Tottenham identify Tim Steidten as sporting director candidate

Former Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Tim Steidten is a contender for the vacant role at Tottenham.

Steidten, who is out of work after leaving the Bundesliga club in March, features prominently on Spurs’s list of candidates, although chairman Daniel Levy is yet to hold face-to-face talks with the 44-year-old.

Steidten, a former professional in the German lower leagues, joined Leverkusen from Werder Bremen in 2019, initially as chief scout. He was promoted to sporting director in July last year, and has reportedly been responsible for attracting a number of exciting young talents to the club, including Edmond Tapsoba, Jeremie Frimpong and Piero Hincapie, a centre-back who is admired by Spurs.

Brentford’s Lee Dykes is also understood to be under consideration by Spurs, while Roma sporting director Tiago Pinto is also reportedly of interest, with Levy thought to be closing in on an appointment. Johannes Spors, who has been linked with the job, is not a contender.

Levy is searching for a new sporting director following the resignation of managing director Fabio Paratici last month after the Italian lost an appeal against his worldwide ban from football. The club’s new sporting director will report to incoming chief football officer Scott Munn, effectively Levy’s new No2, who is due to start work in July after his gardening leave with City Football Group comes to an end.

Steidten was Leverkusen’s sporting director when the Bundesliga club named Xabi Alonso as boss and his appointment would raise speculation that Spurs could hire the 41-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach. Alonso is of interest to Spurs, although there are concerns about his lack of experience, and he is rated as an outsider to permanently succeed Antonio Conte.

Steidten would also be familiar with Julian Nagelsmann, although Spurs ruled him out of the running last week and do not intend to interview the 35-year-old. Nagelsmann was said to be open to the job but had concerns over their lack of a sporting director.

Meanwhile, Spurs will face relegation-threatened Leicester in Bangkok as part of their Asia-Pacific pre-season tour this summer. Spurs will face the Foxes in the Thai capital on Sunday, July 23. They have already announced friendlies against West Ham in Perth on July 18 and Roma in Singapore on July 26.