There has been plenty of talk about another wind of change sweeping through Tottenham Hotspur this summer, with manager Ange Postecoglou’s future still up in the air.
Many are wondering whether his Europa League success in San Memes would be enough to earn him a third season, but the club remains tight-lipped on his future.
While Postecoglou is hanging by a thread, the changes could start from his backroom staff with Ryan Mason offered a chance to become a leading figure at another club.
According to BBC, West Bromwich Albion are in advanced talks to appoint Mason as their new manager.
The former Tottenham midfielder is reportedly considered a leading candidate to take charge at the Hawthorns, who have parted ways with Tony Mowbray after just three months.
The 33-year-old has been offered the chance to step out of Postecoglou’s shadows as an assistant manager, and negotiations are already underway between both parties.
There is optimism from both ends that a deal can be reached, and Mason is reportedly excited about the prospect of taking on his first permanent managerial role.
Mason’s contract with Tottenham will expire at the end of June. That makes things straightforward for West Brom, who can snap him up without paying any fee.
But they’d prefer to get the deal done before pre-season preparations kick-off, so they’re expected to engage in talks with Spurs to release Mason from his contract early.
Tottenham are aware of West Brom’s interest in Mason and are not expected to stand in his way.
There is also a possibility that Mason may bring members of Tottenham’s backroom staff with him to assist in his transition from assistant coach to manager.
Mason started his coaching career earlier than expected after a serious head injury in 2017 forced him to cut his playing days short prematurely.
The 26-year-old suffered a fractured skull after colliding with Chelsea’s Gary Cahill and decided to call time on his career after undergoing emergency surgery.
Not long after he hung up his boots in 2018, he went back to Spurs as a youth coach.
Now he has the chance to get a real taste of what it means to be a first-team manager, although his interim spell in 2021 and again at the end of the 2022/23 season would have given him a few pointers.