Tottenham have sacked manager Jose Mourinho, bringing a contract that had been due to run until the summer of 2023 to a premature conclusion.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss has been shown the door in north London a matter of days before Spurs are due to face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.
Mourinho had been appointed as successor to Mauricio Pochettino in November 2019 due to his proven track record on the trophy front, but he will now depart empty-handed.
Questions were asked of the 58-year-old’s methods throughout his time at the Spurs helm.
Accusations of being overly cautious were never far away from the Portuguese, with a supposedly defensive mindset winning him few admirers within a demanding fan base.
He was able to guide Tottenham to the League Cup final this season, as they seek to bring a 13-year wait for tangible success to a close, but now finds himself looking for a new job.
Mourinho took in 86 games as Spurs manager, collecting 44 victories from those outings to go alongside 19 draws and 23 defeats.
Spurs’ decision to sever ties with a high-profile coach has come in the wake of the club revealing that they will form part of plans to create a new Super League in Europe.
The Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ have all signed up to that proposal, with the intention being for elite clubs across the continent to face one another in a midweek competition from 2021-22.
Mourinho will not be entering that brave new world – at least not with Tottenham – and finds himself back on the market after 17 months with a third English side of his coaching career.
With Spurs now searching for a new boss, their recruitment net is expected to be cast far and wide.
Highly-rated RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann heads the early betting market, with the 33-year-old’s services expected to be sounded out.
Former Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri is another name in the frame, along with Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers and club legend Ledley King.
Steven Gerrard, fresh from guiding Rangers to Scottish Premiership title glory, could also be approached, while ex-Liverpool and Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez finds himself out of work and looking for another role in England.
