Andre Villas-Boas is close to being appointed Tottenham’s new manager.
Press Association Sport understands former Chelsea boss Villas-Boas could even be installed as Harry Redknapp’s successor within the next 24 hours.
Reports suggest Villas-Boas is on the brink of signing a four-year contract worth STG16 million ($A24.65 million).
It has been suggested Villas-Boas is prepared to forgo a potential STG11 million pay-off from Chelsea to take charge of their London rivals.
The Blues reportedly have been continuing to pay the 34-year-old Portuguese since sacking him in March, just eight months into a three-year contract.
Tim Sherwood looks set to be promoted to director of football at Spurs, with the 43-year-old one of few members of their coaching staff to survive the axe following Redknapp’s departure last month.
Tottenham are said to have sought assurances from Villas-Boas that he had learnt the mistakes that led to his Chelsea downfall.
Jose Mourinho’s former assistant was dogged by claims of player unrest during his ill-fated tenure at Stamford Bridge.
Villas-Boas arguably tried to change too much, too soon, in pursuit of billionaire Blues owner Roman Abramovich’s dream of getting the team to play more like Barcelona.
He was also highly sensitive to criticism during his first major setback in what had previously been a meteoric rise in management.
Villas-Boas’ first full season as a boss saw him win an unprecedented quadruple at Porto, which included masterminding an unbeaten league campaign.
And despite his reputation taking a hit since, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy appears to have seen him as the best young manager to build on Redknapp’s success.
Villas-Boas is likely to be expected to ensure the club qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The Spurs were cruelly denied a return to the competition by Chelsea’s astonishing Munich triumph, which rendered Tottenham’s fourth-placed English Premier League finish redundant.
Villas-Boas’ first task will be to try to retain Spurs’ stars this summer.
Spurs have already secured Gareth Bale on a new four-year contract but doubts persist over the future of Luka Modric, who was denied a move to Chelsea a year ago and has been strongly linked with Manchester United and Real Madrid.
Tottenham are said to be interested in CSKA Moscow midfielder Alan Dzagoev, according to the player’s father, following his son’s starring role for Russia at the European Championship.
They face a fight to land Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen, who is in a legal battle with Ajax to try to force through a move to White Hart Lane.
Spurs had also been trying to secure Emmanuel Adebayor on a permanent deal from Manchester City prior to Redknapp’s departure after the striker starred while on loan last season.
