New Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou held a transfer meeting at Hotspur Way on Friday with chairman Daniel Levy among others while Ryan Mason is expected to remain on his staff, football.london understands.
The Australian officially starts work at the north London club on July 1 after making the move from Celtic but he temporarily paused his post-season holiday to visit Spurs' training ground in Enfield on Friday for the first time. Among the various tasks and meetings with various departments he undertook as he met many staff for the first time face to face was a meeting with a number of people over the direction of the summer transfer window.
There has been a positive reaction so far within the club to the appointment of Postecoglou among staff and players, as many have reached out and spoken to those who have worked under the 57-year-old previously.
Ryan Mason is understood to have been one of those impressed by the Australian after they spoke on Friday and, despite interest from clubs across Europe and in the Championship, the 31-year-old is expected at this stage to take up an offer from Postecoglou to remain at the club and become part of his coaching staff.
Postecoglou has stated previously that in each new job he enjoys working with and developing young coaches, who in turn keep him fresh and inspired, and having been impressed by Mason, he offered the former Spurs and England midfielder the chance to join that list of talented staff from across the Australian's long management career.
football.london understands that the recruitment meeting on Friday with Postecoglou included the likes of Levy, chief scout Leonardo Gabbanini and Mason, who took charge of the club on an interim basis for the final six matches of the Premier League season, among others as the club continued to thrash out what is expected to be a busy summer.
READ MORE: The future of every Tottenham player reveal extent of Ange Postecoglou rebuild with 17 to depart
Last week captain Hugo Lloris publicly announced his intention to leave Spurs after 11 years if the club were to let him go a year before his contract ends. football.london reported back in December that the plan for this coming summer transfer window was always to bring in a long-term successor to eventually take over from the Frenchman and now those plans will be stepped up to sign someone who will take on the role immediately for the coming season.
To fit into Postecoglou's system, the new goalkeeper will have to be good with their feet and able to operate higher up the pitch due to the high line the Australian employs. David Raya, among others, has been linked with a move to north London, although Brentford's reported £40m valuation of the 27-year-old Spaniard, who counts as homegrown and is out contract in 12 months, could be a sticking point.
Tottenham are also expected to sign new centre-backs and attacking midfielders, with Leicester's James Maddison a long-time target of the north London club, as Spurs adapt the squad to fit Postecoglou's 4-3-3 system from one that was built for the back three formation of Antonio Conte. That will include analysing which wing-backs can fit into his system as full-backs or wingers.
The Australian's methods will require all the players in his squad to be technically excellent on the ball and aggressive and brave in their play, with quick passing and movement from back to front on the pitch.
There will be a string of departures as Spurs' bloated squad is trimmed and transformed without European football to keep large numbers happy with game time.
Tottenham remain steadfast in their intention not to sell Harry Kane this summer, especially to another Premier League club. Real Madrid have been linked with the England captain, who turns 30 this summer, but it remains to be seen whether they will put in the kind of huge bid that would even start discussions with Tottenham over their talisman, who has 12 months left on his current deal.
Postecoglou will also decide on the future of Spurs' returning loan players with 11 coming back to Hotspur Way this summer, including two of the club's most expensive signings in their history in Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso. The Australian will also have the final say on whether the club makes loan moves for Clement Lenglet and Arnaut Danjuma permanent.
Dejan Kulusevski is expected to remain a Tottenham player, with the club having used his image prominently to promote their match in Thailand next month, after his loan from Juventus officially ends, as part of their tour of Australian and Asia. The Swede is also one of only five names initially available on the club's website for supporters to get on the back of their new Nike home shirts for next season.
Spurs are also still working on bringing in a new director of football this summer to work between Postecoglou and new chief football officer Scott Munn.
"It’s great to finally get started as the manager of this great football club," said Postecoglou on Friday. "I’m really looking forward to our task ahead.
"I think it’s an exciting opportunity for us to now set off in a new direction, play football and create an environment that embodies the values and traditions of this fantastic football club, hopefully a team you can all be proud of and, more importantly, get excited by.
"I can assure you that, right through pre-season, we won’t leave any stone unturned – myself, the staff and the players – to make sure that, when the league comes around, you’ll all be as excited as I am about the season ahead.
"I really look forward to seeing everyone at the stadium, in particular at our first home game, and look forward to the journey ahead."
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