John Kennedy has told Celtic that he wants to leave to join Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur.
Postecoglou turned down the offer of a contract extension in Glasgow before moving to north London.
Signing a four-year deal with the English Premier League side, the 57-year-old Australian has now asked his trusted Parkhead assistant Kennedy to move south with him.
Reluctant to lose another key member of the management team which sealed a domestic Treble, Celtic are digging in their heels.
Scotland’s champions have confirmed that the search for a new boss is now under way. Wary of finding himself out of a job if Postecoglou’s replacement brings in his own backroom team, Kennedy has asked Celtic to let him go and sign his own four-year contract with Spurs.
Celtic are drawing up a list of candidates for the manager’s position, with a club statement vowing to prioritise the right appointment instead of making a quick one.
Sources close to Manchester City assistant manager Enzo Maresca say he will blank any conversation over a move to Glasgow until Saturday’s Champions League final is done and dusted.
Also coming under consideration are Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter, Jesse Marsch and Bodo/Glimt’s Kjetil Knutsen.
Former Celtic striker Alan McInally has also urged the Parkhead club to ask a question of West Ham boss David Moyes if he leaves the club after Wednesday night’s Europa Conference League final, branding the move a ‘no brainer’.
Rayo Vallecano’s highly-rated Spanish coach Andoni Iraola will also throw his hat into the ring after rejecting a new contract.