Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino reportedly finds himself behind Jose Mourinho in the pecking order to become Real Madrid's next manager.
Mourinho is currently out of work following his Manchester United sacking earlier this week, having been made responsible for the club's worst league start to a top-flight campaign in 28 years.
In comparison to the Portuguese, Pochettino's reputation continues to soar thanks to his impressive work at Tottenham, where he is on course for another top-four finish.
However, The Times suggests that Mourinho is still Madrid's preferred choice of the two high-profile figures to take over when their managerial position next becomes vacant.
The 55-year-old fell out with a large number of the playing squad during his previous stint at the Bernabeu, including skipper Sergio Ramos, but he remains close to president Florentino Perez.
Los Blancos are not actively on the lookout for a new manager, but questions remain over Santiago Solari's long-term future in the Spanish capital, despite only being given the job last month.
Daniel Lewis
