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Tottenham next manager twist as Xabi Alonso the new 'No 1 pick' over Julian Nagelsmann
Tottenham are reportedly interested in appointing Xabi Alonso as their new permanent head coach.
Xabi Alonso is the new No 1 candidate to become the next permanent Tottenham boss, according to reports. The former Liverpool midfielder is said to have overtaken both Julian Nagelsmann and Arne Slot in the running for the job.
Tottenham have been searching for a new boss since the sacking of Antonio Conte in late March. They attempted to get through the season with the Italian's former assistant Cristian Stellini in interim charge but he has also since been fired.
Ryan Mason is in place for a second time as caretaker but appears unlikely to get the job on a full-time basis. A host of managers across Europe have been linked with the vacancy.
But it appears Bayer Leverkusen boss Alonso is now a frontrunner. Dutch outlet De Telegraaf says he is the first choice for Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.
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Feyenoord boss Arne Slot is also of interest to Levy but Alonso is the preferred candidate. Alonso's experience playing in the Premier League and Europe's top competitions is said to have put him ahead of Slot.
The Spaniard spent five years at Liverpool between 2004 and 2009, winning the Champions League in his first season at Anfield. He went on to have successful spells at both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich before retiring as a player in 2017.
Alonso has only been in top-flight first-team management since last October after three years as boss of Real Sociedad B. However, he has made an immediate impression at Leverkusen.
Leverkusen were 17th in the Bundesliga when he took over. They now currently occupy sixth spot and are in the semi-final of the Europa League.
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Meanwhile, doubts have increased over the potential of Nagelsmann taking the Spurs job. The Telegraph claims talks with Tottenham have hit a stumbling block.
The German wants to know who will be leading the recruitment strategy at the club if he were to take over. However, Spurs are currently without such a figure following the resignation of managing director of football Fabio Paratici last month.
The report says Levy is looking at new options to become his director of football. But another issue for Nagelsmann is thought to be the wage demands of the players he would like to target in the transfer market.
That could open the door for Alonso's first step into British management. Leverkusen play Jose Mourinho's Roma in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on May 11.
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