'Don't worry': Mauricio Pochettino confirms Tottenham stay amid Inter Milan links

Tottenham Hotspur supporters can breathe a heavy sigh of relief after manager Mauricio Pochettino confirmed that he will remain at the club beyond the summer.

Speculation regarding a £10m (£12.9m) clause in the Argentine's contract first began circulating last year and it has recently been suggested that he features highly on the managerial wishlist of Inter Milan following their decision to call time on Stefano Pioli's short-lived reign following a woeful run of five defeats in six matches. The latter was only appointed in November 2016 as a replacement for the underwhelming Frank de Boer, who was dismissed just 85 days after being named as the successor to Roberto Mancini.

Recent reports from Sky Italy claim that Inter, who have also been linked with the likes of Chelsea's Antonio Conte, Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone, Maurizio Sarri of Napoli and Roma's Luciano Spalletti, are willing to hand Pochettino an annual salary of £8.5m. They also suggest that the Nerazurri can actually pay £4.2m to buy him out of a new five-and-a-half year deal signed last May that runs until 2021.

Former Espanyol and Southampton boss Pochettino has revolutionised Tottenham since replacing Tim Sherwood in May 2014, leading them in two consecutive title battles and reaching the final of the League Cup as well as the last four of this season's FA Cup.

To lose him now would be nothing short of a catastrophe. Just as well then that the 45-year-old insists there is no buyout clause in his current deal and that he intends to stay put for the foreseeable future.

No buyout clause

"No, no buyout clause in my contract," he was quoted as saying by football.london at a press conference held prior to Tottenham's penultimate Premier League fixture of the season away at Leicester City on Thursday evening (18 May). "I will stay here next season.

"There are many many rumours but I am committed to Tottenham. I have no reason to leave the club. I will stay here, don't worry. You will see on July 3 at the start of pre-season, I will stay here. Don't worry."

Tottenham, who saw their latest title bid ended by a 1-0 defeat to London rivals West Ham United earlier this month, had already guaranteed a place in the Champions League before ending their 118-year stint at White Hart Lane with a 2-1 victory over Manchester United on Sunday.

Guaranteed second place in the top-flight, they face Leicester next before finishing the season at relegated Hull City.