Tottenham target Nagelsmann to replace ‘best coach in world’

Julian Nagelsmann will be top of a list of potential managerial targets for Tottenham if they sack Jose Mourinho, according to reports.

The RB Leipzig manager is said to be interested in moving to the Premier League in the summer, potentially giving Mourinho more time, though the Daily Telegraph suggest that Daniel Levy could act if Spurs continue to slide down the table.

They are currently on a run of five defeats in six games which has seen them drop an alarming nine points behind West Ham in fourth place.

Levy is said to retain support for Mourinho but there are clearly doubts emerging if journalists are being briefed about managerial targets.

Nagelsmann was top of our list on February 12 when we listed possible successors to Mourinho. As we wrote then: ‘It simply feels inevitable that Nagelsmann and his offensive youngness and wacky suits will be in the Premier League at some stage. And ever since his RB Leipzig team absolutely pulled the pants of Mourinho’s Spurs all the way down in last year’s Champions League last-16 tie, it’s felt like this could easily be the next hugely promising young idealistic manager ultimately broken on the wheel of Spurs’ unrelenting ability to be more Spurs than should really be possible.’

Mourinho continues to claim that nobody else could possibly do a better job at Tottenham, saying after a 2-1 defeat at West Ham: “The results are the consequences of multi-situations in football. Mine and my coaching staff methods are second to nobody in the world.

“Of course our team has problems, and the problems they have reflection on results and on points, but I also believe that a little bit of that light, a little bit of that luck that you also need in football to win matches, has to be back.

“And if that light comes back, is different. You hit the post and the ball goes inside or goes outside. The VAR decisions, many times, I am not speaking about today because today I didn’t watch, but many times are controversial, or are decisions by one inch.

“You sometimes need also a little bit of luck to go in your favour. I believe that if this team wins a couple of matches in a row, that the situation can change, and that we can still fight for top four. Of course if you say nine points now, it is difficult, is very possible.