Paulo Fonseca: Tottenham end talks with Portuguese manager

Fonesca has previously managed Roma, Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk and Braga

Tottenham’s managerial search took another twist on Thursday after the club broke off talks with Paulo Fonseca.

The Portuguese, 48, was set to replace Jose Mourinho after Spurs’ new football managing director Fabio Paratici named him as his first choice.

But the former Roma manager, who met Paratici this week in Italy, will no longer be joining the club.

It is thought to be linked to Gennaro Gattuso’s external-link unexpected Fiorentina exit.

Former Milan and Napoli manager Gattuso, 43, left the Italian side on Thursday after just 23 days in the role.

Fonseca is understood to be stunned by the developments, with negotiations reportedly so far advanced that discussions had taken place about potential signings.

He was expecting to be confirmed in post over the coming days.

Earlier in June, Spurs had also been in advanced talks with former Inter Milan and Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, while also trying to persuade their former manager Mauricio Pochettino to leave his role at Paris St-Germain.

It is now nearly two months since Mourinho was sacked after 17 months in charge.