Tottenham are closing in on the appointment of Antonio Conte as their new boss after sacking Nuno Espirito Santo.
Spurs fired Nuno after just four months on Monday morning following Saturday's 3-0 defeat to Manchester United where the fans turned on him.
They moved quickly to find a successor, renewing interest in former Chelsea boss Conte, who was close to getting the job before Nuno in June.
The two parties were in advanced discussions on Monday, it is understood, with the Italian believed to be in London ahead of a possible announcement.
A deal would see Conte, who has been out of work since leaving Inter Milan at the end of last season, return to the Premier League where he guided Chelsea to the title in 2016-17, adding an FA Cup the following season.
Conte, who delivered the Scudetto to Inter before departing, had previously been in advanced talks with Spurs about becoming Jose Mourinho’s successor in June, but they broke down after the two parties were at odds over key issues.
However, managing director Fabio Paratici is now in position at the Premier League club and has a strong relationship with the 52-year-old, having worked with him at Juventus.
And it looks like any differences will be overcome, with chairman Daniel Levy turning to the serial winner to turn Spurs back into a force in English football.
Nuno’s sacking followed Tottenham’s fifth defeat in their last seven Premier League games.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and Paratici are understood to have met on Sunday to discuss the 47-year-old Portuguese’s fate.
And a statement from Tottenham on Monday morning said: "The club can today announce that Nuno Espirito Santo and his coaching staff Ian Cathro, Rui Barbosa and Antonio Dias have been relieved of their duties."
Paratici said: "I know how much Nuno and his coaching staff wanted to succeed and I regret that we have had to take this decision. Nuno is a true gentleman and will always be welcome here. We should like to thank him and his coaching staff and wish them well for the future."
Tottenham added that "a further coaching update will follow in due course".
Spurs brought in former Wolves boss Nuno on 30 June having gone through a number of candidates to replace Mourinho – it is understood with regard to Conte at that time that they were put off by certain demands made by the 52-year-old.
Nuno, who Spurs had previously rejected due to his playing style, was handed the role with Paratici convincing Levy that he could fit the bill.
The 17 games Tottenham have played in all competitions since then started with a 1-0 win over Manchester City but have featured seven defeats, and the team have often been poor to watch.
The losses to West Ham and Manchester United in their last two Premier League matches have seen them go two hours and 16 minutes without having a shot on target.
With Nuno having already come under fire after defeats to Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Arsenal, the mood significantly soured during Saturday's game when sections of the crowd chanted 'You don’t know what you’re doing’ and booed at the full-time whistle.
Supporters reacted badly to the manager taking Lucas Moura off early in the second half and continued to make their displeasure known throughout the contest.
Nuno, who took Wolves from the Championship to the top flight and into the Europa League during his four-year tenure there from 2017, departs Tottenham with the team lying eighth in the Premier League.
A statement from the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust said: "We take no pleasure in seeing the 14th manager of (owners) ENIC’s reign depart the club today. Nuno Espirito Santo conducted himself with integrity, good grace and civility throughout his short time at Spurs and, although clearly not the right fit for Tottenham, we wish him and his coaching staff Ian Cathro, Rui Barbosa and Antonio Dias well for the future.
"Of immediate concern now is where our club goes next. We reiterate the questions around strategy and vision first posed to the club’s board earlier in October. There is growing concern among fans about the direction of travel at Tottenham Hotspur. Fans want and deserve to know what the short and long-term plans are, on and off field, how the club’s board is correcting past mistakes to avoid repetition, what key milestones are being set and how they are measuring success.
"Fans want reassurance that the club’s board has a clear philosophy and vision, and the ability to implement it. Bland statements about being focused on success on the pitch and football families are not sufficient.
"For two years now, there has been obvious regression. The club’s board needs to show unequivocally that they have both listened to the voices of concerned fans and are acting positively on those.
"Now is the time for strong communication and accountability. We call on the board of Tottenham Hotspur to put fans and football first at what is a vital time in the history of our club."
