Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on appointing Ange Postecoglou – a manager compared to Arsene Wenger.
Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou is nearing a move to Tottenham Hotspur as he looks to follow in Arsene Wenger’s footsteps.
Tottenham finally look set to appoint their new manager with Postecoglou on the verge of leaving Celtic.
The Daily Mail claim that Postecoglou has already told Celtic that he wants to leave the club for Spurs.
Fabrizio Romano adds that a verbal agreement between Tottenham and Postecoglou is now in place for a two-year deal with the option of a third.
This is a hammer blow for Celtic, who just completed a domestic treble with a Scottish Cup final win on Saturday.
Postecoglou goes out on a high and leaves having completely rejuvenated a Celtic side who looked rudderless in 2021.
The reaction in England has been a little mixed, with some wondering whether Postecoglou is up to the task at Tottenham.
Ange Postecoglou likened to Arsene Wenger over the years
Postecoglou had similar doubters when he left Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos for Celtic in 2021.
It’s not often we see managers leaving Japan and having success in Europe, but Postecoglou has some parallels with Arsene Wenger in that regard.
Wenger famously managed Nagoya Grampus Eight in Japan before making the move to Arsenal in 1996.
Wenger was derided at the time as many questioned how a manager leaving Japan could thrive in the Premier League.
The Frenchman proved his doubters wrong by becoming one of the greatest managers in Premier League history.
Wenger had already won a French league title before heading to Japan but the comparison to Postecoglou is one that has been made over the years.
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton noted last year that the sneering over Postecoglou was ‘preposterous’ whilst striking a likeness to Wenger.
Sutton’s old Celtic teammate Alan Thompson went down a similar route, suggesting that Postecoglou is like Wenger and not just because of their background in Japan.
Thompson thinks Postecoglou stamped an identity and a culture on Celtic in a similar way to Wenger at Arsenal in the 90’s.
Ex-Tottenham and Scotland striker Alan Brazil called Postecoglou ‘different class’ and feels the way the Australian has been perceived is similar to that of Wenger at Arsenal.
Former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp even compared Postecoglou to Wenger way back in 2019, long before Celtic landed him and Tottenham became interested.
Nobody is expecting Postecoglou to go and win the number of league titles Wenger did, lead an unbeaten season, or stay in the job nearly as long as he did.
Yet with an impressive style of play, a desire to change a club’s culture and a rather unfashionable route into a top Premier League job, the comparison to Wenger is one that Tottenham may just hope rings true.
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