Glenn Hoddle is to be unveiled as the Tottenham manager today after the club's owners Enic revealed that he needed little convincing to leave his post at Southampton and take over from George Graham.

Enic also denied claims that it made an illegal approach for Hoddle while he was contracted to Southampton. The Spurs chairman David Buchler said yesterday that he first contacted his opposite number Rupert Lowe on Monday and asked for permission to speak to Hoddle, who was on his way back from a holiday in South Africa at the time.

Once permission was granted Buchler and Enic's chief executive Daniel Levy arranged to meet Hoddle and his agent Dennis Roach in London on Tuesday afternoon. The parties spoke for almost 12 hours, with the meeting ending at around 3 a.m. yesterday.

Hoddle informed Lowe of his decision to join Tottenham by telephone midway through the meeting, even though no formal announcement was made by Spurs. Lawyers representing both sides spent most of yesterday finalising contracts.

Buchler said: "It was a long, long meeting but Glenn did not need much convincing because we had the same interests at heart and our minds were thinking alike. It was really just a matter of dotting the i's and crossing the t's."

Buchler also revealed that Hoddle's appointment is an attempt to bring stability and unity to Spurs following the divisions and anger caused by the appointment of Graham and the ownership of Alan Sugar, during which time there were widespread disagreements over the running of the club, their direction and the relative lack of success.

Buchler said: "My aim is really to get Spurs back to its roots and to heal the divisions that existed within the club. This appointment is one of the most important ways of achieving this. All Spurs fans will understand this. All Spurs fans will understand why we have appointed Glenn Hoddle."

Hoddle will not be in charge of the Tottenham team who face Arsenal at Highbury on Saturday. The director of football David Pleat will be in control but Hoddle will pick the team when the two sides meet in the FA Cup semi-final on April 8th.

Hoddle will take charge on Monday, when he will hold his first training session with the squad. He will be joined by John Gorman, his assistant at Swindon, England and Southampton and who also announced his resignation from the south coast club yesterday.

The departure of one former England manager from Southampton has led to speculation about the future of another, with Kevin Keegan emerging as the favourite to take over from Hoddle.

Keegan is popular with Southampton fans and as the club are due to move to a new stadium next season, securing a big-name manager is viewed as crucial to ensuring large attendances and placating those angry at Hoddle's departure.

Southampton are unlikely to make a formal appointment until the end of the season, with the coach Stuart Gray temporarily taking charge. Given that the team are eighth in the Premiership, club officials feel that they should take their time in securing the right man, one who can build upon the relative successes of this season.

Lowe yesterday addressed the Southampton players and expressed his sadness at Hoddle's departure. "I am sure that our fans will share my regret at what has happened as they too have given Glenn every support and been an important component in his success," Lowe said later in a statement.

"I am also saddened that Glenn has chosen to leave the team with a European place in sight and a new stadium only five months from completion.

"Whilst Glenn has 15 months of his contract outstanding, he has no doubt considered all these factors in the short space of time available to him and I do not propose to hold him against his will to move elsewhere."

Buchler said that a compensation package is being worked out with Southampton's lawyers but claimed that Tottenham had not broken any rules in their attempts to land Hoddle.

"It has been very difficult for Southampton because their loss is our gain," Buchler said. "We have no problem with Southampton and of course they will receive compensation."