Tottenham identify Arne Slot as leading candidate to become new manager

Spurs could also consider Julian Nagelsmann, with the former Bayern Munich boss also a target for Chelsea

Feyenoord’s Arne Slot is being viewed as a leading candidate for the Tottenham Hotspur job, although the club are monitoring what happens with Julian Nagelsmann, as they seek to find clarity in a chaotic period.

Spurs on Friday morning announced that Fabio Paritici - who would have led the managerial search - was standing down as Managing Director of Football after having his appeal to overturn a worldwide ban on football-related activities rejected.

With the Italian federation and Fifa ban from his time at Juventus, Spurs had ample time to prepare and the situation has just fed into what has been a crisis time for the club.

New Chief Football Officer Scott Munn will now take on a lot of Paratici’s responsibilities, including the managerial search, although many in the game believe it will all ultimately come down to Levy.

Spurs have already found a number of other issues in the process, however, not least the fact they are looking for a manager at the same time as Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge hierarchy are currently in talks with Tottenham legend Mauricio Pochettino but it is understood a return to White Hart Lane was never seriously broached.

The situation creates the possibility of a moving chairs situation as that could leave Nagelsmann free, who Spurs have long admired.

The German has also been in talks with Chelsea and is being heavily pushed - with some thinking it could come down to a straight choice between Nagelsmann and Pochettino.

While these are both managers out of work, however, Spurs have found that other prospective candidates are not willing to seriously think about their futures at such an intense point of the season.

That has led to the club doing a lot of reconnaissance and talks through back channels, and Slot is known to have struck the club as a possible manager who best fits what they want.

While Levy’s recent thinking has been for big names such as Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho, the ultimate disappointment of both may see the club shift to a coach who was on an upward curve working with younger players as with Pochettino in 2014.

Roberto De Zerbi has equally been considered but that is seen as a difficult deal to strike, and he has a huge support staff.