Mauricio Pochettino says lunch with Sir Alex Ferguson a 'dream come true'

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has said that having lunch this week with Sir Alex Ferguson was a "dream come true", but denied that the former Manchester United boss asked him to take over at Old Trafford.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of Spurs final game of the season against already-relegated Newcastle, the 44-year-old Argentine said he was delighted to meet with the legendary manager for lunch in London's Mayfair on 10 May.

"For me it was fantastic. It was a dream come true because [when] I was young and starting my career as a manager he was my inspiration and once of my reference," he said.

"And when you can share two hours with people like him, one of the greatest managers in the world, in the history of football, only you can enjoy it. It was difficult because you want to stop time, but it was impossible," Pochettino added.

When a reporter in the press room asked if during the lunch meeting he had been approached over a possible move to Manchester, Pochettino smiled and said, "no".

Pochettino has transformed the north London club from a side chasing the Champions League spots to one challenging for the Premier League title since he took over from Tim Sherwood in 2014.

Second-placed Spurs need at least a point in their final game of the season against Newcastle at St James' Park on 15 May to guarantee finishing above bitter local rivals Arsenal for the first time in 21 years. But Pochettino said he was not focused on club rivalries, only securing the highest league finish possible for his side.

"Our challenge is to stay as high as possible on the table. I don't care what happens with different teams. It's impossible to be first [in the league], we need to try to be second, but I don't care which is the club that fights with us," he said.