Transfer news: Tottenham’s Paulo Fonseca deal collapses, Gennaro Gattuso linked with vacant manager job – reports

ByTom Bennett

Updated 17/06/2021 at 15:37 GMT

Tottenham Hotspur have turned their attention towards Gennaro Gattuso after talks with Paulo Fonseca over the manager's job appear to have collapsed. The north London side have been without a permanent manager since the sacking of Jose Mourinho in April and the search continues ahead of the new Premier League season.

Tottenham Hotspur’s appointment of Paulo Fonseca as the club’s new first-team coach has collapsed at the eleventh hour, according to reports.

Fonseca was expected to be announced as the new Spurs boss later this week. But it is being reported that the club and coach have failed to agree on the financial terms, despite already making a verbal agreement.

Tottenham have been without a permanent manager since the sacking of Jose Mourinho in April, with Ryan Mason taking charge of the team on a temporary basis for the remainder of last season.

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And the failure to secure Fonseca would be latest in a string of high-profile rejections in the club’s search for a new manager, with Julian Nagelsmann, Antonio Conte and Erik ten Haag all turning Tottenham down.

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Initial reports suggest that Gennaro Gattuso is now Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy’s primary target for the role.

Gattuso and Spurs have history, with the then-AC Milan player famously involved in a touchline spat with then assistant coach Joe Jordan during the Champions League tie between the two clubs in 2011.

Spurs begin the new Premier League season at home against Manchester City on the weekend of August 14, and are in danger of being without a new manager for the start of the campaign.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy

Image credit: Getty Images

The Eurosport View

"Paulo Fonseca wasn’t the name on the tip of Spurs fans’ tongues when the club began their hunt for a new manager in April, but after months of searching for a head coach it seemed like the former AS Roma boss might actually be a good fit for Tottenham’s preferred new style.

"But this latest turn of events in the Tottenham management saga feels indicative of a club who have lost their way in recent years.

"The success of Mauricio Pochettino in building Spurs into a relevant force in English football is in very real danger of being wasted unless the club can find a suitable appointment and fast.

"That’s the negative reading of the situation at least.

"The positive one is that Tottenham saw an opportunity to get a manager they really wanted when it was announced that Gattuso was leaving Fiorentina, and have acted decisively at the expense of Fonseca.

Only time will tell whether it’s the former or the latter."

- Tom Bennett

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