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What happened to Jose Mourinho’s first starting XI at Tottenham? Where are they?

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Jose Mourinho is now the manager of AS Roma.

Mourinho’s first XI at Tottenham

Jose Mourinho was surprisingly appointed as the Tottenham Hotspur head coach in 2019 following the firing of fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino following the team’s poor start to 2019/20. The Argentine’s sacking was a decision that drew massive criticism the club’s way but with Mourinho’s hiring, there came newfound hope that the Lilywhites could find themselves winning some trophies.

While the Portuguese’s first season in North London was a transitional phase, he started 2020/21 on a superb note. At one point, Tottenham led the Premier League standings by beating the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City but injuries coupled with the board’s lack of support of the manager saw him lose the bearings. Though he made the Carabao Cup final, Daniel Levy fired the former Manchester United boss just days before the big bout at Wembley Stadium, which interim boss Ryan Mason lost against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City by a 1-0 scoreline.

Mourinho’s first Tottenham in charge was against West Ham at the London Stadium on November 23, 2019, which he graced with a narrow 3-2 win, courtesy of goals from Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane. With over five years since that day of great promise having passed, here is a look at where every Spurs player who started the game is right now.

Tottenham players from the line-up versus West Ham

Paulo Gazzaniga – Paulo Gazzaniga was entrusted with the role in between the sticks with Hugo Lloris unavailable for the match. The Argentine left in winter 2021 for a short spell on loan at Spanish side Elche. He would leave Tottenham that summer and spend time with Fulham and then Girona, where he is plying his trade now at the age of 33.

Toby Alderweireld – Toby Alderweireld left Tottenham Hotspur just a few months after Jose Mourinho’s sacking. At the end of 2020/21, he headed to Qatar to pursue a lucrative offer from Al Duhail, where he remained for a year. Unsettled in the Middle East, Alderweireld returned to Europe to his homeland Belgium by joining Royal Antwerp in July 2022.

Davinson Sanchez – Davinson Sanchez remained at Tottenham Hotspur until the summer of 2023. After being excluded from Ange Postecoglou’s plans at the club, he joined Turkish giants Galatasaray, for whom he has played for the last year and a half.

Serge Aurier – Serge Aurier left Tottenham Hotspur in October 2021 to join Villarreal as an injury relief for the Yellow Submarine. The Ivorian himself spent much of 2021/22 on the sidelines before departing Spain in summer 2022 for England, where he joined Nottingham Forest for one and a half year. He joined Galatasaray in February 2024 on a six-month deal. At present, he is without a club.

Ben Davies – Ben Davies is one of only two Tottenham players still at the club from the team which featured against West Ham in Mourinho’s debut for the club. The Welshman is in the final years of his career but remains a handy option as far as squad depth is concerned.

Son Heung-min – Son Heung-min has gone on to extend his legend at Tottenham Hotspur and is the team’s captain. The South Korean, now 32, has been troubled by injuries this season so it remains to be seen how much longer he will spend at the club.

Harry Winks – Harry Winks departed Tottenham Hotspur in 2022 for a loan spell with Serie A side Sampdoria. In 2023, he was sold to Leicester City and in spite of recent being linked with returning to Hotspur Way, the 29-year-old has stayed put at the King Power Stadium.

Eric Dier – After half a season under Ange Postecoglou, Eric Dier went on loan to Bayern Munich in winter 2024 with the transfer being made permanent later that year. He is currently on the books of the Bundesliga leaders, who are being coached by Vincent Kompany.

Dele Alli – Dele Alli has had a troubled career after a bright start to life under Jose Mourinho. He left Tottenham for Everton in 2022, where he spent two years in association with the Toffees although one of them was on the books of Besiktas on loan. Earlier this year, he joined Italian side Como after leaving Everton in 2024 after being without a club for six months.

Lucas Moura – Lucas Moura left Tottenham Hotspur in 2023 after the expiry of his contract in June that year. He had the perfect farewell as he struck the final goal in a 4-1 win over Leeds United in his final appearance for the club. He has returned to his homeland, Brazil, since and is playing for Sao Paulo at present.

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Harry Kane – Harry Kane was Tottenham Hotspur’s best player under Jose Mourinho and for a few years afterwards too. He decided to prioritise his sporting ambitions in summer 2023 by joining Bayern Munich in a lucrative transfer. He became Tottenham’s most expensive sale and Bayern’s most expensive buy in the process.

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