Tigers are mauled by Meyler
new White Hart Lane next season after securing a hat-trick of top-three finishes in the Premier League.
But the Spanish giants are notorious for ruthlessly pursuing targets, as they showed when finally landing Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United for a world record fee in 2009.
Levy will need to deploy his famed negotiating skills to keep Pochettino in north London.
Unsettled Chelsea chief Antonio Conte and even recently departed Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger are other options for Real, along with Maurizio Sarri and Laurent Blanc.
Perez said: “Zidane informed me of his choice yesterday. This was a totally unexpected decision.”
But ex-Real boss Fabio Capello claimed: “Without the third Champions League he’d have been sacked by Florentino. I don’t think Zizou has another job lined up because there aren’t any free clubs.
“After winning so much he wanted to show Florentino that he didn’t have to coach, and he could decide for himself what he wants to do.”
Mirror Sport understands there is no buyout clause in Pochettino’s new contract and no verbal agreement he can leave, even if there is an approach from Real Madrid. DAVID MEYLER has gone studs up on Hull City after his six-year stint at the club ended badly.
The Republic of Ireland midfielder is keeping quiet about his new team – believed to be a Championship rival.
He blames a lack of stability at the Tigers as his main reason for leaving.
Asked if it was his decision to quit, Meyler, 29, said: “I’d been there a long time, played just under 200 games and achieved a lot, but it’s disappointing as every year the club has been stripped.
“The turnover of players is too much. In the six years I’ve been there something like 70 players have come and gone.
“Even yesterday, Michael Dawson signed for Nottingham Forest, Allan McGregor’s gone to Rangers and Adama Diomande’s gone to LA – there’s no stability.
“Look at it like a tree – you need a good core, but if you keep chopping away it’s going to fall apart. You need good roots.
“Every year there’s just been players peeled away and you’ve got to get going again. That’s why last year with Hull was like it was.”