Tottenham supremo Daniel Levy has reportedly been left irritated by reports that head coach Antonio Conte could replace Mauricio Pochettino at Paris Saint-Germain.
The Italian tactician has emerged as a target for the Ligue 1 giants, who look set to part ways with Pochettino at the end of the season. And the timing of speculation regarding the 54-year-old's future has been a source of frustration for Spurs chairman Levy, according to The Athletic.
The club will be keen to ignore reports about the future of their manager with a top-four finish on the line with only five games remaining. The north London side are competing in a fierce battle with Arsenal after winning seven of their last 10 Premier League matches, although a goalless draw against Brentford has allowed the Gunners to leapfrog them into fourth.
Such distractions are nothing new for Levy and Tottenham, as only a year ago Harry Kane's future was put under the microscope. But the fact that Conte has been non-commital beyond the current campaign will provide some concern, while the club's failure to qualify for the Champions League last season makes them vulnerable to approaches for their prized assets.
The 54-year-old refused to confirm if he would see out the season in January after voicing his displeasure about the club's transfer business. Those murmurs of discontent appear to have quietened in recent months after turning the club's form around and watching the likes of Dejan Kulusevski shine.
Levy would have been fully aware of Conte's behaviour at Chelsea and Inter Milan how keeping him on his side is crucial. But with the riches of PSG on offer and a chance to work with world-class talents such as Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, the temptation may be difficult to resist for the Tottenham boss.
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Conte's current deal expires in June 2023 and, when it was put to him whether he could extend his contract beyond that date, the ex-Chelsea boss was coy on his future plans: “In this moment there is only one truth and [it is] I am committed with this club for another year,” he said. “The club wanted this situation and I accepted it because it was good to get to know each other. After four months I think the club have understood the way I want to work and I understand the club."
If Conte were to be approached by the French giants, it could free up Pochettino to make an emotional return to the club some three years after departing. The 50-year-old guided PSG to reclaiming the domestic title after a 1-1 draw against Lens on Sunday. But their poor performance in the Champions League, with a 3-2 aggregate defeat at the hands of Real Madrid in the last-16 knockout round, will be regarded as a failure against his tenure.
Spurs had lined up a shock move to bring Pochettino back to north London when Levy sacked Jose Mourinho, before PSG blocked the move and demanded a £20m compensation fee. However, if the Parisian outfit were to sack the Argentinian manager, it would open the possibility for him to make a return to the Premier League should Conte take his place.
