Tottenham switch attention back to Erik ten Hag after Antonio Conte talks collapse
By Max Cooper
Tottenham Hotspur are ready to shift their focus back to Ajax boss Erik ten Hag after talks with Antonio Conte broke down.
Ten Hag was a name mentioned as a potential candidate early on in their managerial search, as Daniel Levy aims to appoint Jose Mourinho's successor after his disastrous spell in charge was brought to an end in April.
Ajax dashed Tottenham's hopes of snatching Ten Hag by triggering an extension in his contract at the end of April, forcing the north Londoners to look elsewhere for their next leader. That man appeared to be former Inter boss Conte, but just as the deal appeared to be close, the move collapsed.
The Mirror is reporting that Spurs will now turn their attention back to Ajax boss Ten Hag, and they will attempt to get a deal over the line by the end of June. The 51-year-old continues to impress onlookers with his exploits in the Eredivisie, developing Ajax's young team and guiding them to the second league title of his reign.
Ten Hag was also at the helm of the Dutch giants for their dramatic run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019, when they were knocked out of the competition by a last-gasp winner from Spurs' Lucas Moura.
The coach's reputation as a forward thinking and exciting managerial prospect has remained intact, despite Ajax's struggles in Europe over the past two years, and it seems that Spurs believe he is the best man available to reignite their top-four ambitions.
Mourinho's predecessor Mauricio Pochettino was also a strong favourite to return this summer, with reports in England and France claiming the Argentine unhappy with his working conditions at current club Paris Saint-Germain.
However, PSG are unwilling to release him from his contract, which runs for another year with the option to extend for a further 12 months, meaning that deal hit a major roadblock early on. All of this has thrown Ten Hag back into the spotlight then, as Spurs aim to repair the damage caused by Mourinho's 18-month stint at the club.