Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Graham Roberts has told Football FanCast that Daniel Levy took the decision to sack Jose Mourinho so he could attempt to appoint Julian Nagelsmann as manager, although any move could now be in doubt after Bild reported on Monday that an agreement between RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich is close.
The RB Leipzig boss has been admired by Levy for some time, with FFC reporting after Mauricio Pochettino’s sacking that he was actually the chairman’s first-choice.
Those links have resurfaced in recent weeks, and The Daily Telegraph reports that the 33-year-old is again Levy’s first-choice.
Is Nagelsmann your no.1 choice to replace Mourinho?
Absolutely!
No way!
However, there is a wrinkle in any pursuit given that Hansi Flick is set to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season, likely to become the German national team manager.
Bayern will thus be on the lookout for a replacement and Nagelsmann has been touted as a potential successor to Flick at the Allianz Arena.
As such, Roberts believes that Levy pulled the trigger on Mourinho on Monday in order to give Spurs a “chance” of appointing the young boss.
Leipzig are currently second in the Bundesliga, seven points behind leaders Bayern.
Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “At the moment, I have two or three names. I think this has all been done, for me personally, because the Bayern Munich manager is going at the end of the season.
“Bayern Munich have said that Nagelsmann is their number one target. We’ve always been in touch, been wanting Nagelsmann, and I think the club have thought, if Jose wins the cup, does he keep the job for next season?
“So Nagelsmann goes to Bayern Munich. Nagelsmann might already be Bayern Munich manager anyway, he might have already agreed, but I think they’ve given themselves a chance, Tottenham, to go and get him.”