Mauricio Pochettino has said that he can be to Tottenham Hotspur what Sir Alex Ferguson was to Manchester United after agreeing a new contract with the North London side.

Pochettino, 44, revealed yesterday that he has verbally agreed a two-year contract extension with Spurs that keeps him at White Hart Lane until 2021.

The Argentine has been a big hit since joining Spurs from Southampton almost two years ago, leading them to a fifth-placed finish and League Cup final in his first year in charge before turning the North Londoners into Premier League title hopefuls this campaign.

They will miss out on the crown this season if Leicester City win at Man United on Sunday, but Pochettino is hoping that his young squad will help him build a legacy like that of Ferguson at Old Trafford between 1986 and 2013.

"Why not? Sir Alex Ferguson is a very special person," PA quotes Pochettino as saying. "He was given the security to build his legacy at Manchester United. I believe we are special too and we can build it here together.

"This club is special. I feel the love from the beginning, from the very first day. I am very happy to be here to hopefully achieve big things.

"I think the potential is fantastic, with the new stadium. I think the club is coming to a very tough period because we are building a new stadium and we may focus sometimes on that, but at the same time it is very exciting."

Pochettino has regularly been touted as a possible successor to Louis van Gaal at United, but yesterday's news suggests that the former will be staying put.