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Spurs hold talks with former Inter boss Conte: reports London (AFP) – Tottenham have held talks with former Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte as they look for a permanent successor to Jose Mourinho, according to reports on Wednesday. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has been searching for a new boss since sacking Mourinho in April. Ryan Mason was put in caretaker charge until the end of the season as Tottenham finished a disappointing seventh in the Premier League. Spurs had made Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers their top target after Leipzig’s Julian Nagelsmann agreed to take the Bayern Munich post. Levy also reportedly made an unsuccessful approach to Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino in a bid to bring the former Tottenham coach back to north London. Pochettino left in November 2019 but is understood to be keen on a return to the team he led to the Champions League final. However, PSG are reluctant to let the Argentine go after less than one full season in the French capital. Now Tottenham are believed to have turned their attention to Conte, who left Inter after leading them to the Serie A title this season. Conte knows what it takes to thrive in English football after winning the Premier League title and the FA Cup during his two-season spell in charge at Chelsea between 2016 and 2018. The 51-year-old Italian guided Inter to a first top-flight crown since 2010, but was unhappy with the club’s owners after they reportedly refused to give him significant backing in the transfer market. Inter are feeling the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and could be forced to cash in on a number of players, including star striker Romelu Lukaku.  Conte is reported to be barred from managing another Italian side during the 2021-22 campaign as part of his contract termination.  If Conte takes the Tottenham job, it was reported he could be joined by Fabio Paratici in a director of football role, with the pair having previously worked together at Juventus. Levy said he wanted to bring back “entertaining and attacking football” to Tottenham, which might be at odds with Conte’s conservative tactics. Tottenham also have to resolve the future of England captain Harry Kane, who wants to leave the club, with Manchester City and Chelsea among the teams interested in the striker.


London (AFP) – Tottenham have held talks with former Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte as they look for a permanent successor to Jose Mourinho, according to reports on Wednesday.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has been searching for a new boss since sacking Mourinho in April.

Ryan Mason was put in caretaker charge until the end of the season as Tottenham finished a disappointing seventh in the Premier League.

Spurs had made Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers their top target after Leipzig’s Julian Nagelsmann agreed to take the Bayern Munich post.

Levy also reportedly made an unsuccessful approach to Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino in a bid to bring the former Tottenham coach back to north London.

Pochettino left in November 2019 but is understood to be keen on a return to the team he led to the Champions League final.

However, PSG are reluctant to let the Argentine go after less than one full season in the French capital.

Now Tottenham are believed to have turned their attention to Conte, who left Inter after leading them to the Serie A title this season.

Conte knows what it takes to thrive in English football after winning the Premier League title and the FA Cup during his two-season spell in charge at Chelsea between 2016 and 2018.

The 51-year-old Italian guided Inter to a first top-flight crown since 2010, but was unhappy with the club’s owners after they reportedly refused to give him significant backing in the transfer market.

Inter are feeling the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and could be forced to cash in on a number of players, including star striker Romelu Lukaku. 

Conte is reported to be barred from managing another Italian side during the 2021-22 campaign as part of his contract termination. 

If Conte takes the Tottenham job, it was reported he could be joined by Fabio Paratici in a director of football role, with the pair having previously worked together at Juventus.

Levy said he wanted to bring back “entertaining and attacking football” to Tottenham, which might be at odds with Conte’s conservative tactics.

Tottenham also have to resolve the future of England captain Harry Kane, who wants to leave the club, with Manchester City and Chelsea among the teams interested in the striker.



from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3wOSlZa

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Barcelona (AFP) – Xavi Hernandez said he is prepared for the “biggest challenge of his career” before leaving Qatar for Spain on Saturday, as Barcelona’s legendary former midfielder returns home to take over as coach. Xavi’s appointment was confirmed by Barca in the early hours of Saturday morning and the 41-year-old will be presented to fans at Camp Nou on Monday. “I’m very happy as you can imagine, it’s the biggest challenge of my career,” Xavi told Spanish journalists at Doha airport. “I’m going home and I am very happy.” Xavi faces a huge challenge, with Barcelona adrift of La Liga’s top four, struggling to make the knock-out stages of the Champions League and grappling with debts of more than a billion euros. “I have also experienced bad situations,” Xavi said. “It’s not the best moment in the history of the club but I want to explain what my idea is and to work hard, to make a team. Obviously the first thing is to talk to the players to see how they are.” Xavi left...

Bayern down Mainz to go six points clear in the Bundesliga Berlin (AFP) – Defending champions Bayern Munich extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to six points on Saturday after coming from behind to seal a 2-1 home win against Mainz. Second-half goals by Kingsley Coman and 18-year-old Jamal Musiala sealed the victory behind closed doors at Munich’s Allianz Arena after Mainz had taken a shock lead. Bayern remain firmly on course to win the German league for the tenth straight season after stretching their lead at the top of the table as second-placed Dortmund were held 1-1 at Bochum. 

Berlin (AFP) – Defending champions Bayern Munich extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to six points on Saturday after coming from behind to seal a 2-1 home win against Mainz. Second-half goals by Kingsley Coman and 18-year-old Jamal Musiala sealed the victory behind closed doors at Munich’s Allianz Arena after Mainz had taken a shock lead. Bayern remain firmly on course to win the German league for the tenth straight season after stretching their lead at the top of the table as second-placed Dortmund were held 1-1 at Bochum.  from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3lVLPNa

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