Tottenham eye Sebastian Kehl for sporting director role | OneFootball

Sebastian Kehl is emerging as a leading candidate for the role of sporting director at Tottenham Hotspur, according to The Telegraph.

Tottenham are deep in a relegation battle after a defeat to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest over the weekend.

However, despite the real fear of relegation, plans are moving forward behind the scenes for a new football structure.

Spurs have already explored multiple options, but Kehl’s sudden availability has placed him firmly in the frame for the job.

Kehl officially left Borussia Dortmund on Sunday, bringing an abrupt end to his underwhelming tenure.

Despite early promise, the former midfielder ultimately failed to keep the German giants competitive at the top of the Bundesliga.

Tottenham’s interest appears rooted in Kehl’s reputation and early transfer success.

His first window delivered high-profile arrivals such as Karim Adeyemi, Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Sule, moves that drew widespread praise across Germany.

But Tottenham must look beyond the headlines. Dortmund’s near title win in 2022/23 quickly gave way to regression.

Despite Bayern Munich’s occasional vulnerability, Dortmund failed to capitalise, slipping down the table in subsequent seasons.

At one point, they even fell into the bottom half of the table before a late recovery salvaged Champions League qualification.

Tottenham might be repeating Dortmund’s mistakes if they hire him.

Recruitment under Kehl became increasingly erratic, with several marquee signings failing to deliver sustained impact.

Aside from Schlotterbeck, few have justified expectations, while there are serious issues around squad depth and balance.

For Tottenham, this is a pivotal appointment. With uncertainty over the managerial position, Tottenham need a figure capable of building a coherent squad for their next permanent boss.

However, Tottenham appear to be pursuing a director with an uninspiring recent track record. Tottenham’s interest in Kehl feels fundamentally misguided.