Tottenham’s troubles build up as season draws to a close

Tottenham are in limbo going into the final three games of the season as they remain without a manager and the fans are in a serious state of unrest.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what is happening in N17.

Who is going to be their next manager?

Such was chairman Daniel Levy’s desire the finish the season strongly, he fired Jose Mourinho six days before the Carabao Cup final and without a replacement lined up. Three weeks on from Mourinho’s sacking the Portuguese has already found a new job, but Spurs are no closer to finding a permanent successor.

Having seen possible candidates Julian Nagelsmann and Erik ten Hag become unavailable, the club are understood to have drawn up a shortlist and hope to make an appointment before the end of the season.

There is a clear profile that the new manager must fit into, one who delivers progressive attractive football and can nurture younger players, but the identity of the person is not yet known.

Whoever ends up with the job this summer has a mammoth task to rebuild a squad that reached the Champions League final just two years ago.

Will Harry Kane be sold?

There is little surprise that Kane is beginning to get itchy feet given his brilliant personal form in a disappointing season for the club. He deserves to win the biggest trophies in the game and it is looking less and less likely that is possible at Tottenham.

However, the club are in total command of Kane’s future, meaning the England captain would have to actively pursue an exit. He is under contract for another three years and Spurs remain steadfast that their star asset is not for sale.

For that to change a club would have to come in and offer a fee so high Levy could not turn it down and, in the current climate, amid a global pandemic, that seems unlikely.

Even if a club could match Levy’s estimation, the chairman would be highly unlikely to sell to another Premier League club. It looks like, for another season at least, Kane will remain in north London.

Why are fans unhappy?

Despite what Levy and the club’s owners ENIC have done off the field over the last decade, including building a £1billion stadium, Spurs fans still have an undercurrent of discontent due to a lack of investment in the side.

Their decision not to add to Mauricio Pochettino’s squad following back-to-back Premier League title challenges still rankles with many and the subsequent failure to rebuild a stale and under-performing group has led Spurs to their current position of a likely second year without Champions League football.

Levy may have earned some goodwill for sacking Mourinho, but any he did have was completely wiped out by the club’s involvement in the European Super League farce.

The club’s supporters’ trust is involved in a current stand-off with Levy over a potential meeting, having called for the executive board’s resignation, while at least one major fans’ protest is planned between now and the end of the season.

And if the disconnect between club and fans was not bad enough, the decision to charge £60 for tickets for the last home game of the season when others are charging half the price has angered support further.