Tottenham Hotspur have sacked Nuno Espirito Santo.
The Portuguese manager had only been in the job for four months and now leaves after a disastrous run of form that has seen them win just three of their last 12 matches. Nuno and his coaching staff depart with the club in eighth in the Premier League table and with a record of eight wins, two draws and seven defeats in all competitions.
Nuno ultimately paid the price for his side’s 3-0 loss to Manchester United on Saturday, a match in which supporters chanted “you don’t know what you’re doing” after a substitution. Crisis talks between managing director Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy began on Sunday with both sides reaching the conclusion that it was time to pull the plug on their head coach’s brief tenure along with his coaching staff.
“I know how much Nuno and his coaching staff wanted to succeed and I regret that we have had to take this decision,” said Paratici. “Nuno is a true gentleman and will always be welcome here. We should like to thank him and his coaching staff and wish them well for the future.”
Nuno had not been Tottenham’s first choice for the job when they were looking to make an appointment in the summer and Spurs are expected to revive talks with at least some of those who they missed out on last time around. The club hierarchy retain a strong interest in former Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte, who withdrew from talks to be Jose Mourinho’s successor earlier this year due to concerns over whether the club could back his ambitions.
Ajax boss Erik ten Hag and Brighton’s Graham Potter also have their admirers though the former distanced himself from the job last time out by signing a new contract with the Eredivisie champions, who can offer him the Champions League football Tottenham cannot. Spurs instead find themselves in the Europa Conference League, where they face Vitesse on Thursday. No announcement has been made as to who will be in charge for that match.