Another Tottenham “frontrunner” ruled out as manager search continues

Graham Potter is not coming to Tottenham, with reports suggesting that Daniel Levy isn’t interested in paying £15 million in compensation. 

Potter has another four years left on his Brighton contract, one of a few main reasons preventing Spurs from securing his services. However, Potter himself would also turn down any Tottenham proposition, according to the Sun. Yet again no sources are named, with the article saying people in his close cohort confirm that Potter is only interested in leaving Brighton for a top-four side.

If true, it would mark yet another major setback in Tottenham’s pursuit of a manager. Maybe Levy, to save face, is scapegoating the latest setback on the rather large compensation fee when in fact it’s Potter who doesn’t want anything to do with the job.

Either way, Potter is not Tottenham bound. He will remain on the south coast for the 2021-2022 campaign, hoping Brighton climb the top-flight ladder to make him a more appealing target for an elite side.

If Levy really wanted Potter to take the helm at Tottenham, the £15 million compensation would not stand in his way. The chairman wouldn’t have thought twice about paying an exorbitant compensation to PSG if it meant securing Pochettino’s services.

Levy obviously doesn’t hold Potter to the same high esteem as he does the Argentine. Though again, it could be more about saving face after Levy learned of Potter’s plans to reject any Tottenham offer.

That leaves Nuno Espirito Santo, Ernesto Valverde and, potentially, Steven Gerrard as the three men standing in what has become the most shambolic search of a manager in Spurs’ long history.