SEVILLE - Juande Ramos has handed in his resignation as coach of Sevilla, paving the way for him to take over at Tottenham.
Ramos, who has been heavily linked with the vacant managerial position at White Hart Lane following the dismissal of Martin Jol on Thursday night, handed in the relevant paperwork to the Primera Liga club on Friday night.
Sevilla physical trainer Marcos Alvarez also tendered his resignation at the same time.
A statement on the official Sevilla website, www.sevillafc.es, read: "Juande Ramos appeared on the third floor of the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan to present a document in which he asked for his contract to be rescinded under clause 1006/85 at 22:35 [local time].
"Ramos was accompanied by his physical trainer Marcos Alvarez, who presented the same document to the general director of the club, Jose Maria Cruz, in presence of Ramon Rodriguez Monchi, the club's sporting director.
"The now ex-Sevilla coach declined the possibility of giving a press conference at the club's training facilities and has chosen his website http://www.juanderamos.com/ as a means of saying goodbye to Sevilla FC."
Shortly before the announcement, Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido had sent an official message to the Primera Liga club's supporters where he appeared resigned to losing Ramos.
"In these moments of concern, in which the events are no doubt going to cause damage to Sevilla FC, (I wanted to) send you a message of calm because with 102 years of history, whichever unilateral decisions are taken, we will know how to make the necessary decisions to be able to move forward," the statement said.
"Sevilla is a great club because it has grown more than anybody else in Spain has done in the last few years.
"Whatever happens on the first team bench, when events come to a head in the coming minutes, as they look like they will, we will be able to hold our head high because the only important thing is the badge, the flag and the fans.
"This is the message which today is more alive than ever."
The 53-year-old Ramos had been in charge of Sevilla since 2005, and led them to five trophies - two UEFA Cups, the Copa del Rey, the European Super Cup and the Spanish Supercopa - during his stint in charge.
Prior to that run of success, Sevilla had not won a piece of major silverware since last claiming the Copa del Rey back in 1948.
Ramos has a wealth of experience of coaching in Spain, having previously been in charge of the likes of Espanyol, Real Betis, Espanyol, Malaga and Rayo Vallecano.
It has not all been joy and happiness during his time at Sevilla though, with two contrasting incidents this year certain to stay with him for the rest of his life.
The first incident occurred in February when he was knocked unconscious after being struck by a bottle thrown from the crowd during a Copa del Rey match against Sevilla's local rivals Real Betis.
Ramos was taken away on a stretcher to an ambulance at the ground, before being transferred to a local hospital where he remained overnight for observation before being discharged.
Overshadowing that incident though was the tragic death of Sevilla wing-back Antonio Puerta at the start of the current Primera Liga season.
Puerta died in hospital at the age off 22 a few days after collapsing during the first half of Sevilla's home match against Getafe in August.
