Frank de Boer: Tottenham deny making approach, despite Ajax manager admitting replacing Tim Sherwood interests him

Frank de Boer is open to speaking with Tottenham in the coming weeks about taking over as manager, although the north Londoners are keen to stress they have not made an official approach to Ajax.

The former Holland international has followed an illustrious playing career with a fine start to managerial life at the club whose fabled youth system he graduated from.

De Boer, who went on to play at Barcelona, Galatasaray, Rangers and then in Qatar, returned to Ajax as a coach following his retirement and has been first-team manager since 2010, leading them to a four successive Eredivisie titles.

This season's success has further boosted a burgeoning reputation that has often seen him linked with a move away from the Amsterdam ArenA.

Reports on Tuesday claimed Spurs had contacted the 43-year-old and, although the Barclays Premier League club confirmed to Press Association Sport that there has been no official approach, De Boer would consider a move to White Hart Lane.

"I'm going to think about this possibility after the last league fixture on May 3," he told nos.nl. "I'm going to talk and listen.

"I would like to add something to a club, that people can say they see the hand of Frank de Boer.

"There is a beautiful example at Liverpool. That is what Brendan Rodgers is doing now [making his mark]."

Bookmakers now make the Dutchman favourite to become Tottenham's next manager, ousting previous front-runner Mauricio Pochettino of Southampton.

Reports suggest it is a matter of when, rather than if, Tim Sherwood will be replaced at the White Hart Lane helm, with chairman Daniel Levy ready to tear up the 18-month deal handed to him in December.

Spurs are understood to be concentrating on ending the season well before reviewing the progress made under the head coach, whose win percentage is better than any other Tottenham manager in the Premier League era.

Should Sherwood get the boot, one of the legacies he will leave at Spurs is a focus on home-grown talent after his years of work within their youth set-up.

The former midfielder has put his trust in the likes of Nabil Bentaleb and Harry Kane, although fellow academy graduate Andros Townsend has found his time restricted under Andre Villas-Boas' successor.

Read more: De Boer open to Spurs talks
Townsend could face World Cup heartache over injured ankle

The 22-year-old exploded onto the international stage when rewarded for his fine form in October, netting on his England debut against Montenegro before helping overcome Poland as Roy Hodgson's men secured a place in Brazil.

However, Townsend has not enjoyed the best end to the campaign and sustained an ankle injury after coming on in Saturday's 1-0 win at Stoke.

Townsend left the Britannia Stadium in a protective boot and underwent an MRI scan on Monday, with further assessments taking place on Tuesday.

A statement on the club's official website, http://tottenhamhotspur.com, said: "Andros Townsend is continuing to be assessed by the club's medical staff after suffering an injury to his left ankle during Saturday's win against Stoke City.

"We shall provide further information once we have a definitive update."

PA