Who are the candidates to replace Nuno Espirito Santo at Tottenham Hotspur?

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 01 November 2021

Sports Mole takes a closer look at three candidates to take over as Tottenham Hotspur manager following the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo.

Tottenham Hotspur have announced that Nuno Espirito Santo has been sacked from his post as manager.

The decision was taken after Spurs went down 3-0 to Manchester United in the Premier League - the 47-year-old's seventh defeat from 17 games in charge of the club.

The Lilywhites are working to appoint Santo's successor in the near future and have been linked with three established names since Santo's future was first called into question.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the candidates to replace Santo in North London.

Antonio Conte

Antonio Conte in charge of Inter Milan in May 2021 © Reuters

One of the hottest properties on the managerial market right now, former Inter Milan and Chelsea coach Antonio Conte is rumoured to be the favourite to take over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Premier League and Serie A-winning Italian departed the Nerazzurri at the end of their triumphant 2020-21 campaign and has also been linked with a move to Manchester United amid uncertainty surrounding Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's future.

Some have questioned whether Conte is perhaps too ambitious for a side sat eighth in the Premier League table, but various outlets have claimed that a deal to bring the 52-year-old back to the Premier League is close.

Sergio Conceicao

Porto manager Sergio Conceicao pictured on April 13, 2021 © Reuters

Another Scudetto winner in Sergio Conceicao - who won the top-flight title as a player rather than a manager - is also rumoured to be on Spurs' radar as their search for a new leader intensifies.

The Porto boss has held his post with the Primeira Liga outfit since the summer of 2017 and now has two Portuguese top-flight titles under his belt, as well as two Super Cups and one Taca de Portugal triumph.

With 165 wins from 232 games in charge of Porto, Conceicao and his highly effective 4-4-2 system have already got the better of Juventus, AC Milan and Chelsea since the turn of the year, but it seems unlikely that the 46-year-old will be prised away from his homeland with ease, especially with his deal not due to expire until 2024.

Paulo Fonseca

Roma manager Paulo Fonseca pictured in February 2021 © Reuters

One of a seemingly endless list of names to have been linked with the Spurs job following Jose Mourinho's departure, Paulo Fonseca is another free agent on the manager market looking to be snapped up.

The 48-year-old led Roma to fifth and seventh-placed finishes in Serie A during his two years in Italy and already has a wealth of silverware under his belt, mainly from his time with Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk.

Such a winning mentality could be just the ticket for Spurs as Daniel Levy seeks to finally end his side's 13-year trophy drought, although talks in the summer are understood to have broken down due to tax issues, while Newcastle United are also rumoured to be lining up an approach for Fonseca.