War brewing at Tottenham as Levy names ideal next manager but Paratici opposed to move due to big concern

There could be a bust-up between senior Tottenham chiefs Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici over the appointment of the club’s next head coach, with the two officials in disagreement over which manager is best to take over.

There has been talk current boss Antonio Conte could leave Tottenham at the end of the season for some time now. His contract expires in the summer and it appears he wants to move back to Italy so he can be closer to his family. He has had a tough campaign both on and off the pitch and has recently been recovering from gallbladder surgery.

A big update on Conte’s future was provided by The Athletic reporter Jack Pitt-Brooke on Tuesday. He revealed that neither Tottenham or Conte want a new deal.

There were talks between the two parties during the World Cup break late last year. But they have since broken down and are ‘unlikely to be revived’.

Pitt-Brooke makes the big claim that the ‘Conte era is coming to an end’. This means fans should get prepared for a new boss to arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

Spurs are scouring the market to see which manager could replace the Italian. Potential options include Thomas Tuchel, Roberto De Zerbi, Christophe Galtier and Steve Cooper.

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But according to The Times, the most likely appointment is that of former boss Mauricio Pochettino, who was in charge of the north London club between July 2014 and November 2019.

The 51-year-old has his heart set on an emotional return to Spurs. He still lives at the Hertfordshire address that he did when first managing the club, while he has also remained on very good terms with chairman Levy.

Daniel Levy decides on priority managerial target

Spurs fans are also crying out for someone who plays exciting, attacking football after having to deal with the unimaginative style of play of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Conte. Pochettino is known for this – and Levy has therefore made him his number one target.

However, Levy is not in agreement with managing director of football Paratici. While Pochettino likes to play with a back four, Paratici believes the next head coach should be comfortable using three at the back. This is because of how the last two managers have lined up and what the squad is set up for.

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Due to this major concern, a serious rift between Levy and Paratici could emerge over which candidate is best-placed to take over from Conte. Paratici could end up pushing for Tuchel, who used a back three at Chelsea, rather than Pochettino.

Ultimately, Levy will have the final say as he is Paratici’s boss. However, Paratici will still voice his concern about Pochettino and this could therefore result in some difficult conversations before a final managerial decision is made.

Meanwhile, Wednesday’s Transfer Gossip claims Spurs have joined Newcastle in the pursuit of a Southampton defender.