Tottenham are expected to open talks with Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou about becoming their new boss in the next few days.
The 57-year-old would not discuss his future after Saturday’s Scottish Cup final victory over Inverness.
That victory saw Postecoglou’s Celtic side complete a domestic treble.
Tottenham are refusing to comment on the situation, however, well-placed sources have told BBC Sport Postecoglou is likely to join the London club.
It is anticipated Spurs officials will outline their plan for the future and explain to Postecoglou why they think he is the right man for the job.
The Premier League club are wary of being seen to be too optimistic given the speculation that grew around their interest in Feyenood’s Arne Slot, only for the Dutchman to decide he wanted to stay with the Eredivisie champions.
But Spurs are also keen to avoid a repeat of the saga of 2021 when they spent weeks trying and failing to land a succession of targets to replace Jose Mourinho.
They eventually appointed former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo, who was promptly sacked after just 17 games in charge.
Postecoglou’s reputation growing
Postecoglou confounded early scepticism by winning five out of six domestic trophies during his two seasons at Celtic.
In the process, he has become a crowd favourite at the club.
The Greek-born former Australia boss would enter the Premier League with a burgeoning reputation and a recent CV that is laden with success on different continents.
Postecoglou has emulated Jock Stein, Martin O’Neill, Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon to secure a clean sweep of domestic honours for Celtic this term.
And despite his limited experience of coaching in European football, he has won admirers for the style of football Celtic have played.
Postecoglou’s impressive rebuilding job at Parkhead saw him topple a Rangers side that finished 25 points clear in the 2020-21 season and win two league titles. It matched the two A-League championships he collected at Brisbane Roar before taking charge of the Socceroos in 2013.
A four-year tenure saw Postecoglou take the Australian national side to the 2014 World Cup, win the Asia Cup in 2015 and then steer them to Russia in 2018 before resigning. The following year he led Japan’s Yokohama F Marinos to their first J League title in 15 years.
His arrival in London would end chairman Daniel Levy’s very public and frustrating search for a new boss.
Antonio Conte left the club in March, while Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason also took charge in a turbulent end to a campaign that saw Spurs miss out on European football next term.
Since Conte’s exit, a host of high-profile managers have been linked and then distanced themselves from the Tottenham job.
The Italian’s 16-month spell ended with Conte criticising his own players and the club’s culture after a 3-3 draw against bottom-side Southampton.
Stellini, who had been named interim boss, then departed after a 6-1 thrashing at Newcastle as Spurs concluded the season by winning just three of their final 11 matches.