Roberto Martinez was a contender for the Tottenham job which was ultimately given to Jose Mourinho, according to reports.
Mourinho took the reins in north London on Wednesday morning, less than 12 hours after Spurs announced the departure of Mauricio Pochettino.
Pochettino's five-and-a-half year tenure at the club came to an end after a disappointing start to the current campaign.
Tottenham won only three of their opening 12 Premier League fixtures, a run which compelled Daniel Levy to make a change in the dugout.
The swiftness of Mourinho's appointment stongly suggests a deal had already been agreed in principle between the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager and his new employers.
But according to the Daily Star, Martinez was one of the candidates for the job before Levy ultimately settled on Mourinho.
The Spaniard has significant Premier League experience, having spent four years in charge of Wigan and three seasons at the helm of Everton.
Martinez also coached Swansea in League One and the Championship, having ended his playing career with fellow Welsh side Chester.
The 46-year-old is currently Belgium boss but was reportedly prepared to ditch the national team job for Tottenham.
Martinez is still keen to secure a return to the club game, and he felt that he would have been a good fit for the position at Spurs.
And although Levy is an admirer of Martinez's work, he did not hold any discussions with the man who guided Wigan to FA Cup glory in 2013.
Mourinho got off his Tottenham tenure off to a winning start, as his side ran out 3-2 victors over West Ham at the London Stadium.
Spurs will qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions League if they beat Olympiacos on Tuesday, before a clash with Bournemouth in the Premier League next weekend.
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