Tottenham sack manager Jose Mourinho

Tottenham Hotspur have sacked head coach Jose Mourinho on Monday after talks with club chairman Daniel Levy.

Spurs' recent 2-2 draw with Everton on Sunday left them seventh in the Premier League standings, five points adrift of the top four with six games to play.

Levy has decided that now is the time to act and part ways with Mourinho and his coaching staff, despite the fact that his side have the Carabao Cup final with Manchester City to compete in on Sunday.

Spurs said in an official statement: "The Club can today announce that Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff Joao Sacramento, Nuno Santos, Carlos Lalin and Giovanni Cerra have been relieved of their duties.

Daniel Levy said: "Jose and his coaching staff have been with us through some of our most challenging times as a Club. Jose is a true professional who showed enormous resilience during the pandemic. On a personal level I have enjoyed working with him and regret that things have not worked out as we both had envisaged.

"He will always be welcome here and we should like to thank him and his coaching staff for their contribution."

The club confirmed that Ryan Mason will take charge of training on Monday, and both he and Chris Powell are expected to be in charge of the team for the upcoming fixtures. Spurs will make a further announcement in due course.

Julian Nagelsmann and Brendan Rodgers are among the leading contenders to succeed Mourinho in the long-term, with a decision over the next manager currently expected at the end of the season.