Sean Dyche says he was never approached by Tottenham to become their next manager – but he wouldn’t have taken the job anyway.
Rumours had lingered that the seasoned Premier League manager was in the running to replace Igor Tudor in the Spurs dugout.
Dyche spent just 114 days at Nottingham Forest, his last managerial gigAFP
Tottenham sit in real danger. They’re just one point and one place above the Premier League relegation zone with seven games remaining.
The 54-year-old was available for the job having been sacked by Nottingham Forest, who are also Spurs’ relegation rivals, in February.
Commenting on his links with Spurs, Dyche said on White and Jordan: “I didn’t laugh it off by the way, I told a true story.
“I spend a lot of time in London, not working but socially and I just happened to be here at the same time the Tottenham job opened.
“Once you’re in the city, people put two and two together and it was never about getting drawn into the rumours.
“I’m telling the truth, there was a lot of speculation and talk and I was playing it down correctly so.
“It’s no disrespect to anyone, it’s a brilliant club and I’ve said that but it’s nonsense to pre-suppose an outcome just because you’re in the same city.”
Jim White asked him: “Did you have a conversation with them?”
Dyche simply replied: “No, I did not.“
The Englishman has become a popular candidate for many clubs when managerial roles in the Premier League become vacant.
Tottenham are in danger of becoming the first ‘Big Six’ side to be relegated from the Premier LeagueGetty
He has built up a strong reputation for helping teams survive in the top flight during his spells at Everton and Burnley.
Dyche is best known for his time at the Clarets where he won promotion to the Premier League twice and secured a seventh-place finish in 2018.
Additionally, the former Everton boss helped in their fight for survival in 2022/23 after the Toffees extended their unbroken 68-year stay in the English top flight.
However, the Merseyside-based club dismissed the 54-year-old in January 2025, in a season which saw Everton lose eight points in deductions for two separate breaches of PSR rules.
Despite his experience in helping sides stay up, Tottenham did not have conversations with Dyche, however, the former Forest manager was asked by Simon Jordan if money would have enticed him take the Tottenham role.
Dyche said: “Obviously in the career I have, it does pay well but I wouldn’t go in there looking for money.
Dyche left Everton at the start of 2025Getty
“They could offer me a massive amount of money, I’m sure they’re capable of it and allegedly they’ve offered [Roberto] De Zerbi a massive amount of money.
“It would have been about what are you [Spurs] going to help me gain as a human being. What would I gain?
“Let’s say you go in there and get the job done [not get relegated], then next season if you’re not in the top four and the football’s not what they want, then you’re rubbish and they want you out.
“So you’re not going to gain a lot there, are you? And that’s if you get the job done, because it’s not easy.
“If you don’t get the job done, then somehow it’s on my neck that I took Tottenham down.
“That ain’t good for me as a human, this is not even about football at this point.
De Zerbi asked Tottenham originally if he could manage at the start of next seasonGetty
“Then you get some money and I go, I’m not thirsty for that. I’ve got some money.”
De Zerbi is now in charge of the Lilywhites and with his immediate task to ensure they avoid an embarrassing fall to the Championship.
Tottenham’s desire to land the Italian was reflected in his salary, which is now the third-highest among Premier League managers – trailing only Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta
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Sean Dyche gives honest reply to Simon Jordan about Tottenham manager rumour
