TBR Football understands that Daniel Levy was reluctant to leave his role as Tottenham Hotspur chairman, but the club’s owners decided the time was right for a change.
Levy had just completed a busy summer window, which included bringing in new head coach Thomas Frank, and he was about to confirm the return of confidant Fabio Paratici as head of the club’s football department.
However, Paratici’s return to the club is now uncertain, following the news that Levy has left the club after 25 years in North London.
Sources have confirmed to TBR Football that Levy was shown the exit door following talks with owners the Lewis Family, whose trust holds the controlling stake in Spurs, were understood to have been considering changes for a number of months.
The club’s new chief executive, former Arsenal supremo Vinai Venkatesham, is set to play a leading role going forward, as he has done during the summer, and it was he who confirmed the news to the club’s staff.
Peter Charrington has been named non-executive chairman in the wake of Levy’s departure, and he will assume much of Levy’s overall responsibilities in the short term.
Sources: Tottenham have planned for Daniel Levy’s departure
TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey explains what one source close to the situation had to say on Levy’s departure.
“There is no question what Daniel Levy has done for the club, especially commercially with the new stadium and everything surrounding that. I am told the owners have been considering changes for a while.
“Perhaps the timing is unusual, but is there ever a good time for this sort of thing?”
The Tottenham supporters are shocked by Levy’s exit; the former chairman had hardly cut a popular figure in North London, but was coming off the back of a fairly successful summer transfer window.
Levy revealed his wish for Spurs to win the Premier League at the end of last season, following the Europa League triumph, and was influential in bringing Frank to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The 63-year-old has overseen Tottenham for a generation of supporters – indeed, he has been the subject of fan-led protests and has been accused in the past of lacking ambition, but Levy’s financial acumen has been influential to Spurs’ success.
Nevertheless, the Lewis family are determined to deliver prolonged success in North London and believes that the decision to adopt a fresh approach will be the catalyst for driving Tottenham towards silverware in the years to come.
Daniel Levy’s final transfer window at Tottenham
Spurs suffered highs and lows throughout the summer transfer window – Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze both turned down their respective moves.
However, Levy worked hard throughout the summer to help Frank add quality depth pieces to his inherited side ahead of their return to the Champions League.
Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus are the crown jewels on what proved to be a successful transfer window in North London, although at one stage, it appeared that the club was struggling to secure their top targets.
Randal Kolo Muani will now forever be the final player Levy convinced to represent the Lilywhites as the former chairman pulls the curtain on his long Tottenham reign.