USMNT coach Pochettino met with Milan over post-World Cup job - sources - ESPN

AYETTEVILLE, Ga. — United States men's national team coach Mauricio Pochettino has spoken with Italian Serie A giants AC Milan about its vacant head coaching job, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Pochettino's contract with U.S. Soccer runs through the end of the upcoming World Cup, and he is currently preparing the USMNT at a training camp outside of Atlanta.

Sources told ESPN that Milan plans to invest heavily in youth, as well as building a competitive squad and that this type of project appeals to Pochettino.

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The news of Pochettino talking with Milan was first reported by The Athletic.

This isn't the first time that Pochettino has been linked with a return to club soccer during his tenure with the USMNT. Pochettino has been connected with openings at Brentford last June, as well as former club Tottenham. Pochettino refuted the links with Brentford, and said a return to Tottenham was «not realistic.»

Pochettino, who has residences in both London and Barcelona, has often spoken of his desire to one day return to the Premier League, where he managed both Southampton and Tottenham.

As the USMNT trained at the recently opened National Training Center, U.S. Soccer Federation CEO JT Batson said that Pochettino has been «incredibly transparent» about approaches from other clubs, though he didn't directly address reports linking Pochettino to the opening at AC Milan.

"[Pochettino] and the entire team has been incredibly transparent [through] the entire process," Batson told reporters Thursday. «So even when we first met a couple summers ago, there