Former Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon has revealed that chairman Daniel Levy and manager Mauricio Pochettino disagreed over his departure from the club in 2015. The 39-year-old, who retired in 2022, believes Levy was against selling him, but Pochettino wanted to reshape the squad.
Lennon's Spurs Career
Lennon joined Tottenham from Leeds United in 2005 as a teenager and became a key player over a decade-long stint. He made 364 appearances, scoring 30 goals and providing 78 assists, and won the League Cup in 2008. However, after Pochettino's arrival in 2014, Lennon fell out of favour. He made only nine appearances in the 2014/15 season and was loaned to Everton in January 2015. After a brief return to Spurs, he was sent to the Under-21s and eventually sold permanently for £4.5 million in September 2015.
Levy vs Pochettino
Speaking on the Off The Shelf Podcast, Lennon said: 'I was gutted. I knew it was coming because I wasn't playing much, but it was tough because I felt I could play in that side. I remember I sat with Daniel and I think he didn't want me to leave also, but even then we both knew it was right.' Lennon added that Spurs 'was like home' and the decision was hard to accept.
Current Context
Lennon will watch his former clubs Tottenham and Leeds United face off in a crucial Premier League fixture. Leeds are safe in 16th, while Spurs are 17th and desperate for points to avoid relegation. Lennon, capped 21 times for England, ended his career at Burnley in the 2021/22 season.
