Tottenham Hotspur to face competition from Real Madrid in their pursuit of Julian Nagelsmann - Reports
Real Madrid are reportedly set to rival Tottenham Hotspur for the signature of RB Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann.
According to TalkSport, Spurs were said to be in pole position to sign the German tactician but will now face competition from Real Madrid, who are considering replacing Zinedine Zidane at the end of the season.
Julian Nagelsmann entered the world of football management in 2016. He led Hoffenheim to a fourth-place finish the following season, securing UEFA Champions League qualification for the first time in the club's history.
RB Leipzig appointed him as their head coach ahead of the 2019-20 season. He guided the Bundesliga side to the semi-finals of the Champions League in his first season in charge of the club.
Despite being just 33 years old, Julian Nagelsmann is viewed as the future of football and is expected to make the move to one of Europe's elite teams in the near future. Tottenham Hotspur are tipped to be one of those teams as the north London club continues to struggle under the management of Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho led Spurs to a sixth-place finish last season after taking over as head coach from Mauricio Pochettino in November.
Tottenham Hotspur were tipped as one of the title favorites after an impressive transfer window and a strong start to their Premier League campaign.
However, they are currently in ninth place in the league table, having lost five of their last six games. This has led the club hierarchy to question whether Jose Mourinho is the right man for the job.
Many fans and pundits believe Mourinho could be sacked at the end of the season if Tottenham Hotspur do not qualify for the Champions League. Spurs have reportedly identified Julian Nagelsmann as a potential successor for him.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are reportedly questioning the abilities of Zinedine Zidane following the club's Super Cup defeat to Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals, their exit from the Copa del Rey and the poor defence of their La Liga title.
Tottenham Hotspur more likely to sign Julian Nagelsmann than Real Madrid as Jose Mourinho continues to struggle
The probability of Real Madrid parting ways with Zinedine Zidane at the end of the season seems unlikely. The Spanish giants are still in the Champions League and are currently second in the La Liga title race, just three points behind leaders Atletico Madrid.
Tottenham Hotspur, on the other hand, are struggling under Jose Mourinho. They are currently nine points away from the Champions League places and are on a terrible run of form.
Many fans and pundits believe Jose Mourinho's tactics are obsolete and that he is not the right man for Tottenham Hotspur. Therefore, it seems likely that Spurs could part ways with the Portuguese tactician and pursue Julian Nagelsmann this summer.