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Next Tottenham manager: The men who could replace Antonio Conte

Mauricio Pochettino: Next Tottenham manager: the men who could replace Antonio Conte - Getty Images/Andrej Isakovic
Mauricio Pochettino: Next Tottenham manager: the men who could replace Antonio Conte - Getty Images/Andrej Isakovic

Antonio Conte's time at Tottenham Hotspur is expected to come to an end this week.

The Italian tore into his players and the club's hierarchy in a bombshell press conference after Spurs' 3-3 draw with Southampton, putting his position in jeopardy.

Thomas Tuchel had been among the favourites to replace Conte but is now set to become Bayern Munich's manager. There are, however, other options for Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman, to consider.

The young gun: Julian Nagelsmann

Thomas Tuchel's gain is theoretically Julian Nagelsmann's loss. But the 35-year-old's Munich sacking puts him back on the market and he is a candidate to become Tottenham's own Mikel Arteta. His fast-paced style of play would appease fans and the German has already proved himself at a club wanting to challenge the elite: RB Leipzig.

The fans' choice: Mauricio Pochettino

There’s a sense of unfinished business with Pochettino and Tottenham and the sense of optimism around his potential return is something Levy may buy into. Sacked just four months after taking the club to their first Champions League final, the Argentinian would be a romantic choice to lead the rebuild which was taken away from him. But he would have to completely revamp a squad that is arguably worse than the one he left behind four seasons ago.

The long-term project: Roberto De Zerbi

Poaching a manager from an over-achieving Premier League rival has gone either way for Tottenham with Pochettino and the short tenure of Nuno Espírito Santo producing very different results. Roberto De Zerbi would be more Poch than Nuno, but should Levy look at Chelsea as a test case for Brighton managers making the jump to the big time?

The proven track record: Brendan Rodgers

Leicester may be in a slump but, under Rodgers, they have won more trophies in the past 15 years than Tottenham. Rodgers has experience of rebuilding struggling teams and a title challenge with Liverpool, a treble with Celtic and a FA Cup with Leicester show he is quite good at turning things around with limited resources.

The terrace favourite: Michael Carrick

Clubs have gone down the route of having a former player at the helm with Frank Lampard, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Mikel Arteta enjoying mixed results.

Michael Carrick has shown his mettle in dragging Middlesbrough back into the promotion picture in the Championship in such a short period of time. Lampard made the jump from Derby to Chelsea but would it be too soon to give Carrick such a big job so early into his career?

Ange Postecoglou: the Scottish choice

Or maybe the Australian one? Postecoglou has brought Celtic back to the top of Scottish football in just over 18 months in charge after being knocked off their perch by Rangers and is already being touted for bigger things.

The Greece-born Australian is respected highly in coaching circles and his record does not go unnoticed but his appointment would be a risk given the huge step up to the Premier League.

Luis Enrique: the continental approach

Appointing a manager who is yet to manage in the Premier League would signal a change of direction under Levy but the Spurs chairman has shown he is a man willing to make big calls.

The club has not had a manager with no prior Premier League experience since Juande Ramos in 2008, but Enrique's time at Barcelona and the Spanish national team proved he may have what it takes to be successful in England.