The 3-0 loss to Manchester United over the weekend was a sign for the Tottenham Hotspurs’ brass that they won’t get very far with Nuno Espirito Santo as their manager. This prompted the Premier League side to fire Santo and immediately begin pursuing Antonio Conte as his replacement.
The club announced the decision to sack Santo on their official website while adding that his coaching staff is also out the door.
“I know how much Nuno and his coaching staff wanted to succeed, and I regret that we have had to take this decision,” said sporting director Fabio 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.”
According to multiple reports, the Spurs now eye Conte as the long-term solution at the managerial position. The 52-year-old Italian is currently jobless after leaving Inter Milan following the club’s Seria A title win last season. He previously worked in England as manager of Chelsea from 2016 to 2018, leading the London club to Premier League title and FA Cup trophy during his stint.
Conte was already a candidate for Tottenham during the summer but reportedly rejected the club’s approach after not receiving guarantees that he’ll have the majority of the control over the first team. After the failed experiment with Santo, however, it is believed that the Spurs are ready to provide that in order to lure him to England.
Tottenham Hotspur has pursued several candidates for their managerial vacancy in the summer but failed to secure any of their top targets. This prompted them to turn to Nuno Espirito Santo even though the Portuguese was coming off an unconvincing season with the Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Santo started his stint with the club on a high, securing three wins in Tottenham’s first three matches in the Premier League. But it was all downhill from there, as the club suffered five losses in their next seven games in the domestic competition. The Spurs are currently sitting at no.8 with just 15 points from 10 matches.
