Son Heung-min hopes his historic 100th Premier League goal will inspire players across Asia, having reached his century in Tottenham's 2-1 win over Brighton and Hove Albion. 

Son gave Spurs the lead with a terrific strike into the top-right corner on Saturday, with Harry Kane later hitting the winner after Lewis Dunk equalised for the Seagulls. 

The South Korea international became the first Asian player to reach 100 Premier League goals with his strike, as well as the first player to hit 100 goals and register 50 assists for Spurs in the competition.

Speaking to BBC Sport after the crucial victory over Spurs' top-six rivals, Son dedicated his landmark goal to his late grandfather and outlined his hope that more Asian players will follow in his footsteps.

"This was something that I dreamed for. It is an amazing achievement which I wouldn't have had without my team-mates," he said.

"Scoring 100 goals in the Premier League is a massive thing. I was really emotional because I have had tough moments in the last few weeks. 

"My grandad passed away and it was not easy. I want to send that goal to him.

"I hope all the Asian players – especially in South Korea – look at this achievement and believe they can do it as well.

"It's a good thing for Asia and I take a big responsibility to be a good example to help the young guys. I want them to believe an Asian player can do amazing things in the Premier League."

Son shared the Premier League's Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah last season, but his goal against Brighton was just his seventh in the competition this term.

"Sometimes you always expect an amazing season and think it will be the same [as last year], but there can be more pressure," Son said.

"I'm the most frustrated player but I see where I can improve. I am frustrated but I'm not the perfect player so I need to look at my weaknesses. 

"The fans are supporting me and I need to take a big responsibility to do well for the rest of the season."

Harry Kane hit the winner as Tottenham claimed their first victory since Antonio Conte's departure, beating top-six rivals Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 in a feisty contest on Saturday.

Kane found the net with a deflected effort with 11 minutes remaining after Son Heung-min's stunning goal – his 100th in the Premier League – was cancelled out by Lewis Dunk's header.

Roberto De Zerbi joined interim Spurs boss Cristian Stellini in being sent to the stands during a heated affair, with the visitors denied goals in either half for handball offences.

Tottenham's victory keeps them three points behind fourth-placed Manchester United in the race for Champions League qualification, with Brighton seven points further back after a frustrating loss.

Tottenham took the lead in spectacular fashion with their first attempt of the game, Son cutting inside to whip a 25-yard effort beyond Jason Steele and into the top-right corner.

Kaoru Mitoma was denied a leveller as he was penalised for handball before volleying into the bottom-right corner, before Hugo Lloris made two outstanding saves, turning Alexis Mac Allister's long-range effort away and pushing Moises Caicedo's drive onto the post.

However, Brighton's pressure finally told after 34 minutes as Dunk powered in a header from Solly March's corner.

Brighton thought they had the lead when Danny Welbeck's second-half strike deflected off Mac Allister and beyond Lloris, but a VAR review spotted that the ball struck the midfielder's hand.

Having been involved in an animated exchange before kick-off, De Zerbi and Stellini both saw red following a touchline fracas on the hour mark as a tetchy affair threatened to boil over.

Both sides missed chances as they chased a crucial winner to stay in the hunt for the top four, and it was Spurs who got one as Kane's powerful finish deflected into the top-left corner, breaking Brighton's hearts.

Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly both in discussions with Benfica about a potential deal for striker Goncalo Ramos – although he is said to be neither team's top choice.

Ramos, 21, has enjoyed a breakout season in Portugal. After scoring eight goals in 46 appearances in the previous campaign, Ramos has replaced Darwin Nunez as Benfica's main man up top and netted 25 goals in 38 games.

He also shone on the world stage, scoring a hat-trick in Portugal's round-of-16 World Cup clash against Switzerland after replacing Cristiano Ronaldo, and despite his contract tying him to Benfica until 2026, the club are willing to listen to substantial offers.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA JOIN UNITED IN MAKING RAMOS THEIR BACKUP PLAN

According to Football Insider, Chelsea's top priority up front is Napoli's Victor Osimhen, while United have Tottenham's Harry Kane at the top of their shopping list, but both view Ramos as the ideal consolation prize.

Kane is expected to fetch a fee in the range of £100million, and Osimhen's asking price is even higher, but while Ramos has a £105m release clause in his contract, the report states Benfica will accept bids around £70m (€79m).

Improving Chelsea's chances is the fact Ramos is represented by the same agency as Joao Felix, who is on loan at Stamford Bridge from Atletico Madrid.

ROUND-UP

– Cadena SER is reporting Paris Saint-Germain have joined the race for Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham and would be able to pay him more than any other club.

– After recently making his senior debut for Italy, 23-year-old Argentine-born striker Mateo Retegui will make a move to Europe at the end of the season, with Eintracht Frankfurt and Inter showing the most interest, per Fabrizio Romano.

– Football Insider is reporting Newcastle United, Arsenal and Barcelona are all expected to make a run at signing Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Tottenham have hired former City Football Group executive Scott Munn as their new chief football officer.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy had been leading a thorough review of the club's "footballing activities" over the past six months in a bid to ensure "future progress and competitiveness".

The appointment of a chief football officer is considered a major step in that process, with Munn set to take charge of all football-related operations.

Munn's arrival is unrelated to Fabio Paratici's situation, with the Italian managing director of football having taken a step back pending his appeal against a 30-month worldwide ban for his alleged role in Juventus being found guilty of transfer irregularities.

If Paratici wins his appeal, which is due to be heard on April 19, he will answer directly to Munn, who also takes up a position on the Spurs board.

Confirming Munn's appointment, Levy said: "Scott has a unique and broad experience of running sporting organisations at the highest level and will take responsibility for the leadership and management of our football activities to instil best practice both on and off the pitch."

Munn formerly held a senior role with City Football Group, the ownership company that Manchester City sit within, and was also Melbourne City CEO.

In 2019 the Australian was made CEO of City Football Group China – his new position will be Munn's first in the European game.

Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Barcelona have all reportedly met with the agent of 22-year-old Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong about a potential transfer.

Frimpong has exploded onto the scene this season as a weapon going forward, scoring eight league goals in 26 Bundesliga fixtures after just a single goal in his first 18 months in Germany.

Having previously represented the Netherlands at youth levels, his sparkling form was rewarded as he was included in their World Cup squad, although he did not get to make his senior debut.

He is viewed as one of Leverkusen's most valuable assets, and the club are expecting Champions League teams to come calling.

TOP STORY – UNITED LEAD THE CHARGE FOR GOAL-SCORING RIGHT-BACK

According to Sport Bild, United and boss Erik ten Hag have been in contact with Leverkusen "for weeks" trying to sort out the framework of a deal, with the German side reportedly starting the bidding at £44million (€50m).

The report states that asking price is not seen as a significant hurdle, and Leverkusen have already begun the process of replacing Frimpong with the signing of 20-year-old Brazilian Arthur from America MG in recent days.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano adds Bayern and Barcelona have also had "direct meetings" with Frimpong's agent, although a decision on the future of Joao Cancelo remains the priority for Bayern, and Barcelona's finances make their situation unclear.

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– Roma coach Jose Mourinho is in high demand, with Relevo reporting Chelsea have enquired about bringing him back for a third stint, while Corriere dello Sport claims he has received an offer from the Saudi Pro League that would pay him €120m over the next two seasons.

– Spanish publication COPE is reporting Chelsea, United and Tottenham are all investigating a potential move for 22-year-old Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, despite his gaudy £87m (€100m) release clause.

– According to Calciomercato, Newcastle United have been impressed with 21-year-old Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez, with the Mexican having starred in his first season in the Eredivisie.

– Inter are trying to fend off interest from Manchester City by signing 23-year-old centre-back Alessandro Bastoni to a new long-term contract, per Calciomercato.

Tottenham's acting head coach Cristian Stellini has accused former players of having no respect for the club after Harry Kane received criticism for his part in Abdoulaye Doucoure's red card in the 1-1 draw at Everton.

The England captain was targeted by some for his reaction to Doucoure putting his hand into Kane's face during the Premier League clash at Goodison Park on Monday.

Kane fell to the floor holding his face as Doucoure was given his marching orders.

At a press conference on Thursday, Stellini said: "I think it's strange that some ex-players said something wrong about Harry. They are ex-players and they know the difference between seeing something in slow motion and living it in real motion.

"Also the Everton manager [Sean Dyche] said it was a clear red card. Perhaps they respect Harry but they don't respect Tottenham."

Spurs host rivals for the top four spots Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, and Stellini confirmed he is not expecting any of his injured players to return, though did indicate that Richarlison could be back to face Bournemouth the following weekend.

"No good news about players that come back for the next game," he said. "We are getting closer with Richarlison. He trained on the pitch but he trained alone. We are going well with Ben Davies with the plan but we have to wait a bit for him.

"[Richarlison] trained on the pitch. He is going well and for the next game he could be available."

Chelsea's dismissal of Graham Potter and decision not to rush into an appointment has generated speculation about their next permanent manager.

The Blues are destined to miss out on the Premier League's top four this season, thus will not qualify for the Champions League via the league.

As a result, there appears a lack of urgency as they look to get back on the right direction after sacking both Potter and Thomas Tuchel this term under new owner Todd Boehly.

TOP STORY – BLUES MULL OVER ENRIQUE, NAGELSMANN AND CONTE

Fabrizio Romano reports Frank Lampard will take over as Chelsea's interim manager, but that ex-Spain boss Luis Enrique is 100 per cent interested in the permanent position.

Enrique has flown into London for talks on the role, while the Blues will also continue talks with ex-Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann who is the leading candidate.

The Independent claims the Blues are also considering a shock return for Antonio Conte after initial contact between intermediaries.

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– Football Insider reports Manchester United are keen on Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse. United may take advantage of the Saints' possible relegation to bolster their midfield with the 28-year-old free-kick specialist. Aston Villa and Newcastle United are also interested in him.

– Liverpool are willing to cough up €40 million (£35m) for Atletico Madrid's Argentinian World Cup winner Rodrigo De Paul to bolster their midfield next term, reports Fichajes. Inter Live claims Tottenham are also interested in De Paul.

– Arsenal are pondering an off-season move for Lazio midfielder Sergei Milinkovic-Savic who will be a free agent in 2024, claims Gazzetta dello Sport. The reported fee would be around €40m.

– Luka Modric is disgruntled with his contract situation at Real Madrid, with his future not yet resolved with only a few months left on his deal, claims Goal.

– Fichajes claims West Ham, Leeds United and Nice are all circling for Real Madrid's Mariano who will be available on a free transfer at the end of this season.

– Leicester City have shortlisted Ralph Hasenhuttl, Jesse Marsch and Oscar Garcia for their vacant managerial role according to Fabrizio Romano. The Independent's Miguel Delaney claims the Foxes are also interested in experienced pair Martin O'Neill and Rafa Benitez.

Liverpool are reportedly no longer pursuing Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes and will instead pivot to Brighton and Hove Albion young gun Moises Caicedo or Chelsea and England talent Mason Mount.

The decision to turn their attention away from Nunes comes after Wolves removed a release clause in his contract that would have made him available for £44million in the upcoming transfer window, according to The Mirror.

The report states Wolves will still entertain the possibility of selling Nunes, but will now demand at least £50m for the player they paid £38m for in an August transfer from Sporting CP.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL TURN TO CAICEDO, MOUNT AFTER NUNES REVELATION

With Nunes out of the equation, The Mirror is reporting Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham remains the top priority, but Liverpool will investigate more "realistic" moves for Caicedo or Mount.

Caicedo, 21, signed a new contract with Brighton after the club turned down a £70m offer from Arsenal in January, but according to Football Insider the Seagulls were primarily against letting a top talent leave mid-season and will be far more open to discussions in the off-season.

Mount, 24, now has 15 months remaining on his Chelsea contract and has shown no signs of signing an extension, making him a prime candidate to leave the club in an effort to balance their books after lavish spending in the past 12 months.

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– The Daily Mail is reporting Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham are among a host of clubs with interest in the £40million (€45.6m) release clause of 26-year-old Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae, who would prefer a Premier League move if he is to leave Serie A.

– According to Fabrizio Romano, Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal have made an official offer to impending free agent Lionel Messi that would pay him £350m per year.

– Lazio are trying to convince star 28-year-old midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to sign a new two-year extension to repel interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Juventus, United and Chelsea, per Football Italia.

– Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg is reporting RB Leipzig and Inter are both pushing to sign breakout 23-year-old Tigre striker Mateo Retegui after the Argentine-born talent made his international debut for Italy recently.

– According to Mundo Deportivo, Atletico Madrid have offered 30-year-old striker Alvaro Morata a contract extension as he prepares to enter the final year of his current deal, although the club are willing to sell him if he would prefer a new challenge.

Lionel Messi appeared set to re-sign with Paris Saint-Germain late last year, but the situation has changed.

There have been reports that the Argentinian World Cup winner is unhappy at PSG, with links to an MLS move.

Messi is contracted until the end of this season and had initially agreed to a one-year extension to stay in the French capital.

TOP STORY – MESSI AND PSG RELATIONSHIP IRREPARABLE

L'Equipe claims Messi's relationship with PSG irreparable and he is all but certain to exit at the end of this season, with a return to Barcelona appearing increasingly likely.

Messi spent more than 20 years at Camp Nou, before Barca's financial challenges led to his departure for PSG in August 2021, with the club keen to welcome him back.

The 35-year-old was jeered by PSG fans during Sunday's 1-0 home loss to Lyon amid speculation of his departure.

ROUND-UP

– The Athletic reports signing Tottenham forward Harry Kane is Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag's "absolute priority" in the off-season. Kane is out of contract with Spurs in 2024.

– The Sun claims United are strongly considering selling under-performing winger Jadon Sancho in the off-season, with a view to using the sum generated to purchase their next forward.

– United have also held exploratory talks with Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard, per The Athletic.

– Real Madrid have been linked with Chelsea's Reece James and Football Insider claims they are willing to pay £90m (£102.5m) for his services, with 31-year-old right-back Dani Carvajal struggling with injuries.

– Arsenal are plotting a move for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins during the next transfer window, according to Fichajes.

– Talksport claims  Graham Potter has declined the opportunity to become Leicester City 's new manager, with The Mail reporting that he will wait until the off-season before taking on a new role.

Cristian Stellini rued Tottenham's lack of control as they began life without Antonio Conte by drawing 1-1 away to struggling Everton on Monday.

Harry Kane's 68th-minute penalty looked to have been enough for Spurs to make a winning start under Stellini.

But Michael Keane's superb late strike from distance seized a crucial point for the Toffees at Goodison Park, frustrating their visitors.

Stellini was especially irritated by the result, particularly given Spurs' man advantage for most of the second half after Abdoulaye Doucoure's red card.

"My feeling now is that we have lost two points," he told Sky Sports. "We had an [extra] man against them, we needed to control the game.

"We tried to do [that] but not in the way I expect. With 11 players, we have to do much better. You control the game with the ball, not without."

Spurs were also reduced to 10 men in the final stages when Lucas Moura was dismissed for a late lunge on Keane before his equaliser.

Stellini, who was stood near Doucoure when he pushed Kane in the face to earn his red, believed both calls were fair from referee David Coote.

"I think Harry conceded a lot of tackles today before the red card," he said. "Lucas, his tackle was too dangerous. Both of the red cards are clear for me."

Despite missing out on a win, the draw moved Tottenham back into the top four, level on 50 points with Newcastle United and Manchester United.

Their rivals have two games in hand each, but Stellini believes Spurs can draw on their experience from last season's battle for Champions League qualification.

"It will be a tough race," he conceded. "But one year ago, we had 51 points. We were fifth, and today, we are fourth.

"We are in the same position [as] last season. We have to be ready to fight. Now we think about the next game."

Michael Keane's sensational stoppage-time strike salvaged a 1-1 draw for Everton as Cristian Stellini was denied three points in his first match since stepping into Antonio Conte's void.

The defender scored a 25-yard screamer to snatch a point for the Toffees at Goodison Park against a Spurs side who had otherwise looked set for a win that would have lifted them up to third.

Harry Kane had earlier scored from the penalty spot to give Spurs the lead shortly after he had been involved in an altercation that saw Abdoulaye Doucoure sent off.

Lucas Moura's was given his marching orders as well, and then Keane intervened to spark raucous scenes for Sean Dyche's men.

Sunday saw two more Premier League bosses dismissed from their roles.

Graham Potter's sacking by Chelsea followed on from Leicester City cutting ties with Brendan Rodgers.

That pair of dismissals took the total count of managerial departures for the season to 13 in England's top tier. Twelve of those have been sackings.

According to Opta, it is the most managerial sackings in a Premier League season by three.

The previous high mark of 10 (set in the 2013-14 season and equalled in 2017-18) was matched last season.

Yet this campaign has been even more extreme. Here, Stats Perform assesses the 13 managers to have departed.

Scott Parker - Bournemouth (August 30)

Just four league games had passed when Bournemouth became the first club to blink, sacking Parker on the back of a humiliating 9-0 defeat to Liverpool. Parker went on to join Club Brugge in Belgium, but lasted less than three months, winning just two of 12 matches. His replacement at Bournemouth, Gary O'Neil, has the Cherries in 16th, far from down and out.

Thomas Tuchel - Chelsea (September 7)

Arguably the biggest shock sacking of the season came early on, when Tuchel was shown the door by Chelsea's new owners. Not long over a year on from leading the Blues to Champions League success, Tuchel was out of work. He is now back in a job, having succeeded Julian Nagelsmann at Bayern Munich in March.

Graham Potter - Brighton and Hove Albion to Chelsea (September 8)

Potter will feature again in this list, of course, but he does count as two of the 13 departures on Opta's list, given he left Brighton to fill the Chelsea vacancy. The Seagulls had enjoyed a brilliant start to the season and Potter had earned his shot at a big club. It would not, of course, go according to plan.

Bruno Lage - Wolves (October 2)

A full month had not passed by the time a third coach was given the boot. Lage had a decent first season at Wolves, but their form had tailed off towards the back end of the 2021-22 campaign, going winless in seven games. That poor form carried into this term, and having won just one of their first eight league games, Wolves decided to make a change.

Steven Gerrard - Aston Villa (October 20)

Gerrard made a bright start at Villa in 2021, and had been given a large transfer budget across two windows, but the former Rangers boss was struggling to make matters click, either with his team or the fanbase. Villa made the call to end the project before the World Cup, and moved efficiently to bring in Unai Emery, who has got them well clear of any danger. Since his first game in charge, only Arsenal (13) and Manchester City (10) have more Premier League wins than Villa.

Ralph Hasenhuttl - Southampton (November 7)

Hasenhuttl had provided Southampton with fresh life when he was appointed in 2018, but since reaching a pinnacle of topping the table in November of the 2020-21 season, it had been a constant struggle. Saints managed to scrape 40 points last season but were firmly in the relegation scrap when they decided time was up for the Austrian. His replacement, however, did not fare well.

Frank Lampard - Everton (January 23)

That glut of changes prior to the World Cup break was followed by the halting of Lampard's Everton tenure in late January. Results had been terrible, with Lampard managing just three wins all season - a tally already matched by his successor Sean Dyche. However, the nature of dismissing a manager so late in the transfer window left Everton with little time to reinforce their squad, and they are still firmly in the mire. Losses to Wolves, Brighton, Southampton and West Ham marked the end of Lampard's time at Goodison Park.

Jess Marsch - Leeds United (February 6)

After one relegation candidate blinked, so did another. Marsch was ditched by Leeds following a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, with the Whites - like Everton - once again faced with a scrap for their lives. Marsch, like Lampard on Merseyside, had managed to garner enough spirit and resolve to keep Leeds in the division last season, but the American was not an entirely popular figure among Leeds' fanbase, and whatever system he was trying to implement was clearly not working.

Nathan Jones - Southampton (February 12)

To put it frankly, Jones' time at St Mary's Stadium was downright bizarre. Brought in from Luton Town, Jones clearly had no lack of self-belief, but he lost his first four league games at the helm. Southampton appeared to be clicking into gear under Jones when they beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup, Manchester City in the EFL Cup and then Everton in the league, yet the Weslhman – who was not shy at reeling off his strengths despite the lack of results – received his marching orders following the EFL Cup semi-final loss to Newcastle United and a 3-0 top-flight defeat to Brentford, with Saints bottom of the pile, where they remain.

Patrick Vieira - Crystal Palace (March 17)

A run of 13 games in all competitions without a win led to Vieira getting the boot midway through March. Palace lost 4-1 to league leaders Arsenal under the interim charge of Paddy McCarthy, and turned to former, supposedly retired, boss Roy Hodgson to try and push them away from danger. Hodgson made a good start, with the Eagles coming from behind to beat Leicester 2-1 on Saturday.

Antonio Conte - Tottenham (March 26)

An unhappy marriage came to an end when Conte left Spurs by mutual consent, just over a week on from lambasting his "selfish" squad, along with the entire club's mentality, following a 3-3 draw at Southampton. Conte had never seemed content at Tottenham, and now Cristian Stellini will oversee the rest of the season. The international break was a turbulent one for Spurs, with director of football Fabio Paratici now on a leave of absence after his ban from Italian football was made a worldwide one by FIFA last week.

Brendan Rodgers - Leicester City (April 2)

Leicester played the April fools on Saturday in their defeat at Selhurst Park, a result that left them in the relegation zone. Rodgers had earned the Foxes' backing with his achievements since taking over in 2019, having won the FA Cup and led Leicester into Europe twice. However, Leicester had won just two league games since the season restarted, and a change felt overdue.

Graham Potter - Chelsea (April 2)

Not long after the dust had settled on Rodgers' departure, Chelsea confirmed the news that Potter was no more. Well, not literally, but the man who had managed so much magic with Brighton could not replicate those tricks at Stamford Bridge. A three-game winning streak in March seemed to suggest a turnaround was in the offing, but a home draw with Everton and Saturday's 2-0 loss to Villa marked the end for Potter, who will perhaps regret leaving Brighton. He leaves Chelsea with the joint-lowest points-per-game total of any of the Blues' Premier League coaches (1.27).

Cristian Stellini insists Tottenham are "not in crisis" despite Antonio Conte's acrimonious exit from the club.

Conte left Spurs by mutual consent last Sunday, a week on from a remarkable outburst after a 3-3 draw with bottom side Southampton in which his side squandered a two-goal lead late on.

The former Chelsea boss labelled his players "selfish" and questioned the club's lack of silverware during Daniel Levy's time as chairman in a tirade that ultimately cost him his job, with assistant Stellini taking charge until the end of the season.

Conte becomes the third Spurs manager to be relieved of their duties since Mauricio Pochettino, who led Spurs to the Champions League final, was sacked in 2019, while the club's wait for a first trophy since 2008 has extended to 15 years.

Managing director Fabio Paratici has also stepped back from his role while the club awaits the outcome of his appeal against a worldwide ban from football following FIFA's decision to extend his initial 30-month ban from just Italian football to a worldwide basis for financial breaches while at Juventus.

Yet Stellini, who is now tasked with overseeing the final 10 games of the season as Spurs bid to achieve Champions League qualification, does not agree the club is in turmoil, despite the Tottenham Supporters' Trust describing it as "one mess after another."

"When you take decisions for the best you are not in crisis," Stellini told reporters.

"If you have some matters, we have to stay compact and we have to stick together to move on and play the matches."

It was an easy decision for Stellini to assume Conte's position until the end of the campaign, with the 48-year-old saying: "I spoke with Antonio. The club and Antonio spoke to each other. They take the decision together and they let me know, I was aware of it.

"They call me and say the decision is taken and if you agree with us, you can do it. I had no problem to say yes."

Tottenham managing director Fabio Paratici has stepped back from his role while the club awaits the outcome of his appeal against a worldwide ban from football.

FIFA announced on Wednesday that the 30-month suspension handed to Paratici by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in January would extend beyond Italian football.

Spurs were caught cold by the timing of the announcement and said in a statement they were "urgently seeking further clarification from FIFA" regarding Paratici's situation.

The 50-year-old's appeal will be held on April 19, but it was confirmed by Tottenham on Friday that he will step back from his duties until then.

"In view of FIFA's decision, Fabio has agreed with the club that he will take an immediate leave of absence pending the outcome of his appeal," a Spurs statement read.

Paratici was one of 11 individuals banned by the FIGC in January after Juventus were found guilty of alleged breaches in relation to historical transfer dealings.

Juve were docked 15 points in Serie A as part of the punishment, with Paratici and the club denying any wrongdoing and lodging an appeal to the Italian Olympic Committee.

Then-chairman Andrea Agnelli and former director Pavel Nedved were hit with 24 and eight month bans respectively, which they are also appealing in April.

Paratici's leave of absence comes at a time when the club are on the lookout for a new head coach following the sacking of Antonio Conte last week.

Christian Stellini and Antonio Conte's relationship has not changed following the latter's dismissal at Tottenham.

Conte and Spurs mutually agreed to part ways during the international break following a concerning dip in results, putting Spurs' top-four position in jeopardy, and a remarkable outburst against the club from Conte after the 3-3 draw with Southampton.

Stellini will now take charge in north London for the remainder of the season, with his first game being Monday's clash against Premier League strugglers Everton.

Spurs have 10 games to secure their position in the Champions League next season, while Stellini's temporary appointment has not eased concerns regarding the club's long-term position.

One thing that is clear for Stellini, however, is that he still has a strong friendship with Conte and he moved to thank the former Chelsea and Inter boss.

"I want to clarify that the decision was taken for the best of the club and for everyone," he told a press conference, "Antonio is good. Everyone took the decision altogether for the best of the club.

"My relationship with Antonio is still the same, we're very close and nothing changed between us. I have to say thank you because I have improved a lot in my career under him and it's because of him.

"I did the best for him before, and I'll do the best for him until the end of the season."

Asked whether he felt this was his next step into a managerial career, Stellini added: "It's the next step to work hard for the next 10 games.

"Nothing has to change in my mind. I'm not here for vanity. I'm here to help this club. I have to be myself. I used myself, my character. We will see what happens during the process.

"We've had not many days together. We had a good day in training and we followed in training what we did in the past."

Spurs head into the weekend fourth in the Premier League standings, two points above Newcastle United and seven above Liverpool, both of whom have two games in hand.