Tottenham director Steve Hitchen QUITS in latest blow with Everton targeting him as replacement for Marcel Brands

DIRECTOR Steve Hitchen has quit Tottenham as their off-pitch departures  mount - with Everton keen to lure him.

The Toffees want a director of football to replace Marcel Brands and assist new manager Frank Lampard.

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And Hitchen was frustrated at Spurs as he was sidelined in the past two transfer windows by managing director of football Fabio Paratici.

Hitchen was the last survivor of the technical team who helped Mauricio Pochettino take Tottenham to the Champions League final and fourth place in the Premier League.

Apart from sacked Pochettino - now in charge at PSG - Spurs have lost John McDermott, Frank Arnesen, Damien Comolli, Franco Baldini and Paul Mitchell.

McDermott is now the FA's director of football.

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte brought in two players from Paratici's old club Juventus on transfer deadline day.

Sweden winger Dejan Kulusevski arrived on loan, while Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur cost £20million.

In contrast, Hitchen has spent the last six months focusing on Spurs' medical, sports science and analysis departments.

But his legacy could have been so different had Tottenham gone through with three huge deals he was in negotiations over.

Instead Bruno Fernandes eventually joined Manchester United and Jack Grealish left Aston Villa for Manchester City in last summer's £100million mega move.

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And Juventus striker Paulo Dybala has since been linked with the Red Devils and PSG.

Southampton's England midfielder James Ward-Prowse was another near miss.

But Hitchen was also behind two infamous recruits, who both departed Spurs on loan when the transfer window closed on Monday.

Club record buy Tanguy Ndombele returned to Lyon, while Giovani Lo Celso exited for Villarreal.

Meanwhile, Everton brought in Tottenham playmaker Dele Alli on a free transfer.

And Bryan Gil was the FOURTH Spurs fringe man to go on deadline day, in a temporary move to Valencia.

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