TOTTENHAM TO UP INTEREST IN POSTECOGLOU
SPURS CHIEFS IMPRESSED BY HIS WORK WITH CELTIC AND HOPE TO HOLD TALKS AFTER SCOTTISH CUP FINAL
TOTTENHAM are set to step up their interest in Celtic head coach Ange Postecoglou after Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final.
Postecoglou is a contender to permanently succeed Antonio Conte and is said to have impressed Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, who is leading the club’s search for a new boss and director of football.
Among Postecoglou’s admirers at Spurs is the club’s incoming chief football officer Scott Munn, a fellow Australian who knows Postecoglou personally and is set to officially become Levy’s de facto No2 from July.
Any serious discussions with Postecoglou, who is on a 12-month rolling contract at Parkhead, will have to wait until after Celtic face Inverness in this weekend’s showpiece at Hampden Park, with the Bhoys aiming to seal an eighth domestic treble.
At 57, the former Australia and Yokohama Marinos boss does not fit the profile of an up-and-coming coach that Spurs had initially hoped to hire. However, he has restored Celtic’s domestic dominance since succeeding Neil Lennon in summer 2021 and earned plaudits for his high-octane style of play, canny recruitment and charisma.
Levy has held talks with Luis Enrique, the out-of-work former Barcelona and Spain coach who is wanted by Serie A champions Napoli as a replacement for Luciano Spalletti. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis yesterday claimed Enrique “has the Premier League in mind” for his next job.
Feyenoord boss Arne Slot last week ruled himself out of the running for Spurs by signing a new contract at De Kuip, while the north London club has insisted that they do not plan to interview Julian Nagelsmann, who is a free agent after being sacked by Bayern Munich. Ryan Mason, who took charge of the last six games of the season as interim head coach, wants the permanent job.
Meanwhile, Spurs will rebuff an approach from Manchester United for Harry Kane this summer, despite the England captain entering the final year of his contract.
Spurs are adamant that Kane will not be sold to a Premier League rival under any circumstances, and would rather risk him walking away for free in a year.
United are planning to test Spurs’ resolve to keep Kane with an offer early in the transfer window, but Levy will give any interest short shrift.
Spurs do not want to lose Kane but would be compelled to listen to serious offers from overseas, although it would take a sizeable bid from the likes of Real Madrid to persuade Levy to negotiate.
Reports in Spain suggest Madrid want Kane as a replacement for Karim Benzema if the Frenchman accepts a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia.
Kane is reluctant to move overseas while he chases down Alan Shearer’s Premier League goal record of 266, although few players turn down Los Blancos.
He scored 30 League goals this season to move within 47 of Shearer, finishing as the second-highest scorer in Europe behind Erling Haaland.
Kane, 30 in July, has previously suggested he could hold contract talks with the club over the summer, but Spurs face a huge challenge to persuade him to sign a new deal following a dismal eighth-placed finish and another year without a trophy.
Spurs are not set to take up their £27million option to make Arnaut Danjuma’s loan move from Villarreal permanent.