Mauricio Pochettino 'in shock' at Daniel Levy's Tottenham departure with ex-Spurs boss latest to praise former chairman

Spurs announced on Thursday that the long-serving chairman was departing after almost 25 years at the helm. While the club said he "stepped down" with immediate effect, the BBC have since reported that Levy was eased aside by owner Joe Lewis.

And Pochettino - who worked alongside Levy during his five-and-a-half-year spell as Tottenham head coach - has revealed he immediately texted his former boss after learning the news of his shock exit from north London.

Pochettino, who is now in charge of the United States men's national team, said: "I am a little bit in shock because he [Levy] was my former president. I don't know what happened there. Of course, I sent a text to him, and I sent a text to different people that were very close to him. I wish him the best. My relationship [with him] always was very good, and yes, I was in shock."

After he was appointed by Levy in 2014, Pochettino enjoyed a successful spell in charge of Tottenham. Under the Argentine's stewardship, the club finished inside the top four in four consecutive Premier League seasons, while also reaching the Champions League final in 2019 before he was dismissed in November of that year. Pochettino has since managed Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and the USMNT, while Levy oversaw Tottenham's Europa League victory over Manchester United in May, ending the club's 17-year wait for a trophy.

Tottenham are next in action when they travel to London rivals West Ham United in the Premier League on September 13. Spurs, now managed by Thomas Frank, will then get their Champions League campaign under way when they host Villarreal on September 16.