Tottenham have reportedly identified Liverpool icon Xabi Alonso as their main managerial target despite strong links in recent weeks to Arne Alot and Julian Nagelsmann.
According to De Telegraaf, the north London side will pursue the 41-year-old Bayer Leverkusen manager as their next full-time head coach, with Alonso enjoying a fantastic first season in Germany as a manager of a senior team.
The former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder was appointed manager of Leverkusen in October of last year, and Alonso has done a remarkable job, taking the German side from the bottom of the table to now competing for a UEFA Champions League spot.
Regarded as one of the best young coaches in Europe, Alonso has, of course, been earmarked as a potential replacement for Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool as reported by Goal. However, Tottenham could now beat the Reds to the punch in bringing the Basque coach to England.
Indeed, Daniel Levy is seemingly keen to get his next managerial appointment bang on having somewhat failed with his last three hires in Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte, and for Liverpool fans, Alonso could now be heading to a Premier League rival.
Alonso could be an excellent fit for Tottenham if given the time
The signs might be early, but Alonso looks firmly on the path to becoming one of the next best managers in football, and for Tottenham, the Leverkusen boss could be an excellent fit if given time to work his magic on the club, even with his strong links to Liverpool.
A move back to Anfield to replace Klopp would be a fairytale for most Liverpool fans. However, with he German coach set to stick around well until his contract ends, Alonso can be forgiven for wanting to take a move to England already should Tottenham make an offer.