According to The Athletic, Tottenham can sack Nuno Espirito Santo on the cheap if they fail to finish in the top six this season.

The Lowdown: Mixed start to the season

Spurs have so far had a mixed start to the campaign. They started well, winning their first three Premier League matches 1-0, including a victory over champions Manchester City (Sky Sports).

However, they then lost three league games in a row, conceding three goals in each, before returning to winning ways on Sunday against Aston Villa.

The Latest: Levy's backup plan

As per The Athletic, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has a contingency plan in case things do not go as they hope with their current manager.

The report stated: "The Athletic has learned that chairman Daniel Levy succeeded in reaching the agreement on his terms, notably including a clause that would benefit Spurs if their season does not go to plan.

"It is understood that should Nuno fail to deliver a top-six finish, Tottenham would be able to sack the 47-year-old midway through his two-year deal without having to pay any compensation."

The Verdict: Great news

While there was little fanfare around the hiring of Nuno, it looks like Levy has pulled off an impressive deal here. It is a win-win situation for the north London outfit - should they finish in the top six, the season will be a success; if they fail, they can bring in another manager without it costing them an arm and a leg.

In Nuno's case, they do have a manager with Premier League experience who has twice finished in the top seven with Wolves. To get such a deal for a solid manager is impressive from Levy and illustrates his ability to find value in the market.

In other news, this man turned down the chance to manager Spurs in the summer.