Tottenham Hotspur’s search for a new manager seems to be narrowing down. One of the candidates, Feyenoord coach Arne Slott, 45, has even expressed his desire to join Spurs.

“Slott has asked his club Feyenoord if he wants to take over as Tottenham manager,” British soccer outlet 90MIN reported on Wednesday (Aug. 23). Earlier, the outlet reported that Spurs had held initial talks with Slott. Feyenoord, who were in the thick of the title race, clinched the title early before the end of the league schedule. Now that Slott’s situation has been eased, Spurs have made a move. According to reports, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was impressed with Slott from the outset. It’s possible that the negotiations could go smoothly from here. This isn’t the first time Slott has been linked with a move. “Every manager has challenges and ambitions,” Slott recently said in a local interview, “I’ve always said the Premier League is the best league in the world. I’ve always said that the Premier League is the best league in the world. I’ll see you in London (Tottenham’s hometown) next time,” hinting at a move to Spurs.

The Dutchman has done well in his short managerial career since becoming the full-time head coach of Alkmaar (Netherlands) in 2019. In his first season in charge, in 2019-2020, he led the club, which was considered a strong contender but far from a title contender, to a second-place finish in the league. They had the same number of points as leaders Ajax. There was much to be disappointed about at the time. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league schedule was cut short after 25 games instead of 34. Alkmaar didn’t manage to stay in contention for the title, finishing second. Slott, who moved to Feyenoord in 2021, led the team to the Europa Conference final last season. They lost 0-1 to Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma (Italy) on the final day to miss out on the trophy, but Feyenoord’s surge was fierce. They defeated the likes of Marseille (France) and Slavia Prague (Czech Republic) in the tournament. The momentum carried over to this season, when Feyenoord won their first league title in six years.

This season has been a tough one for Tottenham. They’ve lost two managers. Antonio Conte, the Italian “mastermind” who was dubbed a championship hitter, was fired for poor performance. Acting manager Christian Stellini left the club shortly afterward following a shock 1-6 defeat at home to Newcastle last month. Ryan Mason, who played alongside Son as a player, is now in charge of the team. However, the team’s results have not improved. Spurs have struggled in their last five games, with one win, one draw, and three losses. The team has fallen to eighth place in the league (57 points) and is struggling to qualify for European competition. The team is looking for a new manager and is expected to make major changes.

Of course, Slott isn’t a lock to be Tottenham’s new manager. There are variables. Slott’s contract with Feyenoord runs until 2025. The club would have to pay a penalty if they wanted to hire him before the contract expires. “While Slott is the favorite, former Spain national team coach Luis Enrique and Sporting (Portugal) coach Ruben Amorim have not been ruled out of the running for the Spurs job,” the publication said. It looks like the finalists have been narrowed down to three. 메이저놀이터

Enrique, who has coached AS Roma in Italy and Barcelona in Spain, is considered one of the greats. In his first season in charge of Barcelona in 2014, he achieved a once-in-a-lifetime treble. Enrique took over the Spanish national team in 2018 and led them for nearly four years until the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. During that time, the team reached the semifinals of Euro 2020 and the round of 16 at the World Cup in Qatar. Amorim, who represented Portugal as a player, is a youngster at 38 years old. After retiring as a player, he managed Casafia and SC Braga (both in Portugal). He has been at the helm of Sporting since 2020, winning the league title in 2020-2021 and finishing second in the league last season. This season, they are in fourth place in the league.

Tottenham have been linked with a number of managerial candidates in the past. Former Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes has been approached, and there have also been reports of interest in Vincent Kompany of Burnley (England) and Xabi Alonso of Bayer Leverkusen (Germany). However, negotiations with Nagelsmann fell through, and both Kompany and Alonso reportedly prioritized staying at their clubs. As a result, another candidate had to be found. For now, it seems likely that one of Slott, Enrique, or Amorim will take over at Tottenham.