Daniel Levy has not contacted Mauricio Pochettino over a potential return to Tottenham despite being linked with the vacant permanent position.
The 51-year-old, who has been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain last summer, has been tipped to become the next Spurs boss following the departure of Antonio Conte. Cristian Stellini is not expected to be given the job on a long-term basis after taking over as interim manager for their remaining matches.
But, according to Football.London, Levy has not spoken to Pochettino about re-joining Tottenham - three-and-a-half years after the Argentine was sacked at the north London club. Pochettino spent five successful years at Spurs, reaching the Champions League final and coming close to winning the Premier League title twice.
However, Levy has a reputation as a stubborn operator and has seemingly been unwilling to consider moving back to the man he sacked just a few months after reaching the Champions League final.
It is understood Pochettino, who is also a strong contender for the Chelsea job, would have been open to having at least a conversation about a move back to the club. However, that hasn't been the case yet as Spurs muddle who they should appoint as their next permanent boss.
Levy may speed up that process after watching his side crumble and get beat 6-1 by Newcastle on Sunday. Tottenham collapsed in the opening stages at St James' Park as the Magpies scored FIVE times inside the first 21 minutes thanks to braces from Jacob Murphy and Alexander Isak, and Joelinton's strike.
Harry Kane pulled one back for Spurs after the break, before Eddie Howe's side added another through substitute Callum Wilson to add gloss on a memorable afternoon in the North East. It's a result that has moved Newcastle six points clear of fifth-place Tottenham in the race for a Champions League place.
Newcastle also have a game in hand on Spurs and look all but destined to finish inside the top four for the first time in 20 years. Manchester United are also six points ahead in fourth but have played two matches fewer ahead of their trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Speaking after the defeat at Newcastle, Stellini said: "It went so badly because we were not prepared enough to play an important match. We have a good squad I think, but nobody showed how we are good.
"It was my responsibility to decide the system for the game and we decided to defend differently because we had many injured and we had Ben Davies and [Clement] Lenglet who could maybe play 15 minutes. But this is my responsibility to make this type of decision. I took it, and it was wrong.
"I take responsibility because when I changed the system the game was already gone. We played better, we scored, we tried to fight. It’s very difficult to understand why the first 25 minutes was so bad.
"We were not prepared to play this type of tough game. To be prepared means to be ready to suffer, to be ready to control the space and be ready to fight. But this? We were not prepared.
"We had a good mood before the game, but if you don’t show your mood during the game, then you are not prepared. Maybe the system being changed created a different idea between me and what the players thought."
