Tottenham make stunning decision to sack Pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino's time at Tottenham came to an end Tuesday with confirmation from the club that the Argentine and his coaching staff were relieved of their duties.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said the club was "extremely reluctant" to part ways with the manager but indicated that the decision was based on Tottenham's poor form in the Premier League.

"It falls to the board to make the difficult decisions - this one made more so given the many memorable moments we have had with Mauricio and his coaching staff - but we do so in the club's best interests," Levy said.

"We have a talented squad. We need to re-energize and look to deliver a positive season for our supporters."

Tottenham announced that an update on their new coaching staff will be made "in due course."

Pochettino was in charge of Tottenham for five years and guided the north London outfit to its first appearance in a Champions League final last season in Madrid, where Liverpool triumphed with a 2-0 victory.

"Mauricio and his coaching staff will always be part of our history," Levy added. "I have the utmost admiration for the manner in which he dealt with the difficult times away from a home ground whilst we built the new stadium, and for the warmth and positivity he brought to us. I should like to thank him and his coaching staff for all they have contributed. They will always be welcome here."

Spurs never finished outside of the top four in the Premier League during four full seasons under Pochettino, who guided the club to its best finish in the top flight in over 50 years in 2016-17 - Tottenham finished in second place, seven points back of champions Chelsea.

However, the team has suffered a massive dip in form in the Premier League to start the 2019-20 campaign. Tottenham's draw against Sheffield United before the international break left Spurs in 14th place with just 14 points after 12 matches.

A report from The Telegraph's Matt Law and John Percy suggested that Pochettino and Levy held "crisis talks" last week to discuss the manager's future at the club and his frustrations over the team's lack of activity on the transfer market over the summer.

It was also revealed that Tottenham would reportedly have to pay the 47-year-old £12.5 million in compensation for firing him.

Meanwhile, Spurs could potentially turn their attention to candidates who are out of work, such as former Manchester United and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho or former Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, The Telegraph reports.

Tottenham's long-term candidates reportedly include Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe and Red Bull Leipzig’s Julian Nagelsmann.

Spurs will look for their first Premier League win since September when they visit the London Stadium to take on West Ham United on Saturday.