Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou is attracting serious interest after an outstanding first season in Scottish football, with Toulouse now making an official approach for the Dane.
Askou impressed massively during his debut campaign at Fir Park, guiding Motherwell to a fourth-place finish and securing European football for next season.
Beyond the results, the 43-year-old has also earned widespread praise for the style of football his side produced throughout the year, with five Motherwell players ending up in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year.
That work has clearly not gone unnoticed.
Reports from France this morning claim Toulouse are actively considering Askou as part of a three-man managerial shortlist alongside Christophe Pélissier and Olivier Pantaloni.
And now, this afternoon, it is reported by Stephen McGowan that the Ligue 1 side has now made an official approach for the Motherwell boss, although there is not yet believed to be any agreement between the clubs.
Askou’s growing reputation has also seen him loosely linked with the Celtic job in recent months as the champions continue searching for a permanent successor to Martin O’Neill.
O’Neill returned twice during the season to steady the club amid the chaos surrounding Brendan Rodgers’ departure and Wilfried Nancy’s failed spell in charge before eventually leading Celtic to a dramatic fifth consecutive league title.
While no strong links between Celtic and Askou have yet emerged publicly, his work at Motherwell has certainly caught attention across Scottish football.
At just 43, Askou is viewed as one of the more progressive young coaches operating in the league and his stock has risen rapidly after transforming Motherwell into one of the division’s most entertaining sides.
Whether Toulouse move quickly enough to land him now remains to be seen, but Motherwell may already be bracing themselves for significant interest this summer.
we no how good his team plays but is he got the expeirence for Celtic football club we seen with Nancy it was a disaster players were lost snd yhe manager didnt have management skills to match O’Niell having had six weeks of O’Neill .Nancy couldnt compete with O’Neill way of managing players might have been better well we know with hindsite how much the Celtic high regard they have for Martin O’Neill it would have been hard for any manager no matter who and that showed the board they had no football experience and through the season it would have got worse after MR dermit son outrages letter to the green brigade caused more infighting O’Neill sorted that but the green brigade lost it when tennis balls thats when O’Neill was caught in the dug out with a face of thunder will he be manager next season who knows I doubt it but im sure he will be offered some kind of job and last season may have rejuavnated him