Since Mauricio Pochettino’s sacking in November 2019, Spurs have spent £979m on players with a net spend of £653m. Only Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal are ahead of them.
Other factors came into play with Levy, however, such as the suggestions he drove hard bargains which saw targeted players end up elsewhere, or players who could have been sold staying at Spurs because other clubs simply would not meet his demands.
Spurs’ wage bill must also be factored into the equation, with Levy running a tight ship.
According to the Deloitte Money League, their bill last term was £248.6m, much lower than the rest of the top flight’s so-called “Big Six”.
Levy can point to financial and structural success off the pitch, but there was under-achievement on it.
He will also be associated with instability, including a revolving door of 12 sacked managers as Spurs reached 16 semi-finals and seven finals.
What his true legacy is may only be measured at the end of this season.
It now falls to new-look Spurs powerbrokers to somehow survive the current mess, with CEO Vinai Venkatesham – who was previously at Arsenal – and sporting director Johan Lange under scrutiny, along with the Lewis family, who are over-seeing affairs.
Venkatesham in particular, especially given his links with Spurs’ arch-rivals, is under pressure to deliver. The first few months of his tenure have not been promising.
He shaped a reputation as a steady hand formed when he kept faith with Mikel Arteta amid struggles at Arsenal.
Venkatesham tried to do the same with Frank, but in the end could no longer wait to act.
The question is whether he and the rest of the club’s hierarchy left it too late?
The appoint of Igor Tudor, a coach with an indifferent record at many clubs, smacked of a punt made in panic. They must hope the price of this decision is not relegation.
