Antonio Conte to be sacked ‘this week’ after fiery Tottenham Hotspur outburst with replacement lined up

Reports in Italy suggest that Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte will leave the club this week after last weekend's outburst.

The Spurs manager gave a seething post-match press conference on Saturday, after his side threw away a 3-1 lead against Southampton, attacking the club's board and his players.

Despite the North London club sitting fourth in the league, TUTTOmercatoWEB in Italy has reported that news reaching them on Monday night was that Conte's tenure would end "as early as this week".

The outlet added that first team coach Ryan Mason was ready and waiting to temporarily step into the role once again, just as he did following the sacking of Jose Mourinho in 2021 - the ex-Spurs midfielder became the youngest Premier League manager in history at that point.

The final nail in the Conte coffin was that press conference outburst against his 'selfish' squad and a trophyless board.

Conte said: "We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, I see players that don't want to help each other and don't put their heart.

"Before today I prefer to hide this situation and to try to speak, to try to improve the spirit, the situation, with the words, with a lot of situations. Because about tactical or technical aspect, this is one situation.

"The most important thing if you want to become a strong team, if you want to become competitive if you want to fight to win, is the desire, the fire that you need to have in your eyes, in your heart, and you have to show this in every moment. In every moment.

"We have to play to make our fans proud of us, we have to play to show desire. The fire in your eyes to win. If you have this, for sure, you don't go out in FA Cup. And today we'd win.

"Maybe previously in the other games, something can change. But here we're used to it for a long time. The club has the responsibility for the transfer market, every coach that stayed here has the responsibility. And the players? The players? Where are the players?

"In my experience, I can tell you that if you want to be competitive, if you want to fight, you have to improve this aspect. And this aspect, I can tell you, in this moment is really, really low. And I see only 11 players that play for themselves."

That fiery outburst from Conte is believed to have cost him the support of the dressing room, making his role a hard one to resurrect.

One Tottenham Hotspur star's agent told SkySports: "Every time he talks, it's as if he's doing the lads and Spurs a favour by still being here. He questioned their attitude and commitment when it's clear for a long time that he doesn't even want to be at the club."