Tottenham's next manager: Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel, Luis Enrique & the contenders to replace under-fire Spurs boss Antonio Conte

The man who came closest to transforming Spurs is first up on the list - Argentine tactician and current free agent Mauricio Pochettino.

Paris Saint-Germain took the decision to sack Pochettino after another failed Champions League campaign last summer, and he is now being linked with a sensational return to north London.

The 50-year-old guided Tottenham to League Cup and Champions League finals during his five-year stint in charge, along with one runners-up finish in the Premier League, before being relieved of his duties in November 2019.

He also now has the experience of managing three of the world's best players in the form of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, which might tempt Spurs chairman Daniel Levy to give him a second chance.

Tottenham have certainly gone downhill since Pochettino's departure, with Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Conte all failing to deliver the same levels of consistency, and a homecoming could provide a much-needed lift to an increasingly disillusioned fanbase.

The Barcelona legend is looking for work again after he was axed by Spain following their disappointing performance at the 2022 World Cup, where they were knocked out on penalties by surprise package Morocco at the last-16 stage.

It's his previous work with Barca that stands out on the managerial section of his CV, however, with Luis Enrique having steered the Liga giants to two Liga titles and the Champions League, winning six other trophies along the way, during a hugely successful stint between 2014 and 2017.

Like Conte, the Spaniard, who is, the Athletic reports, at the top of sporting director Fabio Paratici's list of managerial targets, doesn't tolerate nonsense but whether he could ultimately be a success in the Premier League remains to be seen.

It has been reported that Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper is also a contender to succeed Conte, with the Welshman boasting a number of admirers in the Spurs boardroom.

The 43-year-old inspired Forest's successful promotion bid last season, and has made them competitive in their first season back in the Premier League after 23 years, despite having to manage a huge squad after a major summer overhaul.

Cooper has proven himself as an accomplished man-manager, and might be able to give Spurs' flops the kick up the backside they sorely need. He did, however, commit to a new three-year deal at the City Ground in October.

He and Levy wouldn't exactly be a match made in heaven either, given the fact Cooper can be quite stubborn with his tactical approach and ideas, and any differences in opinion could potentially lead to more issues behind the scenes.

Thomas Tuchel has been out of work since being ruthlessly axed by Chelsea last September, and it has been reported that he could make a surprise return to London at the home of their fierce rivals.

Former Blues boss Conte made the same controversial decision when he was appointed by Spurs in 2021, and Tuchel also doesn't need to show loyalty to those at Stamford Bridge after the manner of his exit, which came after he had delivered the club's second Champions League crown, the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup honours.

Before his time at Chelsea, Tuchel enjoyed similar success at PSG, taking them to a maiden Champions League final while picking up back-to-back Ligue 1 titles, and he also impressed at Borussia Dortmund at the start of his top-level managerial career.

The 49-year-old certainly has the pedigree Levy looks for in a manager, but he has reportedly clashed with his previous clubs over transfer plans and hasn't always seen eye-to-eye with his players.

Still, the rewards could outweigh the risks when it comes to Tuchel, and Spurs would be wise to approach him quickly amid reports that PSG could try to bring him back in the summer.

Eintracht Frankfurt's Oliver Glasner is well on his way to becoming one of the top coaches on the continent.

He made the switch to The Waldstadion in 2021 after two successful years at Wolfsburg, and guided Eintracht to an unlikely Europa League triumph in his maiden campaign.

Glasner's side are now pushing for a top-four finish in the Bundesliga, and his intelligent pressing system is thought to have caught the eye of Tottenham's senior staff.

Spurs might also see the 48-year-old as an attractive option due to the fact his contract is due to expire in 2024, meaning they wouldn't need to pay a huge compensation fee to secure his services.

When Graham Potter departed Brighton for Chelsea at the start of the season, it was feared that all of his good work at the Amex Stadium would be undone.

The Seagull's ninth-placed Premier League finish in 2021-22 was their best-ever showing, and former Shakhtar Donetsk boss Roberto De Zerbi was the man drafted in to try and match that standard.

Remarkably, the Italian tactician has managed to take Brighton to even greater heights, as they now sit in eighth place after 23 matches - seven points behind fourth-placed Spurs with three games in hand.

De Zerbi's work on the south coast has impressed Tottenham officials, and if he continues on his current trajectory, it seems inevitable that he will move onto a bigger club this summer.

Spurs might be slightly wary of appointing the 43-year-old, though, having seen Nuno fail spectacularly after making a similar step up from Wolves in the summer of 2021.

Next up on the list is Potter himself, who has learned the hard way that the grass isn't always greener when accepting a dream job after years of stellar service at a smaller club.

Potter is arguably the only manager in the Premier League under more pressure than Conte right now, after a disastrous start to his Chelsea reign.

Chelsea handed Potter an unprecedented five-year deal upon his arrival at the Bridge, but it has been reported that the club's Todd Boehly-led ownership group could be tempted to rip up that agreement if he fails to oversee a swift turnaround in fortunes.

Spurs has been mooted as a possible next destination for Potter if is he dismissed at Chelsea, but he reportedly turned the club down before Nuno's appointment, and would surely be an unpopular choice among supporters given his poor record with the Blues.

De Zerbi is not the only man exceeding expectations in the Premier League this season, with Thomas Frank spearheading an unlikely European charge at Brentford.

The Bees finished 13th in their debut top-flight campaign under Frank, and have managed to improve this term despite operating on a limited budget.

They are sitting just three points behind Brighton after the same number of games, and have claimed the scalps of Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City already this term, with Frank's attack-minded 4-3-3 formation reaping rich rewards.

Like De Zerbi and Cooper, Frank is one of the less experienced candidates for the top job at Spurs, but he certainly has a unique aura about him, and his preferred style of play could quickly win over any sceptical supporters.

Last but by no means least, Massimiliano Allegri is a man who needs little introduction.

The Italian tactician won 11 trophies during in his first spell at the helm of Juventus, including five successive Serie A titles, and also took them to two Champions League finals.

Allegri has been far less successful since returning to the club in May 2021, but his CV speaks for itself, and a possible reunion with Fabio Paratici may hold great appeal.

Spurs' current director of football held a similar position at Juventus during Allegri's peak years, and the pair reportedly still enjoy a good relationship to this day.

A potential move could be in the best interests of all parties concerned, too, with the Bianconeri fanbase having lost faith in Allegri well before the club's points deduction for false accounting in January.