Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has reportedly drawn up a five-man list of possible replacements for Antonio Conte.
Following the Lilywhites' last-16 Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid, Conte is now widely expected to leave the club at the end of the season when his contract expires.
The Italian, who has been beset by personal problems throughout the campaign, has been unable to snap Spurs' 15-year trophy drought stretching back to the 2007-08 EFL Cup campaign since being hired to replace Nuno Espirito Santo in 2021.
While absent from the touchline due to gallbladder surgery, Conte witnessed Sheffield United knock his side out of the FA Cup in the fifth round earlier this month, and they lie fourth in the Premier League table - 18 points worse off than leaders Arsenal.
A plethora of highly-regarded managers have been linked with the Tottenham vacancy in recent days, but Conte is not expected to be given the boot before the end of the season, unless results take a greater turn for the worse.
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According to The Independent, Tottenham chairman Levy will only take drastic action if Spurs look likely to miss out on Champions League qualification, but five managers are already in the frame to take over.
Spurs players and staff have reportedly pleaded with Mauricio Pochettino to return, in spite of the Argentine's sacking in 2019, just a few months after he led the club to the final of the Champions League.
Pochettino would supposedly welcome a return to Tottenham, but Levy would need convincing to re-hire the man that he relieved of his duties four years ago, and he is also being linked with the Real Madrid job.
Carlo Ancelotti is apparently set to wave his goodbyes to the Bernabeu at the end of the season, and Pochettino could be a contender to take over from the serial Champions League winner.
Pochettino has been out of management since departing Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season, having replaced Thomas Tuchel, who is also on Spurs' five-man shortlist.
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The German coach was let go by Chelsea earlier this season, but Tottenham would supposedly struggle to land Tuchel's services, and he is also being tipped to make a sensational return to Paris Saint-Germain in place of Christophe Galtier.
Meanwhile, former Spain and Barcelona boss Luis Enrique also features high on Levy's shortlist, having departed La Roja in the wake of their World Cup last-16 elimination at the hands of Morocco.
Brentford's Thomas Frank and Fulham's Marco Silva are also in contention after leading their clubs into the top half of the table this season, but the former has already poured cold water on such speculation.
"First, they have a manager which is a manager I have studied for years and I admire massively," Frank told reporters at a press conference this week.
"I think he has achieved some fantastic results so I hope he will do well and I hope Spurs do well. Secondly, I am very, very happy here at Brentford."
Tottenham are next in action at home to Nottingham Forest - whose manager Steve Cooper has also ruled out his chances of replacing Conte - on Saturday afternoon.
Ben Knapton
