According to Italian outlet Il Messaggero, Erik ten Hag is one step away from becoming the new Tottenham manager.

The Lowdown: Levy's search goes on

It is now seven weeks since Jose Mourinho was relieved of his duties as Spurs boss, but Daniel Levy is yet to decide on a successor.

Antonio Conte looked set to be the Portuguese's replacement, but talks with the former Chelsea boss collapsed (The Guardian).

The Latest: Ten Hag close

However, it seems that Spurs could now be on the verge of securing an appointment, according to Il Messaggero.

It is now being said that Ten Hag is "one step away" from taking over from Mourinho despite him recently signing a new contract with current employers Ajax (Goal.com).

The Verdict: Top choice

If Spurs were able to secure the services of the 51-year-old, it would be a fantastic coup for Levy and co. Ten Hag has done a brilliant job with Ajax - the Amsterdam club have won the last three Eredivisie titles with the Dutchman in charge, winning 74 from a possible 93 matches in the division (Transfermarkt), while they even reached the Champions League semi-finals during the 2018/19 season when they eventually lost to Tottenham.

The new contract is likely to make any deal more expensive for the Lilywhites, but given how important it is to find the right man, they cannot afford to look for the cheapest option and hope for the best. Ten Hag could be an inspired arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

In other news, Tottenham have been offered this Premier League star.