Football news - Tottenham Hotspur appoint Jose Mourinho as manager

The club confirmed the appointment on their official website on Wednesday morning.

The 56-year-old Portuguese returns to management for the first time since being sacked by Manchester United in December.

The statement said: "We are delighted to announce the appointment of Jose Mourinho as head coach on a contract that runs until the end of the 2022/23 season.

"He has won a domestic title in a record four different countries (Portugal, England, Italy and Spain) and is one of only three managers to have won the UEFA Champions League twice with two clubs, FC Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010. He is also a three-time Premier League Champion with Chelsea (2005, 2006, 2015)."

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said: "In Jose we have one of the most successful managers in football. He has a wealth of experience, can inspire teams and is a great tactician. He has won honours at every club he has coached. We believe he will bring energy and belief to the dressing room.”

Former Chelsea manager Mourinho told the club: "I am excited to be joining a club with such a great heritage and such passionate supporters. The quality in both the squad and the academy excites me. Working with these players is what has attracted me.”

Pochettino was sacked on Tuesday evening with Spurs having gone five games without a Premier League victory, including a 3-0 defeat to Brighton and most recently a failure to beat Sheffield United at home.

The Argentinian manager also saw Spurs crash out of the EFL Cup to Colchester in the third round while their Champions League campaign had started with a 2-2 draw against Olympiacos and a humiliating 7-2 defeat at home to Bayern Munich.

Back-to-back wins over Red Star Belgrade had rectified the situation in Europe but the manager is said to have lost the ability to motivate his players, despite the messages that have been posted from within the dressing room since his departure.

Harry Kane wrote: "I’ll be forever thankful to you for helping me achieve my dreams.

"We’ve had some amazing moments in the last 5 and a half years that I will never forget.

"You were my manager but my friend as well and I thank you for that relationship. Good luck with your next chapter."