Tottenham want to talk to Julian Nagelsmann about succeeding Antonio Conte as their manager. The club are expected to part company with Conte, his tenure gravely undermined last Saturday after an explosive rant about the players, and Nagelsmann has become available after his shock sacking by Bayern Munich.
Nagelsmann has been replaced at Bayern by the former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, who Spurs had considered as a possible post-Conte option. Tuchel inherits a team that will face Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final and, possibly, Chelsea in the semi-final.
Spurs were interested in Nagelsmann in 2021 after they dismissed José Mourinho but he was set on a move to Bayern from RB Leipzig. The 35-year-old won the Bundesliga title in his first season and the team are currently second in the table, one point off the leaders, Borussia Dortmund, who they face in their first game after the international break on 1 April.
Nagelsmann, just back from a ski holiday, has been sacked because of erratic results and performances since the restart after the World Cup. He has previously spoken of a desire to one day manage in the Premier League.The Bayern chief executive, Oliver Kahn, said: “We have come to the conclusion that the quality in our squad has come to the fore less and less often. After the World Cup, we have played less successfully and less attractively. The big fluctuations in performance have cast doubt on our goals for this season but also our goals for the future. That is why we have acted now.”
Conte flew to Italy to spend time with his family after Spurs’s 3-3 draw at Southampton last Saturday, when the concession of two late goals saw him berate the players for a selfish attitude. He has remained there, his assistants, Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason, taking training in London.
The players do not expect Conte to return and the club has begun to check the market for his successor. Mason is a contender to take caretaker charge until the end of the season.
Spurs are interested in a host of managers for the permanent role including Luis Enrique, Roberto De Zerbi, Rúben Amorim and Vincent Kompany. Mauricio Pochettino would be a popular choice among fans but it is unclear if he or the club would want an emotional reunion.
