Tottenham will be favourites to win the Barclays Premier League title next season if they hang on to Mauricio Pochettino, according to the club's former winger Ossie Ardiles.

Pochettino has agreed to extend his contract by two years until 2021 and Spurs were expected to confirm the deal officially this week.

The Argentinian has done a remarkable job since moving to White Hart Lane in 2014, leading his side to second with two games left this term, as well as securing qualification for the Champions League.

If Pochettino stays, Tottenham may reap the rewards of continuity next season too.

Manchester City and Chelsea will both hire new managers in the summer while Louis van Gaal and Arsene Wenger remain under pressure at Manchester United and Arsenal respectively.

Pochettino's men missed out on the title this term to 5,000/1-shots Leicester but Ardiles, who won the FA Cup with Spurs in 1981, believes they can go one step further next year.

"If you asked me right now who is going to be the favourite to win the league next season, there is going to be strong opposition," said Ardiles, playing at the Prostate Cancer UK Golf Day at Wentworth.

"Pep Guardiola will be at Manchester City, Manchester United have to do something, Liverpool have to do something, Chelsea have to do something and so on.

"But the Tottenham team is already ready to go. I will say we will be the favourites to win the league next season."

Ardiles, who made 311 appearances for Spurs and also managed the club in the 1990s, was the first to congratulate Pochettino on agreeing his contract extension last week.

He was waiting outside the press conference, along with compatriot Ricky Villa, and when Pochettino emerged Ardiles shouted, "You're staying!" and gave him a hug.

"It's absolutely crucial that we are not a selling club," Ardiles said. "The players have to keep playing for us, but maybe the most important figure right now is Mauricio Pochettino.

"It's absolutely crucial that he stays at the club. He's very, very happy. I believe that he will carry on with us for a very long time to come. He's in a wonderful place right now.

"His work ethic in the way he conducts himself is very good. You will never see him at parties or things like that. I don't think he even knows London for example.

"He's so, so focused in his job. He arrives at eight in the morning and leaves the training ground at 8pm or 10pm in the evening.

"This kind of approach he asks the players the same thing as well. So everyone is so, so focused on what they are doing."

Tottenham boast the youngest squad in the division and it is an exciting period for the club off the pitch too, with a new, £400million stadium due to be ready in 2018.

"They have a wonderful training ground, a new stadium very, very soon, the team is very young and full of energy and optimism," Ardiles added.

"All the players that were not on the same wavelength as Mauricio, they are gone, so everybody at the club knows exactly what they have do to. This is why they are so successful."

Ossie Ardiles represented the League Manager's Association (LMA) at the Prostate Cancer UK golf day at Wentworth on Thursday. The LMA are proud partners of Prostate Cancer UK. Ignoring prostate cancer won't beat it, so join the fight. Search Men United now or visit menunited.prostatecanceruk.org.