Paulo Fonseca has claimed that a disagreement with Fabio Paratici over his attacking style of football cost him the managerial job at Tottenham.

The former Roma boss was one of a number coaches contacted by Spurs before the club eventually hired Nuno Espirito Santo.

Fonseca told The Telegraph: "The agreement was done. We were planning the pre-season and Tottenham wanted an offensive coach. It wasn't announced but we planned pre-season players.

"But things changed when the new managing director arrived and we didn't agree with some ideas and he preferred another coach.

"I have some principles. I wanted to be coach of the great teams but I want the right project and a club where the people believe in my ideas, my way to play, and this didn't happen with the managing director.

"It's what the chairman (Daniel Levy) and the sporting director (Steve Hitchen) asked for: to build a team who can play attractive and offensive football and I was ready for that.

"I cannot be a different way. All my teams will have these intentions. Against the biggest teams, I'm not sending out my teams to defend near their own box."