Feyenoord manager Arne Slot is the current favourite to become the next Tottenham manager, with Spurs now looking to rebuild ahead of the 2023/24 season.
It's been a season to forget for Spurs, with the Lilywhites currently sitting eighth in the Premier League, meaning the way things are, they will miss out on a spot in Europe next season. Following the sacking of Antonio Conte in March, Spurs are onto their third manager of the campaign, with Ryan Mason taking over following Cristian Stellini's short stint as head coach.
Now, Daniel Levy will be carefully looking for the best possible appointment ahead of next season, and Feyenoord's Slot is leading the race to become the new Spurs boss. According to reports, the Dutchman has said "yes" to taking the job at Spurs this summer after leading Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title.
READ MORE: Everything Arne Slot said amid Tottenham links as Feyenoord chief claims own Spurs approach
So, could Slot be the right man for the job at Spurs? We simulated next season with the 44-year-old in charge to try and find out.
Spurs' 2023/24 season simulated with Arne Slot
To set up this simulation, we used Football Manager 2023 to arrange for Arne Slot to join Spurs as manager on July 1, 2023, using FM23 to run the simulation. We then simulated the 2023/24 season to see how well the Lilywhites could do with their new boss.
Slot's first job as boss was the evaluate his squad, and the Dutchman brought in Orkun Kokcu from Feyenoord, Mohamed Kudus from Ajax, Liverpool's Caoimhin Kelleher and Frankfurt defender Tuta. Loanees Clement Lenglet and Dejan Kulusevski both had their deals made permanent as well.
At the end of the 2023/24 season, Football Manager 2023 put together an overall best Spurs XI, based on performances, statistics and other metrics. This is what it looked like:
Full Spurs best XI: (4-3-3): Kelleher; Porro, Romero, Dier, Perisic; Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Kokcu; Kulusevski, Kane, Son.
New signings Kelleher and Kokcu made the Spurs best XI, with Slot's change in formation making the Lilywhites a much better side. The midfield of trio of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Rodrigo Bentancur and Kokcu was one of the best in the league, whilst Son also made the side after rediscovering his best form, scoring 18 goals across all competitions.
Kane remained at Spurs in the simulation despite receiving offers from Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool, and the Englishman had another impressive season, scoring 29 goals for Slot's side. Kulusevski was Spurs' player of the year after grabbing 19 goals and 10 assists, but Richarlison struggled again, scoring one goal all season and managing just four starts.
Spurs' results with Slot from the 2023/24 season
Under Slot, Spurs showed big improvement in the Premier League, especially against the rest of the 'big six', losing just two of their 10 encounters against them. At the end of the campaign, the Lilywhites managed 72 points in the league, enough to claim a spot in the top four and earn a spot in the Champions League for the following season.
21 wins, nine draws and eight losses saw Spurs finish in the top four, with five of their eight losses coming against clubs in the bottom five of the league table. Slot's side did have one of the best home records in the league though, losing just once at home all season.
One of their best additions of the summer was Kelleher, with the keeper playing a big role in improving the Spurs defence as they conceded just 32 goals all season. As well as impressing in the league, Spurs had some great cup runs, but they couldn't win a trophy, despite reaching two finals.
Slot led Spurs to the Europa Conference League final in the simulation, but a 1-0 loss to Atalanta saw them miss out on the trophy. The Lilywhites also reached the FA Cup final, but after a 0-0 draw in 120 minutes, it was Liverpool who prevailed on penalties.
Overall, the Football Manager simulation predicts that Spurs could have one of their finest seasons in recent years under Slot's guidance, but the wait for a trophy was made to continue, despite reaching two cup finals. A shake-up in formation saw Spurs' midfield become one of the best in Europe in what was a very promising first season for the Dutch boss.
Do you think Slot would be a good fit for Spurs? Let us know in the comments below!
READ NEXT:
The Harry Kane stance and the advice Daniel Levy must heed with Tottenham set for huge changes
What Daniel Levy's wife did as Spurs owner is embarrassed amid protests during Brentford defeat
Tottenham fans given glimpse of Arne Slot's Spurs blueprint as Daniel Levy makes manager vow
Tottenham player ratings vs Brentford: Harry Kane scores a wonder goal but defenders fall short
Every word Ryan Mason said on Harry Kane future and why Tottenham need more committed players
