Wednesday, 23rd April, 2014
Tottenham Hotspur have pulled out of the race for Holland coach Louis van Gaal amid interest from Manchester United and Arsenal.
Spurs had viewed Van Gaal as a serious contender to succeed Tim Sherwood as boss in the summer, with the Dutchman due to exit his job with the Oranje following the World Cup and desperate to work in the Premier League.
Such was Tottenham's desire to snap up the 62-year-old, former Chelsea boss Ruud Gullit called the deal as all but done in March, telling BBC Radio 5 live: "I know for sure he was at Van Gaal's house, the [Spurs] chairman. I think it's a done deal, but you never know."
But suddenly the race for Van Gaal has intensified, pushed to greater heights by Manchester United's decision to sack David Moyes yesterday.
According to Dutch magazine Voetbal International, both Arsenal and Manchester United are looking closely at Van Gaal, and that has caused Spurs' chairman Daniel Levy to put the former Barcelona coach out of his thoughts, for fear of not getting his man.
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Manchester United view Van Gaal as a serious contender to replace Moyes and the Dutchman is waiting to speak to representatives of the club at his villa in Portugal.
Arsenal meanwhile are also keeping Van Gaal in mind, with Arsene Wenger not yet having signed an extension to his contract, which expires this summer.
While Wenger is expected to pen a new deal, there remains to possibility he could call time on his lengthy spell in London and the Gunners do not want to be caught without a succession plan.
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