TUDOR IN: IGOR TUDOR AGREES TO LEAD SPURS AS INTERIM MANAGER UNTIL JUNE
Igor Tudor is the new Tottenham interim manager! Discover how this move helps Mauricio Pochettino's potential summer 2026 return.
Tottenham has an agreement with Igor Tudor to be the interim manager until the season ends, which could make it easier for Mauricio Pochettino to come back this summer.
The club chose Tudor after looking at Edin Terzic, the former Borussia Dortmund manager, and Marco Rose, the former RB Leipzig manager. Tudor, who used to play for Croatia, hasn't worked since he left Juventus in October after the team didn't win for eight games.
Spurs are struggling to stay in the Premier League after a bad streak. They've been checking candidates since firing Thomas Frank this week. They didn't want someone long-term, just someone who could help quickly. Tudor's past seems to fit what they need. He used to defend for Juventus and has managed Hajduk Split, Paok, Karabukspor, Galatasaray, Udinese, Verona, and Marseille, plus a short time with Lazio.
Hiring an interim suggests Spurs want to keep the spot open for Pochettino if he wants to return. Pochettino was great in N17 for five years before leaving in November 2019. Now, he's busy coaching the US at this summer's World Cup.
But Pochettino might be free after the tournament and has thought about coming back to Spurs before. Fans still love him. They were chanting his name during Frank's last game, when they lost 2-1 to Newcastle at home on Tuesday. It looks like Spurs fans won't mind that Pochettino coached Chelsea in 2023-24.
Nothing is certain, and Spurs will need a backup plan. Because they wanted an interim, they didn't pick Roberto De Zerbi, who wants to rest after leaving Marseille this week. But he might be a candidate this summer. Spurs have also been connected to Andoni Iraola from Bournemouth, Oliver Glasner from Crystal Palace, and Marco Silva from Fulham.
If Tudor does well, he could get the job permanently. The 47-year-old needs to get Spurs out of danger. They're five points above the bottom three before playing Arsenal next Sunday in Tudor's first game. The team is off until Monday since they were knocked out of the FA Cup last month, but their new manager will be ready when they get back.
Spurs hope Tudor can improve the mood in the locker room and calm the fans. Frank had trouble winning over fans and players before he left after eight months. Home games have been tense.
Tudor will have many injured players to deal with. Frank, who left after only two wins in 17 league games, couldn't use James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski this season due to injuries. Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison are also out, and Wilson Odobert hurt his knee badly this week. Cristian Romero, the captain, has criticised the Spurs leaders and is suspended for four games after getting a red card in last weekend's 2-0 loss to Manchester United.
Talks with Tudor happened fast. Terzic is interested in a permanent job and might go to La Liga this summer. Robbie Keane, a former Spurs player, didn't want to leave his job as the Ferencváros manager to be a caretaker.
ELLIOT ANDERSON DOWNPLAYS TRANSFER RUMORS; STAYS FOCUSED ON ENGLAND'S WORLD CUP RUN
Elliot Anderson prioritises England’s World Cup glory as Manchester United and City challenge Newcastle for his signature
Elliot Anderson has downplayed rumours about a high-profile transfer from Nottingham Forest this summer, emphasising that his focus remains on the World Cup.
England manager Thomas Tuchel will likely want his squad fully concentrated on the tournament in the US. Anderson, a Whitley Bay native, is expected to be part of the 26-man Three Lions squad, set to face Croatia, Ghana, and Panama in the group stage.
Newcastle has publicly expressed interest through sporting director Ross Wilson in Anderson, who is reportedly on their radar. Yet, recently, Manchester United and Manchester City have also shown strong interest, pointing toward a possible competition between the two northwest clubs for his signature.
Newcastle risks being priced out if either Manchester club enters the fray. Their key motivation might grow if Sandro Tonali or Bruno Guimaraes moves to a rival team, intensifying Newcastle’s interest in Anderson.
Still, Anderson remains focused on England duty. Speaking today, he said, 'We've got the World Cup coming up this summer, so that's where all my attention is.' Wearing the England badge now means that’s all I’m thinking about at the moment.
Eddie Howe has always been a supporter of Anderson and suggested the midfielder should never have left. Earlier this season, Howe described the sale as rushed: We were on the clock and trying every angle to avoid a points deduction. We had little leverage to negotiate buyback clauses or similar protections.
Asked if he regrets the board's decision to sell Anderson due to Premier League financial rules, Howe admitted, 'It's not on my mind every day, but certain moments bring it back.' It never felt right then, and it doesn’t feel right now that we, as a club, had to make a decision we didn’t want to make. Elliot gave everything progressing through our ranks, aiming to play for Newcastle, but financial constraints ended that. Still, we wish him nothing but success.
He was clear it wasn’t about Anderson personally, but about the tough restrictions the club faced.
Given Anderson’s impressive performances for Forest and England, Newcastle are finding it tougher to secure a deal as time goes on.
WHY ROBERTO DE ZERBI IS NOW OPEN TO JOINING SPURS IMMEDIATELY DESPITE SUMMER PREFERENCE
Tottenham sets a 48-hour deadline for Roberto De Zerbi to accept the manager job as Igor Tudor exits amid a relegation crisis.
Tottenham have reportedly given Roberto De Zerbi just 48 hours to decide if he wants their manager's job. He’s now the clear favourite to replace Igor Tudor as Spurs scramble to avoid relegation.
Tudor left by mutual agreement on Sunday after failing to win any of his five Premier League games. He stepped in as a short-term fix after Thomas Frank, but things only got worse for Spurs with him in charge.
Right now, Spurs are 17th, just one point clear of the drop zone. Club bosses don’t want to wait any longer. They hope to have a new manager in place before the players come back from international duty, and talks with De Zerbi have really picked up.
At first, De Zerbi wasn’t keen on jumping in before the summer, but it sounds like he’s changed his mind.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Tottenham’s given him an ultimatum: he’s got a day or two, tops, to give a straight answer.
The paper said that until recently, De Zerbi kept saying no, but apparently, something shifted.
Now he’s seriously considering the offer, especially since taking the role now could boost his standing if he manages to keep Spurs in the Premier League.
If De Zerbi says yes, his first game would be on Sunday, April 12, away at Sunderland. That match suddenly looks massive given how close Spurs are to the bottom three.
They may already be in the relegation zone by then. West Ham, who sit 18th, play Wolves on Friday. A win for West Ham would shove Tottenham into the bottom three, though Spurs would still have a game in hand over their rivals.
Not everyone’s thrilled about De Zerbi coming in. Three major Tottenham fan groups have spoken out against the potential appointment because of comments he made about Mason Greenwood during his time at Marseille.
