RELEGATION DANGER: TOTTENHAM SIT 16TH AS IGOR TUDOR FACES MUST-WIN FULHAM CLASH
Igor Tudor brings an Italian "small team" mentality to Tottenham as they face a desperate fight for Premier League survival.
Tottenham’s manager, Igor Tudor, isn’t afraid to shake things up. He’s made it clear that Spurs need to stay humble and hungry, leaning on an idea he picked up in Italy: think like a small team. That’s how you keep your edge, even when things get rough.
It’s been a tough stretch. After losing 2-1 to Newcastle in early February and failing to win a single Premier League game in 2026, Spurs parted ways with Thomas Frank. His time in charge? Pretty brutal, eleven losses in 27 games. Tudor took over just in time for the north London derby against Arsenal, but his debut didn’t exactly go to plan. Arsenal handed them a bruising 4-1 defeat at home.
Now, Tottenham find themselves 16th in the table. They’re only four points ahead of West Ham, who sit in the drop zone, so every match feels massive right now. Richard Keys even warned that relegation could actually happen for Spurs, a thought that’s probably unthinkable for most fans.
With the pressure mounting, Tudor keeps drilling the same message into his squad. He wants his players to approach every game with the grit and humility you’d expect from a team fighting for survival, not one coasting on reputation. That means showing up every single match, motivated and ready, just like they would against the league’s best.
He’s open about it, too. At a press conference, Tudor said, “We work that way. In Italy, we talk a lot about having the mentality of a small team. It’s all about staying humble, staying motivated, and always wanting more, like you’re up against a giant. That’s where it starts for us.”
He says the players get it. They know what’s expected. He keeps repeating it in training: stay focused, stay hungry.
And when it comes to relegation? Tudor doesn’t even say the word, not because he’s scared, but because he thinks it’s dangerous to let that fear creep in. For him, it’s all about the work in training and the focus on performance. If they do that, the points will follow. He tells his players, “Don’t worry about the table. Don’t worry about points. Just focus on what we can control: how we train and how we play. That’s all that matters.”
Even with all the drama at home, Spurs somehow found a way to make it to the Champions League Round of 16, where they’ve drawn Atletico Madrid. That’s a big deal, but it could also be a distraction, especially with injuries piling up and survival in the league still up in the air.
Today, Tottenham head to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham. There are only eleven games left. Tudor and his squad don’t have much time; they need to start picking up points, fast, if they want to make sure Spurs stay in the Premier League.
FULHAM TABLE €30M PACKAGE FOR BRAZILIAN MIDFIELDER DANILO TO SEAL SUMMER TRANSFER
Behind the race for Danilo. We look at why Fulham are targeting the in-form Brazilian midfielder for a PL return.
Fulham are right in the mix for Danilo now, with the midfielder’s name suddenly buzzing again around the Premier League.
At 24, Danilo turned things around at Botafogo after leaving Nottingham Forest, and he’s on fire lately. He looks like one of the best central midfielders in Brazil right now; his form’s making people take notice, both at home and abroad.
In 2026, Danilo scored 10 goals and picked up 3 assists in 23 games across all competitions. He’s not just padding his stats either; in the league, he has 7 goals in 10 matches. That’s a huge return for a central midfielder. He’s finding the net every 3.14 shots and averages over two shots a game.
Danilo isn’t just about goals, though. He completes about 45 passes a match, with nearly 87% accuracy, and he’s setting up chances too – almost two key passes per game.
So, it’s no surprise that Brazil have him locked in for the next World Cup squad. His profile and transfer value just keep climbing, and now there’s real movement in the market.
Fulham are showing intent with a concrete offer.
According to Globo Esporte, Fulham are ready to pay around €30 million (£26m) for Danilo. They’ve been here before, but this time they’re serious. The offer breaks down as €22m guaranteed and another €8m in bonuses matching Zenit’s proposal. Palmeiras want him as well, but pulling off a domestic transfer looks a lot more complicated.
That kind of money puts Fulham in a great spot, especially since Botafogo’s finances are shaky. The club really needs a big sale this summer, and Danilo’s value is peaking.
Unrest behind the scenes at Botafogo
The timing here isn’t accidental. Danilo’s 2026 surge has made him a leader in the dressing room, especially while Botafogo struggles with financial problems and ownership drama.
Folks inside the club see him as their most valuable asset. Selling him could solve a lot of problems. Earlier this year, things got tense; Danilo’s side even threatened to end his contract over unpaid image rights. And while that got sorted, it highlighted just how unstable things are.
Plus, there was the failed deal to send Danilo back to Nottingham Forest in January, scuppered when legal action stopped John Textor from making transfers unilaterally. Now Textor’s out, and the club has to take its big debts seriously.
Fulham have an open window.
All this makes a summer move feel right. Danilo wanted to stick with Botafogo until after the World Cup, but it’s clear now he’s ready; his stock’s never been higher, and top clubs are circling.
From Fulham’s side, they see a midfielder at his best, already experienced in England, playing well, and eager to come back.
And compared to his stint at Forest, this time things look a lot more promising for everyone involved.
So Fulham are lining everything up. Now, they just have to pull the trigger.
INSIDE CHELSEA’S DUGOUT SEARCH: CONTACT MADE WITH ANDONI IRAOLA’S REPRESENTATIVES FOR NEW ROLE
Chelsea’s hunt for stability: Iraola eyed for head coach, plus news on Nicolas Jackson’s future at Stamford Bridge this summer.
Andoni Iraola is one of several names Chelsea is considering as their next head coach this summer.
Rosenior. Last week, Chelsea let Rosenior go after just under four months in charge, even though he had more than five years left on his contract.
With seven losses from eight games, Chelsea decided to move on. They've put Calum McFarlane in charge for now, just until the end of the season. In the meantime, the club’s sporting directors are hunting for a new permanent boss, someone who can lead the club’s long-term plans.
Iraola, currently at Bournemouth, is one of the early candidates. He’ll be leaving his role at the Vitality Stadium when the season ends. Marco Silva from Fulham, who’s out of contract soon as well, has made Chelsea’s shortlist too, and free agent Xabi Alonso is also in the mix. A few more unnamed names are being considered as well.
No one knows exactly who’ll be standing in the Stamford Bridge dugout next season. But Iraola’s in with a real shot. If he does get the job, that could be good news for Nicolas Jackson, who’s set to return from his loan soon.
Jackson went to Bayern Munich on loan last summer. The deal said Bayern had to buy him for £56.2 million (plus a £14.3 million loan fee), but only if he played a set number of games, roughly 40, give or take. So far, Jackson’s made 29 appearances this season. Last week, Bayern’s Max Eberl confirmed they won’t be buying him permanently.
Apparently, it was clear from early on that Jackson wouldn’t stay in Munich, and people close to him said back in February that he was planning to weigh up his options this summer. He hasn’t ruled out coming back to Stamford Bridge.
If Iraola is Chelsea's head coach when Jackson returns, things might get interesting. Iraola’s made it clear he rates Jackson highly. Back when Iraola was managing Mirandes in Spain, Jackson was on loan there from Villarreal. Their paths never crossed directly, but Iraola kept an eye on him.
In fact, Bournemouth tried to sign Jackson in January 2023, six months before Iraola even joined the club. Jackson didn’t pass the medical, though, and ended up at Chelsea instead.
Talking to the Bournemouth Echo last summer, Iraola said, “I know him really well, because he played at Mirandés and I faced him with Villarreal. He’s a very, very good player. He’s quick; he threatens with his pace, and he can also turn, beat his man, and create chances. He’ll work well with the other strikers.”
Asked about Jackson at Mirandes, Iraola added, “I didn’t coach him, but he went there young and played in the second division.”
If Jackson does stay at Chelsea next season, he won’t have an open run at the no. 9 spot. Joao Pedro has scored 19 goals in his debut season, and it’s tough to see anyone displacing him right now.
Then there’s Liam Delap, who’s had a tough first year – just two goals after a £30m move from Ipswich Town. Some reports say he wants to stay and fight for his place, but it’s only going to get harder with Emanuel Emegha arriving this summer.
Emegha is currently at Strasbourg and will join Chelsea at the end of the season. That said, it’s still up in the air whether he’ll actually play in London next year or head out on loan somewhere else.