Tottenham chief Daniel Levy is ‘prepared to pay Xabi Alonso’s release clause at Bayer Leverkusen’

Tottenham Hotspur have moved one step closer to making Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso the new permanent manager.

The former Liverpool star has been seen as one of the hottest contenders to take over as the club’s new permanent head coach since the departure of Antonio Conte in March.

But according to a report from the MirrorSpurs have labeled the 41-year-old as their main target and are ready to pay for the Spaniard’s release from the Bundesliga club.

The report also suggests that the required package would be one year’s worth of Alonso’s salary at Leverkusen.

While plans to appoint Alonso appear to be in flux, the Champions League-winning former midfielder has remained tight-lipped when discussing a possible return to the Premier League.

When asked earlier this month if he would like to take over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Alonso appeared to be cementing his future at Die Werkself.

“I’ve been in football for years, rumors are normal, but we still have a lot to achieve,” said Alonso.

‘That’s why I’ve been sitting here with my head at 100 percent for the past few months. And my head is also 100 percent ready for next season.’

After hanging up his boots in 2017 after three years at Bayern Munich, Alonso got his first managerial start with Real Sociedad’s reserve team, the same side where he began his playing career.

Alonso took over at Leverkusen in October, with the club sitting in the relegation zone after winning just one of their first eight league matches.

Since then, the Spaniard has led a remarkable turnaround at the club, with Leverkusen currently sixth in the German top flight, qualifying for next season’s Europa Conference League if they can maintain their position with three games remaining.

Leverkusen are also in the semi-finals of the Europa League, with a trip to Jose Mourinho’s Roma in the first leg on Thursday.