Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt several blows in their pursuit to find a viable successor to Jose Mourinho but there is one intriguing option out there - and he's out of work.

What's the word?

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy reportedly had the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Julian Naglesmann atop his wishlist following the Portuguese's departure two weeks ago, but both were quickly ruled out of the running.

Ajax boss Erik ten Hag then emerged as a serious contender before he signed a contract extension with the Eredivisie champions.

And now it has been revealed that ex-RB Leipzig manager Ralf Rangnick is being considered by the club's hierarchy, according to the Daily Mail.

Revolutionary figure

The 62-year-old would be an interesting candidate to take the helm in north London.

He is largely responsible for the rises of Hoffenheim and Leipzig in the Bundesliga and is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the sort of playing style that we have seen with Jurgen Klopp at last season's Premier League champions, Liverpool.

Rangnick also has a proven track record in spotting talent, buying cheap and selling them on for a profit - something that'll undoubtedly appeal to Levy.

However, it is a combination of all these factors that could suggest someone of the German's calibre is exactly what is required to transform the Lilywhites after a tough few months.

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The veteran, who has also managed Stuttgart and Schalke, has been nicknamed the "football professor" due to him championing the high-pressing brand of football we very often see in this day and age.

For example, he was one of the first coaches to abide by an "eight-second rule"; the idea that most goals are scored within a few moments of winning the ball back.

Also dubbed an "architect" following the transformation of Leipzig up the leagues, Rangnick had another rule that contributed to his and the club's success. He did not sign anyone above the age of 23, as per the BBC.

These players would be keen to develop under his stewardship and would eventually go onto make the club a nice bit of money.

Examples of this are endless - just look at the likes of Timo Werner and Naby Keita in the Premier League right now, and even mooted transfer target Marcel Sabitzer, among others.

Spurs have not given a single minute of league action to a player U21, via the CIES Football Observatory, and their average squad age of 27 ranks them as the fifth oldest in the top-flight.

There are plenty of young players with bags of potential emerging from the academy system too, namely Oliver Skipp and Dane Scarlett. They are just two players that could thrive under the German.

Similarly, the club have rued the loss of former starlets, such as Marcus Edwards and Noni Madueke, because there has never been a direct pathway into the first-team fold barring one or two exceptions.

After the latest blow of losing out on ten Hag, it's time to quickly forget about that and move on. Rangnick is potentially the best freely available candidate out there and given his methods and the evidence above, he could be the man to completely revitalise the struggling north London outfit.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Bundesliga expert backs Spurs move for Sabitzer