Tottenham are poised to confirm the appointment of Paulo Fonseca as head coach in the coming days following further positive talks with the Portuguese over the weekend.
Fonseca, 48, is thought to have agreed a two-year deal, with the option of a further year, bringing to an end the club’s long, and sometimes difficult, search for a permanent successor to Jose Mourinho.
Fonseca was recommended by new director of football, Fabio Paratici, whose appointment from July 1 was confirmed by Spurs on Saturday.
The Italian will run the football side of the club, assuming overall responsibility for recruitment and the difficult job of rebuilding the squad for the new head-coach.
Talks with Fonseca, who is out of work after resigning from Roma, have included discussions over his backroom team after his long-time assistant Nuno Campos last week revealed they would be ending their 15-year association.
Ledley King is expected to continue on the first-team coaching staff, although Ryan Mason, who took charge of the final seven matches of last season following Mourinho’s dismissal, may return to his previous role in the academy.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy last week defended the club’s managerial search, which is thought to have included talks with Antonio Conte, Hansi Flick and Erik ten Hag, as well as a flirtation with former coach Mauricio Pochettino.
“I have had about 30 different names from fans,” Levy said in a rare interview with Tottenham’s in-house media, reflecting the pressure on the chairman.
“Some of the individuals who have been mentioned in the media who have apparently rejected us, we haven’t even spoken to.”
Levy also pointedly warned Harry Kane that he will “do whatever is right for the club” when it comes to deciding the wantaway striker’s future after the Euros.
“I think one of the items that Fabio will have to deal with when he comes in is which players are being retained, which players will be asked to look for other clubs,” Levy said.
“But obviously there is a market out there and what we want, and what somebody else wants, is not always possible to achieve.
“We will do whatever is right for the club.”
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