Former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo has today emerged as a serious leading candidate for the Tottenham job.
Sportsmail can reveal that the Portuguese coach’s credentials now have the backing of chairman Daniel Levy and new Football Managing Director Fabio Paratici.
Tottenham have also been giving serious thought to the merits of Brighton boss Graham Potter this week but it is Nuno’s name that is currently being discussed most prominently.
Having left Wolves – who he took in to the Premier League from the Championship – at the end of last season, Nuno was expected to rejoin his family back in Portugal.
But he is understood to be attracted to the prospect of managing one of England’s most prestigious clubs.
Tottenham Director of Technical Performance Steve Hitchen has long been pushing for an English candidate to carry out the reboot needed after the disappointing reign of Jose Mourinho.
But Nuno – having worked in England for four years – is very much seen as the next best thing.
There has been some concern expressed at the club about the way Wolves fell away last season, finishing 13th in the Premier League.
But those at Spurs pushing the 47-year-old’s cause have pointed out that Wolves never really recovered from the sale of Diogo Jota to Liverpool and the loss to head injury of Raul Jimenez.
At Tottenham the need to make an appointment is great. Having initially pursued Brendan Rodgers and Ajax coach Erik Ten Hag, Spurs flirted with former manager Mauricio Pochettino and then had talks with former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte and even one-time AC Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso.