Tottenham: Slot told to avoid ‘coach’s graveyard’ as Levy is left ‘hugely impressed’ after ‘interview’

Jason Soutar
Reported Tottenham managerial target Arne Slot during a Europa League match for Feyenoord

Tottenham are ‘hugely impressed’ by Feyenoord manager Arne Slot, who is now in ‘pole position’ to replace Antonio Conte, according to a report.

Slot is the bookies’ favourite to become the Premier League club’s new manager having led Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title this season.

Tottenham reportedly made former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann their top target, but the German withdrew from negotiations last week.

Ex-Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers is also in the mix.

It was reported by The Telegraph on Wednesday that Tottenham have ‘stepped up their interest’ in Slot with Feyenoord expecting an approach.

Next Spurs boss: Title winner Arne Slot the favourite ahead of Brendan Rodgers

And Football Insider have now given another positive report on the north Londoners’ pursuit of the 44-year-old manager.

It is said that Spurs are looking to make an appointment ‘next week’ and have been left ‘hugely impressed’ by Slot having ‘conducted an interview’.

With Daniel Levy ‘confident Slot is the right choice as manager’, discussions are going well, and ‘there is a willingness from both parties to complete a deal’.

It is no surprise that Feyenoord want to keep hold of Slot and the report says the Dutch champions are willing to offer him a significant pay rise ahead of an ‘approach’ from Spurs.

Slot was linked with a move to Leeds United earlier this season and Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan has revealed that the 44-year-old was eager to move to Elland Road.

“For Arne, the Premier League has always been a major attraction,” Van der Kraan told talkSPORT.

“He told me in February when Leeds United came for him, he said, ‘look Marc, I think I could do something there, I think I could keep them up and give them a different playing style.’

“He wanted to go but Feyenoord refused to let him go, Leeds offered £5-6m to Feyenoord and the club said no.

“He has a clause only next year in his contract which would allow him to leave and that makes it a little bit difficult if Tottenham Hotspur fork out a multi, multi million pound fee for a coach who has never proven himself in the Premier League.

“It’s a risk but this man is in demand, he’s brought the best style of football I’ve ever seen in 40 years at the club. He’s almost a copy of Pep Guardiola style and that’s what the people love.”

Also via talkSPORT, former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has said Slot has the potential to “shut the Spurs fans up” with his style of play, despite the fact he does not rate the Dutch top flight.

“I am not a great admirer of the Eredivisie because I don’t think its as competitive a league,” Jordan said. “But notwithstanding, you can only win what you’re in.

“(Feyenoord) is not one of those teams that has been bought and paid for like PSG, which dominates the French league. So, to win the league that they are in, the manager’s got to be very good at what he’s doing.”

He continued: “If you’ve got a style of football that is very appealing, then you might just have yourself an individual who can tick a few boxes.

“The guy is still at an age where he is not past his best, and not necessarily in a space where (he feels) he is right about everything like Conte or Mourinho might have been.

“He plays a style of football that will shut the Spurs fans up. (And) he knows how to win.”

Dutch pundit Rene van der Gijp is not convinced The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is the best place for Slot to go, labeling the white side of north London “a coach’s graveyard”.

“You’re going to make an awful lot of money, but it’s still a club where you don’t get the best players,” Van der Gijp reportedly told Today Inside, as relayed by Feyenoord Pings.

“They have exceptional players with Harry Kane and Heung-min Son, but if they leave, you don’t pick up a Kane anymore. They won’t go there. It is a coach’s graveyard over there.”

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