Sport

Postecoglou to take over Spurs

06:11 am on 6 June 2023

Ange Postecoglou Photo: AFP

Australian Ange Postecoglou has agreed to take over Tottenham Hotsput but he may not have captain Harry Kane at the Premier League club.

The Celtic boss has agreed to a two-year contract.

The 57 year old has just finished his second season at Celtic, leading them to the Scottish title both years and the domestic treble this term.

Spurs have been looking for a new manager since Antonio Conte's exit in March, with Cristian Stellini and then Ryan Mason taking interim charge.

The final elements of the deal are being finalised before an announcement.

Athens-born Postecoglou's only experience in Europe before joining Celtic in 2021 had been a spell in charge of Greek lower league side Panachaiki in 2008.

He has won the Australian title with South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar, Japan's top flight with Yokohama F Marinos and also led the Australian national team to victory at the 2015 Asian Cup.

Postecoglou takes over a Tottenham side who finished eighth in the Premier League and face a first season without European football since 2009-10.

He became a hugely popular figure with the Celtic fans, with his recruitment and attacking football catching the eye.

Harry Kane Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Meanwhile Harry Kane tops Real Madrid's wanted list as they look for a replacement for Karim Benzema.

Kane has a year left on his Tottenham contract and is undecided on his future.

Benzema's departure after 14 years at the club has left the Spanish giants needing a new striker.

Napoli's Victor Osimhen, Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez, Chelsea's Kai Havertz and Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic are also on their list of targets.

But 14-time European champions Real are huge admirers of England's record goalscorer Kane and are hopeful the exit of several of their high earners this summer can help their bid.

Along with the departure of Benzema, Eden Hazard, Marco Asensio and Mariano Diaz are also leaving Madrid this summer.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy wants to keep Kane at his boyhood club, though, and is understood to be wanting in excess of $200m, a price tag Real would be reluctant to pay.

Kane has scored 280 goals in 435 appearances for Spurs and is 47 goals shy of Alan Shearer's Premier League goalscoring record of 260.

-BBC