Tottenham have reportedly started planning for life after Antonio Conte, with their preferred candidate to take over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium already identified.
Conte, whose contract with Spurs expires in the summer, is yet to enter into discussions with the club about extending his deal beyond the current season, preferring to wait six months before deciding his future.
Without wanting to be caught out, Daniel Levy has already started looking for Conte's replacement, with another former Chelsea manager at the forefront of consideration.
However, it isn't the out-of-work and obvious former Blues gaffer Thomas Tuchel on their radar. Instead, it is Maurizio Sarri, currently in charge of Lazio in Serie A.
Indeed, Italian outlet Il Messaggero is reporting that Tottenham are interested in acquiring Sarri's services, as well as fellow Premier League clubs West Ham and Everton. Atletico Madrid are also keen, with speculation suggesting that Diego Simeone will leave in the summer.
Sarri managed Chelsea for just a single campaign in the 2018/19 season, and, while he didn't pull up an trees at Stamford Bridge, the Italian did win his first major trophy as manager by leading the club to the Europa League title. Sarri then spent a season as Juventus manager, before joining Lazio in the summer of 2021.
He has a contract in Rome until 2025 with Lazio, though, making matters slightly more complicated. Regardless, Il Messaggero also indicates that Sarri is fully focussed on Lazio at the moment, with them sat sixth in Serie A and looking to break into the Champions League positions.
Should Sarri join, he would become the third ex-Chelsea manager to manage Tottenham in just four years, following Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel have both been heavily linked with the Tottenham job in recent months, especially considering Conte's noncommittal stance to the club. He also hasn't got the team performing at its best either, with the side currently fifth in the Premier League and playing some exasperating football.
Pochettino was sacked as PSG boss in the summer of 2022, while Chelsea dismissed Tuchel in September 2022. Both haven't managed anywhere since.
