Feyenoord general manager Dennis te Kloese has revealed he turned down an approach to join Tottenham Hotspur -- and expects the Eredivisie champions' head coach Arne Slot to also resist interest from the Premier League club to become their next head coach.
Spurs are without a sporting director after Fabio Paratici resigned last month as he fights to clear his name amid a FIFA ban from football activities relating to his time at Juventus.
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The club have appointed chief executive of City Football Group China, Scott Munn, to a newly created chief football officer from July 1 but are also looking for a new recruitment chief with reports in Italy suggesting Napoli's Cristiano Giuntoli is one name under consideration.
However, Te Kloese told ESPN Netherlands' morning show "Goedemorgen Eredivisie" that he had rejected an offer from Spurs and wants to continue work in Rotterdam.
"It's not an option right now," Te Kloese said. "I said 'no' and I also don't have any interest. I've made the choice to work for Feyenoord and that is still a great honour. We have made really good steps last year and then to say: 'Let's hear what I can do for other clubs,' is not an option for me. I want to be very clear: It will not happen."
ESPN reported on May 1 that Slot was emerging as a serious contender in Tottenham's thinking to replace Antonio Conte, who was sacked as head coach on March 27 after 16 months in charge.
However, Te Kloese said: "[Slot] still has a contract for two years. That has been said before and we have not been approached by any club.
"It is up to Arne to say something about that [his future]. But for us there is no ambiguity about it. We assume that he will remain the trainer of Feyenoord.
"He has a contract for two more years and this summer there is no release-clause in his contract, so we can say no if we want. And we have quite a good story here as well. Champions League next year, a lot of new players were signed last summer and they proved real good players in this team and their contracts also run for quite some years to come. So we have something here to look forward to."
Slot, who has a release clause in his contract in 2024, revealed his ambition to work in England last week, telling a news conference: "I think when it comes to the next step, it won't be in Holland.
"If the next step is in Holland I'll have failed completely in the last few years. The next step is to go abroad. I've always said the Premier League is the best league in the world. Italy have three teams in European finals. But the Premier League is the biggest league."
It remains to be seen whether Spurs attempt to test Feyenoord's resolve with a formal approach for Slot. Feyenoord are thought to be planning to offer Slot a new contract worth around £3million a year but that is a figure Tottenham could easily surpass if they choose to pursue the 44-year-old.
Other names under consideration include former Spain boss Luis Enrique and Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso. Mainz's Bo Svensson also attracted interest but is thought to be behind the other candidates at present.
Sources close to Tottenham continue to insist they have ended their interest in former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann.