Tottenham have been dealt a significant blow in their bid to source a replacement for Thomas Frank as a top target has already ‘said no’ as he ‘has his sights set on higher things’.

Frank was sacked on Wednesday after Spurs’ 2-1 defeat to Newcastle on Tuesday night, with a report claiming?CEO Vinai Venkatesham made the decision at half-time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Reports have since detailed what was going on behind the scenes, including how he would not “shut up about Arsenal”.

There have already been rumours that Roberto De Zerbi could be one of the candidatesto replace Frank after the Italian was sacked by Marseille on Tuesday.

And CBS Sportsjournalist Ben Jacobs has revealedMauricio Pochettino, De Zerbi and Andoni Iraola as potential long-term candidates, while Frank’s assistant John Heitinga has been rumoured as a potential interim option.

Giving an update after Frank’s sacking on Wednesday,?Jacobs wrote on X: ‘More on Thomas Frank’s Spurs sacking. Club tried to give Frank time, but the situation became untenable. Decision made by Spurs’ leadership team, including Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange, and recommended to the board.

‘Nick Beucher also involved and active on behalf of the Lewis family, even though he doesn’t sit on the board. Spurs have various contingency plans in place, including potential interim options.

‘Mauricio Pochettino is a candidate for the permanent vacancy, but is not available until after the World Cup. Roberto De Zerbi and Andoni Iroala both appreciated by Daniel Levy before his departure, and turned down approaches back then. Frank’s recently-hired assistant John Heitinga remains contracted, as it stands.’

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Sky Sports News‘ Michael Bridge and Lyall Thomas have claimed that an interim appointment until the end of the season is seen as the most likely option.

They wrote on Sky Sports‘ blog: ‘As it stands, early indications are that an interim appointment until the end of the season is the most likely route?Tottenham?will do down.

‘There is expected to be a lot of change among head coaches at various clubs this summer, so it makes sense to wait until then to see who is available to them.’

Andoni Iraola is one of the coaches, along with Marco Silva and Oliver Glasner, who is out of contract in June having been on Tottenham’s radar when they opted for Frank in the summer, but GIVEMESPORT claimthe Spaniard has already ruled himself out of the running.

The Bournemouth bosses are ‘braced for an?approach in the short to medium term by Tottenham’, but Iraola ‘says no’ as he ‘has his sights set on higher things’.

The report states:

‘He is ambitious and recognises that Tottenham is a ‘big club’ compared to Bournemouth. But the systematic unravelling of the season under departed boss Frank has proved Iraola was right to stay put on the south coast.

‘He will be a free agent in the summer but has his sights set on higher things – a top team on the up or an opportunity to return home and manage Athletic Club in Bilbao where he spent 12 years as a player amassing more than 400 appearances.’