It's fair to say that Tottenham supporters, in general, were not bowled over by the prospect of Sebastian Kehl becoming the club's new sporting director.
A vacancy opened up after Fabio Paratici left for Fiorentina earlier this year, and there's also been talk of Johan Lange taking on a different role, or leaving the club entirely.
Dougie Freedman and Paul Winstanley have also been considered, with the former reportedly offering a polite refusal. Kehl, who left Borussia Dortmund in March having spent 13 years with the club as a player, then emerged as our priority target.
However, negotiations have broken down.
De Zerbi's influence reportedly deterred Kehl from taking Spurs role
Sky Germany reported on Wednesday that no agreement was reached between Kehl and Spurs after "concrete talks".
The two parties have had multiple discussions in London since the Lilywhites earmarked the German as their preferred option, but Kehl has opted against taking the job because of Roberto De Zerbi's influence.
Well, "differing views on the club’s strategic direction," was how it was dressed up.
After pulling off a minor miracle to guide Spurs to safety, De Zerbi has earned his power in north London. He was handed the keys because of our desperation, with the Italian signing a five-year contract in March. Still in the Premier League, De Zerbi's now looking to build this Tottenham team in his image.
Free agents Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi have already joined the club. Jan Paul van Hecke and Savinho could be next. The club certainly isn't messing around, with De Zerbi pointing towards a summer clearout almost immediately after survival was confirmed.
However, Kehl's rejection raises the question of whether a sporting director can operate in this environment. I don't think we need two, to be honest. We either stick with Lange or appoint a replacement. With De Zerbi so prominent, though, would a venerated director fancy taking the role on? They'd want plenty of autonomy, and wouldn't fancy a fiery, spiky-haired Italian offering his two cents whenever he pleases.
I'm not bothered about Kehl. By all accounts, he didn't do a very good job at Dortmund, altering their policy towards a model predicated on signing finished products as opposed to raw materials. Fans slowly became disillusioned, with the club's fierce identity gradually eroding. Few were concerned when he left in March.
Only when De Zerbi starts scaring off good sporting directors will his power become an issue.
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