Who will be Tottenham's next manager after explosive Conte interview?

Suraj Radia

• 19 Mar 2023 09:28 GMT
• 4 min read

Antonio Conte looks set to leave Tottenham when his contract expires at the end of the season after publicly criticising the club and its direction in an explosive interview.

Tottenham conceded a late penalty to draw 3-3 against Southampton, having been two goals up with less than 15 minutes to go, to leave Conte’s side desperately clinging on to a top four place.

The Spurs boss has spent more than £200 million on players during his 18 months in charge but the club have failed to push on to new levels and will, once again, finish the season without a trophy.

LOSERS!: Conte launches extraordinary attack at Tottenham

Conte’s position looks untenable after the comments calling out his players and FootballTransfers takes a look at the top five candidates who could replace him in the summer.

Mauricio Pochettino

The bookies’ favourite to succeed Conte is Mauricio Pochettino, who is believed to be open to a return to Tottenham, having been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season.

ODDS: Who are the bookies' favourites to take over at Tottenham?

Spurs had arguably their most successful spell in recent years under Pochettino, reaching the Champions League final before he was relieved of his duties in 2019.

The Argentine boss remains on good terms with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and is still a fan favourite, meaning a second spell in North London could bring back some of the positivity which has dwindled in recent months.

Luis Enrique

Tottenham are also thought to be considering Luis Enrique as an option after he left his role as Spain boss following the 2022 World Cup.

Enrique showcased his quality while in charge at Barcelona, leading the Catalan side to a treble in 2015 and is renowned for his tactical nous, progressive playstyle and ability to get the best out of young players.

However, while Enrique is believed to be on Tottenham’s shortlist, the club are thought to favour a manager with Premier League experience, despite the Spaniard’s desire to manage in England.

Thomas Tuchel

Tottenham have a history of hiring ex-Chelsea managers, having brought Conte, Jose Mourinho and Andre Villas-Boas to the club after spells with their rivals, and Thomas Tuchel could be the next name in the list.

The German has been on a sabbatical since being sacked by Chelsea in September and he would be keen on staying in England and London in particular, where his family are settled.

With Real Madrid, PSG and Juventus all reportedly eyeing Tuchel if they want a new manager in the summer, Spurs would have to act quickly but they could pull off a shrewd capture if they move for the Champions League-winning boss.

Roberto De Zerbi

Roberto De Zerbi has already caught the eye of several clubs despite only taking over at Brighton earlier this season, where he has led the Seagulls to push for the top four while playing an attractive brand of football.

The Italian was appointed after an impressive spell with Serie A side Sassuolo, along with a stint with Shakhtar Donetsk, and he has won 12 of his 24 games in charge of Brighton.

Spurs are reportedly one of three clubs to file a dossier on De Zerbi, although he has given no indication that he is keen to leave Brighton after less than a year with the club.

Thomas Frank

Another Premier League manager who has impressed by building up a ‘smaller’ side, Thomas Frank is also believed to be on Tottenham’s shortlist after continuing to progress at Brentford.

Frank took charge of Brentford in 2018 in the Championship but the Bees are now pushing for European football, with the Dane getting the best out of players on a shoestring budget, all while playing a high-pressing, attacking game.

Tottenham see Frank, along with Fulham boss Marco Silva, as someone with Premier League experience who could be ready for a step up to a bigger team, similar to when they first hired Pochettino, giving the club a wide list of options should they choose to part ways with Conte.