Mauricio Pochettino SACKED: Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy says change in club’s best interests
Tottenham have sacked Mauricio Pochettino as manager.
The Argentine has been relieved of his duties after five-and-a-half years in charge, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday.
talkSPORT understands Jose Mourinho has already been sounded out about the job, with chairman Daniel Levy keen to make a quick appointment.
Tottenham, who reached the Champions League final only six months ago, have endured a difficult start to the season and are currently sitting 14th in the Premier League table.
They have struggled on the domestic front for the whole of the calendar year, winning only 11 of their 30 top-flight games in 2019.
Levy, who appointed Pochettino in June 2014, said: "We were extremely reluctant to make this change and it is not a decision the board have taken lightly, nor in haste.
"Regrettably domestic results at the end of last season and the beginning of this season have been extremely disappointing.
"It falls on the board to make the difficult decisions - this one made more so given the many memorable moments we have had with Mauricio and his coaching staff - but we do so in the club's best interests."
Pochettino was at the helm for 293 games and delivered four successive top-four Premier League finishes, challenging for the title in 2015/16 and 2016/17.
He also memorably guided the club to their first Champions League final, but they fell short in the Madrid showpiece in a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool.
His assistant Jesus Perez, and coaches Miguel D'Agostino and Antoni Jimenez have also left the club.
Levy's statement added: “Mauricio and his coaching staff will always be part of our history. I have the utmost admiration for the manner in which he dealt with the difficult times away from a home ground whilst we built the new stadium and for the warmth and positivity he brought to us.
"I should like to thank him and his coaching staff for all they have contributed. They will always be welcome here.
“We have a talented squad. We need to re-energise and look to deliver a positive season for our supporters.”
Pochettino, who had to contend with playing home games at Wembley for 18 months, viewed the run to the Madrid final as the end of a chapter and warned of a "painful rebuild" this summer.
However, Spurs, whose transfers are controlled by Levy, were unable to move out a host of players who either wanted to leave or Pochettino wanted rid of and results suffered.
They won just three of their first 12 games of the Premier League season, were hammered 7-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League and lost to League Two Colchester in the Carabao Cup.
Bookmakers have installed Mourinho as the favourite to succeed Pochettino, and the former Chelsea and Manchester United is understood to be keen on the job.
Mourinho has been out of management since leaving United last December, and the prospect of potentially becoming the first boss to win a trophy with three different clubs in England appeals to the self-styled Special One.
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