Spurs Eye Alonso as Frank's Position Grows Increasingly Precarious

Tottenham are making their move for Xabi Alonso, the former Liverpool midfielder who parted company with Real Madrid on Monday evening after falling short in the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona and trailing their rivals by four points in La Liga.

The Madrid hierarchy announced the mutual agreement to end Alonso's tenure at the Bernabeu, releasing a statement that praised him as a club legend while thanking him and his coaching staff for their efforts. The Spanish club's statement read: "Real Madrid C. F. wishes to announce that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to bring his time as first team coach to an end."

It continued: "Xabi Alonso will always carry the affection and admiration of all Madridistas because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always represented the values of our club. Real Madrid will always be his home."

Now Spurs have moved swiftly to capitalise on his availability, with Spanish outlet Fichajes reporting that formal negotiations are underway to bring Alonso to north London. The club's ownership remains convinced of his stature despite the Madrid setback, with the Tottenham board reportedly united in their belief that his modern approach to the game will harmonise with their squad's capabilities.

The timing makes sense for the Lilywhites, who have managed just one victory in their last seven outings. There's growing speculation among the Spurs hierarchy about Frank's future, with boardroom opinion said to be fractured over whether to wield the axe.

Fichajes suggests discussions are progressing positively, with both sides eager to reach an agreement that would see the Tolosa-born coach take the reins before the winter window closes. For Tottenham, landing a manager of Alonso's calibre sends a statement of intent to their rivals.

Former Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas has little faith in Frank's longevity. "I don't think Thomas Frank is going to last very long personally," Jenas observed, "and I only say that because I watch a lot of like players' mannerisms like their body language when they're talking to him or if he's talking to them."

He added: "I was watching the Sunderland game the other day, and you know, players are coming off the bench and just not even looking at looking in his face when he's talking to them. And there's a clear I don't know, there's a clear breakdown in terms of maybe what he's asking the players to do and the players just not agreeing with it."