Tottenham Hotspur are on the look-out for new managers to replace the under-fire Ange Postecoglou this summer, with widespread reports claiming the Australian is likely to walk regardless of their success in the Europa League final.
Postecoglou has now led Spurs to 20 Premier League defeats in a single campaign, breaking the club's record which was previously held by former Lilywhites boss Ossie Ardiles, who oversaw 19 top flight losses in the 1993/1994 season.
While Postecoglou has an all-important Europa League final on the horizon, which could well save Tottenham's season, the 59-year-old's future remains uncertain.
Even if Spurs win the competition and end their 17-year wait for a piece of major silverware, all while qualifying for next season's Champions League, there is still absolutely no guarantee that Postecoglou will be in charge next term.
As per the reliable David Ornstein and other media sources, Postecoglou remains likely to be replaced by Tottenham this summer in the event they're victorious in Bilbao against Man United come May 21.
"I think the direction of travel is for Spurs to make a change in the summer, irrespective of the outcome of this match," said Ornstein on the Sky Sports Back Pages podcast this week (via GiveMeSport).
"I do take the point on the emotion, and we saw what happened with Manchester United [under Erik ten Hag], although that may serve as a warning why clubs shouldn't repeat what they did.
"The view of the club seems to be that he hasn't got what he should've out of the team this season, and that's putting it politely. And therefore, whatever happens in this Europa League campaign, I think that a new coach coming in over the summer is a very high possibility."
In terms of Tottenham's reported managerial targets, the likes of Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford), Scott Parker (Burnley), Jürgen Klopp (Head of Global, Red Bull), Niko Kovač (Borussia Dortmund) and Edin Terzić (free agent) have all been linked in recent weeks.
Tottenham hold talks with ex-Barcelona manager Xavi
Now, as per ex-Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys, via his personal website, former Barcelona boss Xavi has also attracted interest from N17. The Camp Nou legend guided Barça to a La Liga and Spanish Super Cup title in 2023, but later parted company, telling any future manager that they'd "suffer" in the job.
He's been out of work ever since, with Keys sharing information from a "very good source" of his that Tottenham have held talks with Xavi over becoming their new manager.
However, as things stand, it is believed the 45-year-old is not looking to make a Premier League move just yet. This comes as a dampening blow for Spurs, with Xavi arguably the most exciting free agent coach available for hire right now.
Unlike Postecoglou, Xavi has also been praised for his in-game tactical switch ups and versatility when it comes to making substitutions.