around £65m for Lyon midfielder Tanguy Ndombele

In an exclusive interview with Spanish broadcaster TV3, Pochettino suggested he does not have the same level of control on transfers as some of his top-six rivals.

"At Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal, there's not the freedom that Pep [Guardiola] and [Jurgen] Klopp have at Manchester City and Liverpool," he said.

"Pep has total control of the plan at City. It's a different model at Tottenham and other clubs.

"Selling players, deciding and offering contracts, buying players - it depends solely on the manager, in the case of Pep or Klopp. Things aren't the same at other clubs [like Tottenham]."

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Jurgen Klopp speaks to Mauricio Pochettino at White Hart Lane
Image: Pochettino says his role at Spurs is different to Klopp's at Liverpool

When asked who would have the final say on players being sold, such as Harry Kane, Pochettino added: "Our president, Daniel Levy. It's not in my power.

"I will be asked my opinion and of course I love Harry Kane, but the decision is Daniel's. The same situation for [Christian] Eriksen."

'I would have preferred Barcelona in CL final'

Pochettino lost out to Klopp in the Champions League final last season as Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-0 to claim the trophy for the sixth time.

Klopp's side knocked out Barcelona in the semi-finals after a remarkable comeback at Anfield, but Pochettino says he would rather have faced the Spanish giants.

"I would have preferred to play Barcelona in the Champions League final, in Madrid," he said. "I was looking forward to playing against Messi, for the rivalry I have with him."

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