David Moyes is the front-runner to become the next Tottenham manager should Harry Redknapp’s tenure at the club come to an end.
Accompanied by his new agent Paul Stretford, the 65-year-old met with chairman Daniel Levy and League Managers’ Association chief Richard Bevan this morning for critical talks to determine his future with just 12 months left to run on his current deal.
Spurs are understood to be planning beyond Redknapp’s tenure. Levy was keen on Brendan Rodgers taking over in the event of a vacancy and there were even suggestions Spurs could make an audacious move to extract Rodgers from Anfield just days into his Liverpool reign, given he was thought to be seriously interested in the Tottenham position had it been available.
Liverpool would strongly rebuff any such approach and Moyes is more attainable although Everton would obviously be reluctant to let him go.
He would relish a crack at taking Spurs back into the Champions League and his ability to work to a tight budget and extract the best from players appeals to Levy.
However, there are doubts as to his suitability from others. Moyes is not associated with an attractive brand of football and has total control at Everton, which could potentially be comprised should Levy wish to restore the director of football structure.
As Standard Sport exclusively revealed, Spurs had originally offered Redknapp a three-year deal in February with the club riding high in the League and speculation rampant that he was set to become England boss.
His negotiating position was extremely strong but Spurs’ League campaign unravelled as they dropped from third to fourth and failed to qualify for the Champions League due to Chelsea’s success in the Final.
It is now thought that the most Spurs are prepared to offer is an additional one year with a break clause next summer effectively allowing either party to terminate the deal for nothing.
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The move is designed to ensure the club can compete in the transfer market for players with evidence the manager will remain in charge but Redknapp is furious he has not been given greater reward in recognition of his achievements. Although Spurs were unlucky to miss out on the Champions League, it is thought that key members of the club’s hierarchy blame Redknapp for their failure to secure third place.
There are tensions at boardroom level over how best to proceed. Given a pay-off would need to be agreed on his £3million-a-year deal, they are reluctant at this stage to sack Redknapp, who insists he will not walk away.
Yesterday, Redknapp dismissed rumours he had quit. He said: “I haven’t resigned and I have no idea why it’s being suggested I have. This is an outrage — an absolute liberty for people to be putting around this kind of rumour.
“It is not true, there is not a chance I will resign. Why should I? I have a year left on my contract.”
Redknapp could yet see out the final year of his deal but Moyes, Rodgers and a number of foreign managers are under consideration.
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