Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a formal approach to Feyenoord for Arne Slot to be their new permanent head coach.
The Dutch manager has moved into pole position for the job over the last week, ahead of other candidates including Roberto De Zerbi and Luis Enrique.
Tottenham are yet to make a formal approach for Slot, with Feyenoord director Dennis te Kloese telling ESPN over the weekend that no approach had been made, while also confirming that he himself had turned down an offer to work at Spurs.
The 44-year-old Dutchman has won many admirers for his stint in Rotterdam, guiding Feyenoord to their first Eredivise title since 2016-17 as well as reaching the final of last year’s Europa Conference League.
Tottenham have been looking for a candidate who can institute cultural change at the club, bringing every aspect of the club back together and re-energising the style of play.
That has seen them turn away from some of the bigger-name candidates and instead look for a candidate who represents something close to what Mauricio Pochettino did when he arrived at Spurs in 2014. Pochettino himself was not approached this summer, and is now on the brink of taking over at Chelsea instead.
The lengthy process started in early March when Fabio Paratici drew up a shortlist of candidates to replace Antonio Conte, even before Conte left the club.
Conte left on March 26 and was replaced first by his assistant Cristian Stellini and then by Ryan Mason for the last six games of the season.
Slot’s Feyenoord were crowned Dutch champions last weekend with a 3-0 win over Go Ahead Eagles — only their second title this century.
He was appointed head coach at the start of the 2021-22 season. Feyenoord finished third in his debut campaign and reached the final of the Europa Conference League.
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Conte left Tottenham by mutual consent in March, which came a few days after he branded his players “selfish” in an explosive rant following a 3-3 draw against Southampton.
The Italian’s backroom staff, however, mostly remained at Tottenham with his long-time assistant Stellini appointed as acting head coach with Mason aiding him.
Stellini, though, then left Spurs less than a month later following a 3-2 home defeat by relegation-threatened Bournemouth and a 6-1 loss against fellow top-four chasers Newcastle United.
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Mason then took over as caretaker coach until the end of the season, securing a 2-2 draw against Manchester United in his first match. Spurs have only won one of Mason’s four matches at the helm, the 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on May 6.
Mason, who previously was in interim charge of Spurs for the final eight matches of the 2020-21 season, has one game remaining this season to help the north London side secure European football for next season.
Tottenham finish the season at Leeds United on Sunday, May 28.
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(Photo: Getty Images)