Tottenham turn to Paulo Fonseca in bid to end faltering search for a new manager

Tottenham have turned to Paulo Fonseca in their faltering search for a new manager.

The 48-year-old is the latest boss Spurs have spoken to in their bid to replace Jose Mourinho, who was sacked in April.

Sportsmail understands Fonseca is fully open to a Premier League move this summer after leaving Roma last season.

Tottenham are now pursuing former Roma boss Paulo Fonseca as their new manager

Tottenham have faltered in their search for a new manager since Jose Mourinho was sacked

Intriguingly, sources claim Fonseca was a contender to replace Steve Bruce at Newcastle if the failed Saudi takeover had gone through.

Talks with Fonseca are underway and said to be progressing positively, though there will be an air of caution with regards to Fonseca’s potential appointment at Tottenham.

Having missed out on their top two targets, Julian Nagelsmann and Brendan Rodgers, the club have also failed to lure Antonio Conte, Erik Ten Haag and Mauricio Pochettino in what has been a frustrating search for a new boss.

Fonseca left Roma at the start of May – and was replaced by Mourinho at the club

But having been identified by incoming sporting director Fabio Paratici, Portuguese boss Fonseca is now front runner to be named new Spurs boss. 

Roma announced at the start of May that Fonseca was set to leave the club at the end of season, just hours before their Europa League semi-final second-leg with Manchester United.

While Fonseca managed to lead the Serie A club to a European last-four tie in the season just finished, he only managed to guide the Giallorossi to seventh place in Italy’s top-flight – thereby qualifying them for the Europa Conference League.

Fonseca (left) won three Ukrainian top-flight titles with Shakhtar Donetsk before joining Roma

A day after their announcement of Fonseca’s departure, Roma announced the appointment of Mourinho as boss, just two-and-a-half weeks after he was let go by Spurs.

Fonseca had only been in charge of Roma for two seasons, having led them to fifth place during the 2019-20 campaign. Before moving to Italy, Fonseca was in charge of Shakhtar Donetsk for three years – and he won the Ukrainian top-flight every season. 

The 48-year-old has also managed Portuguese giants Porto and Braga during his managerial career, winning the domestic cup with the latter in 2016.