Tottenham Hotspur's quest for a new gaffer has hit a snag with Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth and Marco Silva of Fulham considered key to their clubs by their owners, both having been touted as possible replacements for Spurs' current boss Ange Postecoglou. With Bournemouth and Fulham managers in the spotlight, the North Londoners face a tough fight to secure their services.
Iraola's Cherries clashed with Silva's Cottagers at the Vitality Stadium on Monday, where a rapid strike from Antoine Semenyo sealed a 1-0 win for the home side, pushing them above Fulham into eighth position.
The two sides now find themselves neck and neck, each amassing 48 points - a striking eleven points ahead of Postecoglou's Tottenham with just six fixtures left to play. Despite the precarious situation, Chairman Daniel Levy hasn't made a move to dismiss Postecoglou, although the ex-Celtic leader might be in jeopardy should he fail to steer Spurs to Europa League success.
Summer recruit Iraola, replacing Gary O'Neil, expressed his contentment at Bournemouth back in late March, remarking "I want to do my job the best I can. I don't know how far we can go, where we will finish," prior to the FA Cup exit at Manchester City's hands.
In recent developments reported by BBC Sport, Bournemouth's bigwig Bill Foley is reportedly UK-bound to initiate contract extension discussions with Iraola, whose current contract concludes after the forthcoming season. There's rising anticipation that the former Rayo Vallecano chief might pledge his future to the south coast squad for an extended spell.
Khan, in his address to BBC Radio 5 Live, couldn't help but glow about the season saying, "We're having a tremendous season," Khan shared with BBC Radio London, "We have got a great team, we have a great coach with Marco Silva and we have a great squad,".
His effusive commentary didn’t end there as he continued to extol every facet of the team. "We have so many great players, a great dressing room, these are really great people on and off the pitch. And we have the best fans. It is a really exciting time at Craven Cottage and at all our matches. The team has had a really great season and everyone is really proud of them and really looking forward to the run-in."
He showered further accolades on Silva: "Marco is a huge, huge asset to Fulham Football Club," he raved. "He is such an amazing person and he is so important to the football club."
Khan encapsulated his feelings with a ringing endorsement, expressing a personal connection and an overarching ambition for continuity: "Marco has a great relationship with my father and myself, and we really love Marco and we want him to stay at Fulham Football Club forever. He is a huge part of what we have got going for the future and the present and he is a great man."