Daniel Levy has stepped down as executive chairman of Tottenham Hotspur after nearly 25 years in charge, bringing to an end one of the longest tenures in Premier League history.
The 63-year-old, who became Spurs chairman in 2001, leaves the club having overseen its transformation from a mid-table side valued at £80 million into a global football and business powerhouse now worth close to £3 billion. Off the pitch, he spearheaded the move into the state-of-the-art Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2019 and the development of the club’s training ground at Hotspur Way.
On the pitch, however, Levy’s record has been more divisive. Spurs lifted the Europa League trophy in May — their first European silverware in decades — but supporters have long accused him of failing to capitalise on the club’s rise. Tottenham reached the Champions League final in 2019 under Mauricio Pochettino but were criticised for their net transfer spend of just -£4m that summer, with many fans frustrated at what they viewed as a lack of ambition in the transfer market.
The club confirmed that Peter Charrington will become non-executive chairman as part of its succession planning. Over the summer, Spurs hired former Arsenal director Vinai Venkatesham as chief executive, while other senior changes included the departures of Donna-Maria Cullen, a close Levy adviser, and Scott Munn, the club’s chief football officer.
In a farewell statement, Levy said: “I am incredibly proud of the work I have done together with the executive team and all our employees. We have built this club into a global heavyweight competing at the highest level. More than that, we have built a community. I will continue to support this club passionately.”
Charrington acknowledged Levy’s contribution but said the club was entering “a new era of leadership” focused on stability and empowering Venkatesham’s executive team.
Tottenham’s financial and sporting position has been underlined this week by the report on the most valuable football squads in Europe, which listed Spurs with a value of €891.1 million. The rise followed their Europa League success under Ange Postecoglou — later dismissed and replaced by Thomas Frank — marking a decisive step back toward Europe’s elite.
Yet for many Spurs fans, patience with Levy had run out. Banners calling for his resignation were displayed at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last season, with one reading: “24 years, 16 managers, 1 trophy. Time for Change.”
Under Levy’s reign, Spurs appointed five permanent managers in the last six years. Their league finishes since the 2019 Champions League final — sixth, seventh, fourth, eighth, fifth and 17th — have fuelled criticism that the club’s growing revenues have not been matched by consistent investment in the playing squad. Deloitte’s Football Money League data for 2023/24 also showed Tottenham had the lowest wages-to-revenue ratio among Europe’s top 20 clubs, at just 42%.
Levy’s exit therefore marks the end of an era. For a generation of Tottenham supporters, his leadership reshaped the club’s infrastructure, financial standing and global reach — but also left lingering questions about whether his caution in the transfer market cost Spurs the chance to consistently compete with Europe’s best.
