Mauricio Pochettino has opened the door for Ryan Mason to return to Tottenham in a coaching role.
Mason announced his retirement at the age of 26 on Tuesday , 13 months after fracturing his skull in a match between Hull and Chelsea.
In an emotional statement, he admitted he had "no option" but to call it a day although he reiterated his plans to stay in football
Mason came through the ranks at Spurs and eventually became a regular under Pochettino when he arrived in 2014.
And the Argentine confirmed he had spoken to the midfielder about returning to the club in a different capacity.
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“It is very sad news but he opens a door for his future with his family,” Pochettino said after the draw with Juventus.
“Ryan has been at the training ground in recent days. We have been talking to him with [head of academy,] John McDermott.
“He will be successful in whatever he does. He will always be a special player for me. He represents for me this change in all when we arrived at Tottenham.
Gary Cahill, who was involved in the challenge with Mason in January 2017, also sent his condolences.
"Devastated to hear today’s news from Ryan," he tweeted.
"Competing for a corner is something we’ve done thousands of times and to see those consequences for a top professional like Ryan is heartbreaking."
Ryan Mason suffered a horrible head injury after he collided with Chelsea captain Gary Cahill when Hull City played Chelsea in January 2017.
The fractured skull has kept him sidelined and he has opted to retire from the game. Spurs fans showed him solidarity in Juventus Tottenham 2-2 in Uefa Champions League. They could be heard singing ‘there is only one Ryan Mason.’
