Tottenham spent over £12.5m to sack Mauricio Pochettino in 2019
Tottenham spent over £12.5m to sack Mauricio Pochettino in 2019… but, after signing 26 players for over £400m and hiring two ‘winning’ managers, the club has won NOTHING and may make the ultimate U-turn to reunite with their former boss
- Antonio Conte is expected to leave Tottenham at the end of the current season
- Pochettino was sacked after a torrid run following Champions League final loss
- The Argentine could not conjure a trophy in five full seasons with the Lilywhites
The writing is on the wall for Antonio Conte after Tottenham Hotspur’s recent Champions League exit.
Although Spurs have no immediate plans to sack Conte, he is expected to leave the club before the start of next season, when his contract is due to expire.
And who is in the running to be his successor? None other than former head coach and fan favourite, Mauricio Pochettino.
The Argentine was sacked in 2019 after a torrid run following their Champions League final defeat to Liverpool.
Pochettino could not conjure a trophy in five full seasons with the Lilywhites, so what have Spurs achieved since sacking him? Sportsmail takes a look…
The writing is on the wall for Antonio Conte after Tottenham Hotspur’s Champions League exit
And who is in the running to be his successor? None other than Mauricio Pochettino
Pochettino was sacked by Spurs in November 2019 following the club’s poor start to the season that left them in 14th place – 11 points adrift of Manchester City in fourth at the time.
The South American, 51, was understood to be entitled to a £12.5million pay-off and the north London club continued to pay his £8.5million-per-year salary due to a payroll clause.
Tottenham then appointed Jose Mourinho, 60, on a contract worth double the wage of his predecessor at £15million-a-year.
Chairman Daniel Levy negotiated Mourinho’s arrival through agent Pini Zahavi – the man who brought Mourinho to English football in 2004.
Construction of their new £800m stadium meant a lack of signings to improve the squad under Pochettino, but Mourinho was backed to the hilt by Levy and deals that didn’t get done for the previous manager were signed off without hesitation.
Under Mourinho, in came Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg for £15million, Matt Doherty for £15million, Gedson Fernandes (£4million loan fee) and Carlos Vinicius.
He also signed Steven Bergwijn (£27million), Giovani Lo Celso (£29million) and Sergio Reguilon (£27million).
Mourinho was dismissed in April 2021 after a dismal Premier League campaign and failure in the Europa League, but walked away with up to £20million in compensation.
Tottenham appointed Jose Mourinho after Pochettino was sacked on a contract worth double the wage of his predecessor at £15million-a-year
Chairman Daniel Levy negotiated Mourinho’s arrival through agent Pini Zahavi – the man who brought Mourinho to English football in 2004
Next, Tottenham appointed Nuno Espirito Santo, 49, seventy two days after Mourinho’s sacking, in June 2021.
Nuno arrived at Wolves in the summer of 2017 when the club were in the Championship and led them to second tier triumph in his debut season in England.
The Portuguese boss’s pragmatic approach infuriated large sections of the Spurs fanbase and he lasted just 17 games in charge – winning five out of the ten Premier League games he oversaw.
Santo left the club after losing 3-0 to Manchester United, with the atmosphere turning toxic towards Nuno inside the stadium.
Spurs were quick to appoint former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte as their manager just a couple of days later. He agreed a contract with a pro-rata salary of around £13million.
Conte received backing for a summer spending spree after owners ENIC pumped £150million of capital into the club.
Spurs brought in a total of seven players in the summer at a cost of around £170million.
Brazilian forward Richarlison, 25, was signed from Everton for an initial fee of £50million.
Nuno Espirito Santo lasted just 17 games in charge and won five out of the ten Premier League games he oversaw
Brazilian forward Richarlison, 25, was signed from Everton for an initial fee of £50million.
He followed Ivan Perisic, Yves Bissouma and Fraser Forster through the door of the north London club.
However, Spurs have since limped out of the Champions League with a goalless draw against AC Milan.
Spurs look all but set to go yet another season without a trophy – the last time they won silverware was in 2008.
Speculation over Conte’s future continues with Spurs’ poor form contributing towards many feeling a parting of ways is best for both parties.
Despite the reality of ending yet another season without a trophy, Tottenham are currently fourth in the Premier League with a good chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Levy does not want to make any decisions that may prove detrimental to the team’s chances of finishing in the top four given the financial benefits at stake.
The bill for sacking Conte, who earns £15million a year, will not exceed £5million.
Because the 12 month option to extend Conte’s deal lies with Tottenham – they are not obliged to pay their head coach the full amount of that extra year.
Pochettino’s potential return to Spurs will perhaps help the club persuade talisman Harry Kane – who will not decide how he intends to proceed with his future ahead of next season until he talks to Levy in the summer – into committing to another new contract.
Pochettino’s potential return to Spurs will perhaps help the club persuade talisman Harry Kane into committing to another new contract
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