Brendan Rodgers remains Tottenham's top managerial target
By Tom Gott
Exclusive - Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers remains Tottenham's top target to take charge of the club this summer, but his hesitance to negotiate has seen them consider numerous other options.
90min revealed in March that Rodgers had been moved to the top of chairman Daniel Levy's wish list to replace Jose Mourinho, who was given his marching orders in April and temporarily replaced by Ryan Mason.
Spurs will not hire a new manager until the season is over, with club officials keen to put as much thought as possible into their next move, but sources have confirmed to 90min that Spurs remain infatuated with Rodgers.
Levy wants his next manager to be in place for the long run and he sees Rodgers as the perfect candidate for the role. He is prepared to hand the Leicester boss a salary which would make him the Premier League's second-highest earner behind Pep Guardiola, but the Foxes have made it clear they will rival any offer he receives.
However, despite his optimism, Levy is aware he is facing an uphill battle to convince Rodgers, who publicly admitted he is not thinking of leaving the King Power Stadium soon.
90min understands Levy has been approached by intermediaries of close to 20 top managers, all of whom have voiced an interest in replacing Mourinho this summer, and Spurs are yet to rule anybody out of the race.
Some of their targets, including Julian Nagelsmann, Erik ten Hag and Jesse Marsch, have already committed their futures elsewhere, but the likes of Gian Piero Gasperini, Maurizio Sarri, Scott Parker and Graham Potter remain under consideration.
Links to Brighton boss Potter have grown in recent days, but club executive Paul Barber told The Argus: “We have no desire whatsoever to lose Graham. Graham is very happy here. As far as we are concerned there is absolutely no way we would allow Graham to leave at this time.”
With no final decision coming soon, Mason will be left in charge of the side as they push to rescue a spot in either the Europa League or the Champions League next season.
Spurs currently sit sixth in the Premier League standings, two points behind West Ham and five behind fourth-placed Chelsea.