Conte exit declared inevitable; Spurs shortlist replacements including ex-Barcelona boss

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By Martin Graham | 10th Mar 2023

A day after Antonio Conte expressed concerns about his job at Tottenham Hotspur being on the line, reports have emerged that the manager would be leaving the club soon.

His exit has been described as inevitable which suggests that the club will not renew him beyond June 2023, when his current contract expires.

He was hired on the back of terrible performances under Nuno Espirito Santo during the 2021/22 season and his management helped to stabilize the club and recover their top four mandate. However, Conte has failed to build upon the promise and Spurs, while still in the Premier League top four, are looking even more toothless than ever.

A 1 – 0 aggregate loss on Wednesday night to Serie A giants AC Milan saw them knocked out of the UEFA Champions League in the round of 16 stage, meaning that they only have the Premier League to participate in until the end of the season.

They are 13 points from the top which also means that the best they can hope for is a top four finish, which the club’s fans and leadership are growing tired of.

Now, it looks like they are considering a different direction for management according to reports, and have shortlisted a few names to take over from the former Juventus manager.

The Athletic claim that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has ‘tasked Fabio Paratici, his under-fire managing director of football, with the job of producing a list of suitable possibilities for the role’ when the current head coach moves on.

Former Barcelona and Spain national team manager Luis Enrique is the favoured replacement for Conte thanks to Paratici’s fondness of the Spaniard. Paratici’s list is also likely to include Eintracht Frankfurt’s Oliver Glasner, Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim and Napoli’s Luciano Spalletti.

Claims have also been made of former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino contacting the club over a possible return but being turned down.

Gus Poyet, commenting on the situation, has suggested that Conte has to make a decision on his future before the international break and relay it to the club so they can make adequate plans for the upcoming season.

“We are already in March, and I think that under normal circumstances, everybody would know if Conte was going to be there next year or not,” Poyet said.

“There has to be a deadline this month on his future, in March – with Antonio and the club, one way or another. I’m not talking just about for Antonio – it is important for the players, the recruitment and the overall well-being of the club.

“It’s a strange situation. During the games he doesn’t influence the play, he doesn’t seem to be thinking about how to win the game. Maybe the situation with his health has extended his decision-making time longer but now that he is back, and before the international break, a decision has to be made.”