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Report: Key Tottenham figures fancy Arteta’s friend as manager

Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
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Tottenham Hotspur are showing a strong interest in appointing Bayern Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso.

That is according to Sky Sports, who claim that key figures inside Tottenham really like Alonso.

The Spaniard only became Bayer Leverkusen boss earlier this year, replacing Gerardo Seoane.

Alonso was previously in charge of Real Sociedad B but has made the step up to Leverkusen look seamless.

Leverkusen have completely turned their season around under Alonso and are now into the Europa League semi-finals.

The 41-year-old is still in the relative infancy of his coaching career but interest is mounting already.

Tottenham are now showing an interest in making Alonso their new manager, replacing Antonio Conte.

The former Liverpool hero was bound to be linked with Premier League jobs and Spurs could now emerge as a realistic destination.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen v Eintracht Frankfurt - Bundesliga
Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images

Tottenham could now copy Arsenal’s plan with Xabi Alonso approach

It sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

A North London club going for a Spaniard who had a fine career as a midfielder and has ties to Pep Guardiola.

Arsenal did this exact approach by going for Mikel Arteta, who worked alongside Guardiola at City after a quality Premier League career.

More than three years on, Tottenham are now going down a similar path.

Alonso’s playing career easily exceeded that of Arteta, and he featured under Guardiola to Bayern Munich.

Now shining as Bayer Leverkusen boss, Alonso could be trusted to pull off an Arteta-style turnaround at Spurs.

Alonso and Arteta are close too; they started playing together in the Basque Country as kids before joining forces at Antiguoko.

The pair went their separate ways before seemingly reuniting in 2004.

Sociedad signed Arteta, only to sell Alonso to Liverpool as the pair just missed each other.

Arteta and Alonso have been friends childhood and are both impressing as managers.

If Tottenham make their move, Alonso could end up managing against Arteta in North London derbies.