Arne Slot has called for clarity over his future amid links with Tottenham Hotspur as the Dutch media expects him to leave Feyenoord for the north London club if the two can strike a deal.
The 44-year-old won the Eredivisie title with Feyenoord last week and furthered the good feeling within the club as they won 3-1 at Emmen on Sunday to extend their lead at the top of the table to 10 points with a goal difference of plus 52 thanks to their attacking football and second-tightest defence in the league.
After the match Slot was asked again about those links to Spurs, who have him among their top candidates. The Dutchman called for clarity and admitted that Feyenoord's general manager Dennis te Kloese has said the north London club have not yet made an approach to them.
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"It's hard to say anything when there isn't much to say. Dennis has indicated that no club has reported," said Slot after Sunday's game. "I just have an ongoing contract. I don't understand why I always find so much about it. With Orkun [Kokcu] they can also report up to two or three weeks before the deadline. That also happens with a trainer, doesn't it?"
He added: "I also prefer that clarity comes quickly and I also prefer that it is good for all parties."
The Dutch media outlet De Telegraaf are reporting that only the compensation fee would need to be agreed with Feyenoord, who want to offer Slot a new contract, and their reporters have suggested the head coach would be keen on the move to north London if negotiations go well between the clubs, after he rejected Leeds earlier in the season.
Slot is also reported by ESPN Netherlands as saying after the game: "My departure can also be good for the club, but if there is no dream club then I will stay. In football it is commonplace that you talk to clubs. I am not saying that I have done it now, but it is not forbidden that I talk to other clubs."
Another Dutch media outlet AD reported Slot as say: "I will not be tempted to say anything about it now. The way in which my departure from AZ was portrayed in the media at the time ensures that everything I say about this subject is under a huge magnifying glass. So I choose to say as little as possible. So I won't say anything until I can say something about it."
He added: "In the life of a trainer or a footballer, if proposals are made, they mainly go to an agent and in my case business manager. That may have already been the case, but actually I'm still under contract for two years."
When asked about the need for clarity because of plans for transfers in and out of Feyenoord, he said: "An answer to this question raises new questions, but this week we talked again about the plans for the summer and after the summer because I'm under contract here for another two years."
Slot's general manager Te Kloese has claimed he was approached by Spurs about becoming their director of football and rejected their advances.
"I will not deny that an offer has been made, but I will say right away that it has not made me consider picking up and moving with the family," he was reported as saying by ESPN. "I came to Feyenoord to build something beautiful and we all do that together. We are well on our way and want to achieve even more. It would be strange to stop at Feyenoord so soon."
"I immediately wanted to be honest this weekend when I was confronted with the interest of Tottenham, but I had already dealt with it myself," he added. "I was able to clarify immediately."
In his earlier interview reported by ESPN, Te Kloese had also spoken about Slot's position.
"He still has two years left on his contract. That has been said before and we have not been approached by any club," he explained. "Last year we spoke extensively with Arne Slot and his management about the contract extension. Certain things have been agreed there. In February there was already interest from a club from England, Leeds United, but we said 'no' to that. Arne did not want to go there himself.
"If there is interest, a club must report to us and then we will think about it. The same goes for players, but he still has a contract and there are no clauses in it this summer. So we assume that he will remain trainer of Feyenoord."
Tottenham's search is somewhat complicated by their need to appoint a new director of football to replace Fabio Paratici as they must find two like-minded candidates or wait until a new technical director arrives to ratify the head coach he wants. That is perhaps why a double deal for Slot and Te Kloese would have made sense.
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