Levy has replacement lined up should Conte quit Tottenham – report

Jason Soutar
Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte shouts at his team

According to reports, former boss Mauricio Pochettino is Daniel Levy’s top target to replace Antonio Conte should the Italian quit Tottenham.

Conte joined Tottenham in November last year and is under contract until June 2023, but his future in north London is already uncertain.

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On Friday, the 52-year-old confirmed that Tottenham have banned him from speaking to Italian media after a controversial interview emerged this week.

During the interview, the Italian manager suggested that his Spurs team was “weakened” during the January transfer window.

Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur joined Tottenham on deadline day from Juventus. They also targeted Adama Traore but the Wolves winger ended up returning to Barcelona.

Also on deadline day, Dele Alli, Tanguy Ndombele, Bryan Gil and Giovani Lo Celso left Spurs.

Conte explained that he feels that Tottenham are weaker “numerically” but “more complete” as a squad.

Spurs have lost their last three Premier League matches and face current champions and league leaders Manchester City on Saturday evening.

And according to the Telegraph (via the Express), Spurs chairman Levy has a familiar face lined up should Conte quit.

Levy’s top target is Paris Saint-Germain manager Pochettino, who spent five-and-a-half years in north London.

Pochettino has also been heavily linked with Spurs’ Premier League rivals Manchester United.

However, Paul Merson says he doesn’t understand the Red Devils’ “obsession” with Pochettino.

He wrote in his Sky Sports column: ‘I don’t understand why Manchester United would be waiting for Mauricio Pochettino. I don’t get it. If Pochettino doesn’t win the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain, why would they be going in for him?

‘You’ve got to remember he failed to win the French league last year, too. That’s virtually impossible to do. Everybody keeps saying they need to go out and get Pochettino but I don’t understand why.

‘It does my head in. It’s all I ever hear. What did he do? He got Tottenham to the final of the Champions League and his side finished third one year in the Premier League.

‘PSG have appointed him to win the Champions League, but I don’t give PSG a chance of doing it this year so I’m not sure what the obsession is with Pochettino.’

Tottenham Hotspur Antonio Conte

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