Daniel Levy resigned as executive chairman of Tottenham Hotspur after nearly 25 years in charge, becoming one of the longest term in Premier League history.
The 63-year-old became Spurs chairman in 2001, and his club oversaw its mid-sized transition from a £80 million global football and business powerhouse, now worth nearly £3 billion. On the court, he pioneered the entry into the state-of-the-art Tottenham Stadium in 2019 and developed the club’s training ground at Hotspur Way.
On the court, however, Levi’s record is even more split. The Spurs canceled the Europa League trophy in May, their first European silverware in decades – but supporters have long accused him of failing to capitalize on the club’s rise. Tottenham Hotspurs entered the 2019 Champions League final under Mauricio Pochettino, but was criticized by its net transfer spending – £4m at the time, with many fans frustrated by their lack of ambition in the transfer market.
The club confirmed that Peter Charrington will become non-executive chairman as part of its succession plan. Throughout the summer, the Spurs hired former Arsenal director Vinai Venkatesham as CEO, while other senior changes include the departure of Close Levy consultant Donna-Maria Cullen and the club’s chief football officer Scott Munn.
“I am very proud of the work I have done with the executive team and all the staff. We have built the club at the highest level of global heavyweight competition. Apart from that, we have built a community. I will continue to support this club with passion.”
Charrington acknowledged Levy’s contribution, but said the club is entering a “new era of leadership” that focuses on stabilizing and empowering Venkatesham’s executive team.
Tottenham’s financial and sports position was highlighted this week by a report on Europe’s most valuable football team, which is worth 891.1 million euros. After the success of Angel Postecoglou’s Europa League, the rise was later rejected and replaced by Thomas Frank – marking a decisive step towards the European elite.
However, for many Spurs fans, their patience with Levi has run out. Last season, the book was on a banner on display at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: “24 years old, 16 managers, 1 trophy. The time for the change.”
Under Levy, the Spurs have appointed five permanent managers over the past six years. Their league ends since the 2019 Champions League final are sixth, seventh, fourth, eighth, fifth and 17th – sparking criticism that the club’s growing revenue has not yet matched the consistent investment in the match squad. Deloitte’s Football Monetary League data for 2023/24 also showed that Tottenham Hotspur had the lowest salary ratio among the top 20 clubs in Europe, at just 42%.
Therefore, Levy’s exit marks the end of an era. For supporters of the Generation Tottenham Hotspur, his leadership has reshaped the club’s infrastructure, financial status and global reach – but also left behind a chance to see whether his prudence in the transfer market costs have a chance to compete with the best in Europe.
