Tottenham Hotspur have now settled on their top candidate to become their next sporting director, but they still have work to do to get the official through the door.
Fabio Paratici left Tottenham at the end of the January window, leaving Johan Lange as the club’s only sporting director.
Spurs Web has relayed reports over recent weeks suggesting that Lange is also at risk of losing his job at the North London club this summer on the back of the club’s poor showing this term.
It thus comes as no surprise to hear that Spurs are assessing candidates to become their next sporting director, and one man has now shot to the top of their wishlist.
Over recent weeks, it has been suggested that Spurs have held talks with Sebastian Kehl over their sporting director role, after the German left the same role with Borussia Dortmund last month.
Now, Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg suggests that Kehl has now become the Lilywhites’ number one target to take over as the club’s director.
Plettenberg claims that the 46-year-old’s network, his experience of playing at the highest level, and his management skills mean that Spurs see him as the ideal fit for the role.
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Interestingly, the journalist suggests that the Lilywhites want Kehl to work alongside Lange to rebuild their squad ahead of Roberto De Zerbi’s first full season in charge.
Kehl’s stance revealed following Spurs’ advances
Plettenberg makes it clear that the former Dortmund director’s move to Tottenham is far from imminent at the moment.
The Sky Sports journalist reveals that the German has not yet decided if he wants a quick return to the game or to take some time off after spending nine years at Dortmund, where he was the sporting director for the last four years.
Plettenberg writes on X: “Sebastian Kehl is now the leading candidate for a role as Tottenham’s new director. Spurs’ board want him to rebuild the team alongside Johan Lange. Kehl’s career as a top player, his management skills and his extensive international network are highly valued within the club and during the conversations.
“However, a quick decision does not appear imminent. Sources close to Kehl indicate that the former BVB sporting director has not yet decided whether he wants to return to the game immediately or take some time off first.”