Ajax boss Erik ten Hag has emerged as a leading candidate to become the new Tottenham manager.
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With Julian Nagelsmann (Tottenham’s reported first-choice to replace Jose Mourinho) joining Bayern Munich, Spurs are in the thick of the hunt for a new boss.
Ten Hag, 51, has been in charge of Ajax since 2017 and brought the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong, Sergino Dest, Donny van de Beek and now Brian Brobbey, Lasina Traore and Ryan Gravenberch into the first team.
According to The Telegraph, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is also keen on Ralf Rangnick, Gareth Southgate and Roberto Martinez as Ryan Mason will be in charge on an interim basis until the end of the season.
Whoever comes in, Tottenham need a new long-term project and that is more important than just bringing a big-name manager for the sake of it. That did not work out well last time...
Is Erik ten Hag a good fit for Tottenham?
Ten Hag is renowned for developing talented youngsters and he has just one year left on his current contract at Ajax, so financially it would be a good fit as Ajax would probably not ask for much, if any, compensation.
They would be sad to see him leave as they’re about to win the Dutch title for the second time in three seasons and have had memorable Champions League and Europa League runs. In short, Erik ten Hag has had Ajax’s youngsters punching well above their weight and after his work at Utrecht and with Bayern Munich’s reserve squad, he is perfect for a project centered around top young talent.
Spurs have a crop of talented youngsters coming through the ranks and Ten Hag is renowned for taking young players to the next level, just like Mauricio Pochettino did when he arrived in 2014.
With Harvey White, Dane Scarlett, Troy Parrott, Oliver Skipp, Ryan Sessegnon and many others tipped to break into the first team soon, hiring Erik ten Hag would be a savvy move by Levy.
It would also be a move back to what Tottenham have been good at, producing young players and having a clear plan and playing philosophy to stick to.
Whether or not Erik ten Hag’s name, or plan, is big enough to keep the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son around remains to be seen, but this looks like a very good fit, on paper.
