Tottenham’s decision to remove Daniel Levy after almost 25 years has been described as an ‘unusual’ move by Manchester City’s former financial advisor, with ex-Spurs stars also weighing in on the end of an era in north London.
Levy, 62, stepped down on Thursday following a review by the Joe Lewis family, owners of majority stakeholders ENIC, who want ‘more wins more often’ after years of supporter unrest.
The change is viewed inside the club as the start of a new era, with Vinai Venkatesham now running day-to-day operations as CEO and Peter Charrington stepping up as non-executive chairman.
Financial specialist Stefan Borson, Manchester City’s former legal and financial advisor, said the complete nature of Levy’s departure was the surprise.
‘It’s not odd Levy steps down from a day-to-day exec position – hiring a CEO was a clue there. Complete exit is the unusual move,’ Borson wrote on X.
Levy departs after transforming Spurs into Champions League regulars, presiding over the redevelopment of White Hart Lane and the construction of a £1.2billion stadium regarded as one of the finest in world football.
Daniel Levy, 62, stepped down on Thursday following a review by the Joe Lewis family, owners of majority stakeholders ENIC
Levy’s tenure was also marked by supporter frustration. Protests became commonplace last season as Spurs slid to 17th in the league
Tottenham ‘s decision to remove Daniel Levy after almost 25 years has been described as an ‘unusual’ move by former Manchester City advisor Stefan Borson
He also oversaw investment in the Hotspur Way training centre and helped establish Spurs as one of the Premier League’s financial heavyweights.
But his tenure was also marked by supporter frustration. Protests became commonplace last season as Spurs slid to 17th in the league despite winning the Europa League.
Fans accused Levy of being too cautious in the transfer market after failed pursuits of Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, echoing long-running gripes over past sagas involving Willian and Jack Grealish.
That tension, coupled with a record of 16 managerial appointments in his time and just two major trophies, left Levy increasingly in the firing line. While insiders insist the change is aimed at improving on-field performance, officials at other Premier League clubs believe Spurs’ stadium and location make them a prime target for future investment.
While Levy’s exit has drawn comment from experts, it has also prompted reaction from former Spurs players.
Michael Dawson, who captained Spurs under Levy, told Sky Sports: ‘I worked with Daniel back in 2005 so I know him personally. He’s had a lot of criticism but you look at the money he’s spent, I think since 2016 or 2017 Spurs have been the fourth-biggest net spenders.
‘We all know football fans want success, and success means trophies. It’s been 17 years since the Carabao Cup in 2008. They’ve had plenty of semi-finals and finals but just couldn’t get over the line.
‘So to win in Europe last year was huge. I know a lot of Spurs fans and the joy they had beating Manchester United was massive, no more so than for Daniel himself. He wanted that success.
Michael Dawson, who captained Spurs under Levy praised his impact at the club and insisted that he leave north London have improved the fortunes of Spurs
Darren Bent, who spent two years at White Hart Lane claimed that Spurs fans will be happy with the news
‘The only reason I can think for this change is that, but really only he can answer it. For me it was certainly out of the blue and a big surprise. When you reflect on it though, from 2001 to 2025, new stadium, new training centre, has he left the club in a better position? In my opinion he has.’
Darren Bent, who spent two years at White Hart Lane, told talkSPORT: ‘Huge news. I never thought I’d actually see the day, because he’d been there for so long. For years it just felt like he was immovable, like he’d always be there and fans had to deal with it.
‘The fact he’s stepped down maybe means he feels he can’t do the job as well as he once could, or that the club needs to go in a different direction. For Spurs fans it’s massive, because every time there was a bad period it came back to Levy, he’s penny-pinching, he’s not investing properly, he’s not buying the best players.
‘But look, he’s overseen the best stadium in the world, one of the best training grounds, and put together some really exciting teams. The silverware’s been lacking but they’ve won the Europa League, reached the Champions League, got to a Champions League final, all under his watch.
‘Spurs fans just want more, they want to see more investment and more top players coming in. Now he’s stepped down, it’s about who comes in next.’
The club confirmed there will be no change to its ownership structure, with ENIC and the Lewis family remaining in control.
Levy himself said he was ‘incredibly proud’ of what had been achieved during his time in charge and vowed to remain a passionate supporter of the club. Charrington, who joined the board in March, described it as a ‘new era of leadership’ and paid tribute to Levy’s contribution.
