Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui has admitted that he had a chance to join Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.
Tottenham were linked with a whole host of different names during the summer before confirming Nuno Espirito Santo as Jose Mourinho’s successor.
In hindsight, the decision proved to be the wrong one, with the Portuguese coach lasting just four months in the job before he was replaced by Antonio Conte.
Lopetegui was one of the names thought to be on the North Londoners’ radar at the time.
Duncan Castles revealed back in June (on The Transfer Window Podcast – starting at 3:58) that Tottenham made significant progress in their pursuit of the Spaniard, even agreeing on terms with Sevilla to release the 55-year-old, only for him to reject the club’s approach for personal reasons.
Sevilla president, Jose Castro admitted at the time that Lopetegui rejected a ‘dizzying’ offer from Spurs (via Football London).
The former Spain boss has now insisted that he does not think about what happened in the summer, insisting that he is fully focused on the task at hand at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.
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When asked about Tottenham’s interest in the summer, Lopetegui told the print edition of AS (as relayed by Sport Witness): “That is history. There were options to be able to take other paths but I am happy at Sevilla.
“Training in the Premier League? One learns to live in the present and the future does not exist, God will say.
“I put all my passion and energy into this profession, without making more plans.”
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One could argue in hindsight that Tottenham floundering with their managerial search during the summer worked out well for the club in the end.
Unfortunately, Nuno ended up being the fall guy but the club eventually got their hands on their number one target in Conte, albeit four months later.
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