Tottenham’s top three for sporting director features Tim Steidten

Tottenham’s preferred three candidates for their sporting director role include Tim Steidten, who has held similar jobs at Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen.

Steidten is out of work after leaving Leverkusen in March, just under four years after he joined from Bremen to head the scouting department. He was promoted from that role by Leverkusen last July.

Brentford’s technical director Lee Dykes is also prominent in Tottenham’s thoughts but it would require substantial compensation to bring him across London. Dykes took up his position last summer after three years leading Brentford’s recruitment department.

Brentford are in advanced talks to sign the Freiburg goalkeeper Mark Flekken, whose contract has a €13m (£11.3m) release clause. He is regarded as the successor to David Raya, who has turned down a new deal and is expected to leave. Brentford want £40m for the Spaniard, who hopes to stay in the Premier League.

Tottenham’s search for a sporting director continues. A lack of clarity over who could fill the role prompted Julian Nagelsmann to tell the club he was not able to consider taking the manager’s job.