Tottenham cost to sack Mourinho revealed as Levy eyes two successors

Jose Mourinho’s position as Tottenham manager appears to be under increasing scrutiny – but sacking him any time soon appears seriously unlikely due to the costs involved in terminating his contract early.

Spurs topped the Premier League table after 12 games this season. However, a run of just 12 points from their most recent 12 games has seen the side tumble down the league. Indeed, they now look in serious danger of missing a top-four finish. They also recently crashed out of the FA Cup after a crazy game at Everton.

That run of form has led to serious questions over his long-term prospects of ending the club’s long trophy drought. However, one pundit insists he must be given the chance to at least win the Carabao Cup first.

Indeed, reports in Portugal claim chairman Daniel Levy is completely against the idea of dismissing Mourinho mid season. Upon his appointment in November 2019, Mourinho signed a deal until summer 2023.

Given he’s one of the world’s highest-paid managers on a package worth £15m a season, firing him would not come cheap.

Indeed, trusted journalist David Ornstein says there is no break-clause in the arrangement. That would mean that firing him now would hit Tottenham seriously hard in the pocket.

Indeed, A Bola claims that axing him now would cost Spurs in the region of €40m (£34.8m).

Spurs have also only recently ended payments to former boss Mauricio Pochettino, whose deal was terminated early.

That’s not a price Levy is willing to stump up given the current climate. Indeed, it’s claimed the Spurs chairman will allow Mourinho until the end of the season to meet his target: a top-four finish and ending their trophy drought.

As such, Tottenham’s Europa League campaign, which resumes this week, now takes on enormous significance for Mourinho. Spurs travel to Austrian side Wolfsberger AC in the first leg of their round of 32 game on Thursday. Success in the competition would kill two birds with one stone. It would also spare him from the Tottenham sack.

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Levy has eyes on two Mourinho successors

However, an early exit from Europe would only heighten claims that Levy will consider replacing him in the summer.

Indeed, the Daily Mail suggests Levy already has two potential successors in mind – though landing either could prove difficult.

The papers says the name at the top of Levy’s wanted list is RB Leipzig’s Julian Nagelsmann. Prising the man once dubbed ‘the mini Mourinho’ away from the Bundesliga side would not come cheap. That said and despite their miraculosu rise, there remains a feeling that Leipzig can only progress so far up the ladder. Continually selling their star names – Dayot Upamecano the latest – undermines their prospects of ever breaking Bayern Munich’s dominance in Germany.

The second boss admired by Levy, claims the Mail, is Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers. He has underlined his credentials since returning to the Premier League with Leicester. Having narrowly missed out on a top-four finish last season, they look well placed to make the cut this time around.

Prising the Northern Irishman away from the King Power Stadium, however, would not come cheap. He is contracted to the Foxes until 2025, having signed an extension just 15 months ago.

READ MORE: Mega-money Tottenham exit ‘inevitable’ regardless of Mourinho progress

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