Ten Hag was supposedly interested in taking the job, having enjoyed plenty of success with Ajax. The Dutchman would have first come to Spurs’ attention when the two sides met in the 2018-19 Champions League semi-final.
Spurs reportedly did not follow up on their initial interest in Ten Hag, who remained at Ajax for another season. Instead, Nuno Espirito Santo was appointed following a long, drawn-out recruitment process that has been replicated over the last few weeks.
Man Utd turned to Ten Hag last summer and the 53-year-old has enjoyed a successful first season in the Premier League. Bar for a late slip-up on the final day of the campaign, United will qualify for the Champions League in their boss’s debut year.
According to Football London, there remains some regret at Spurs that they failed to make ‘headway’ having expressed interest in speaking with Ten Hag. The former Bayern Munich II head coach was apparently interested in taking the role in the aftermath of Mourinho’s departure.
Spurs’ stance shows how highly regarded Ten Hag is now, just a year into his spell in English football. He has managed what many of his four predecessors – including Mourinho – in the decade since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement failed to do in making progress to restore a positive culture at Old Trafford.
United need just a point from one of their final two games to qualify for the Champions League. Liverpool are three points behind in fifth, but United have a game in hand against Chelsea prior to their final-day clash with Fulham.
Ten Hag has proved to be a successful appointment for the Red Devils, clinching the Carabao Cup in his first season. He could win a first domestic cup double by beating rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup Final on June 3.
Spurs are reportedly set to copy United’s blueprint for appointing Ten Hag. Chairman Daniel Levy is supposedly closing in on the appointment of Feyenoord head coach Arne Slot. Slot’s Feyenoord have won the Eredivisie, just like Ten Hag’s Ajax had done before United made their move last summer.
After an exhaustive search for a new manager, reports suggest that Spurs only need to agree a compensation package with the Dutch side before appointing Slot. It comes nearly two months after Levy sacked Antonio Conte.