Tudor to Spurs a ‘huge gamble’ due to three concerns; Romano names two ‘main’ permanent targets | OneFootball

According to reports, former colleagues of Igor Tudor are ‘surprised’ that Tottenham Hotspur have appointed him to replace Thomas Frank.

Spurs have been searching for a manager to replace Frank since they parted company with their former boss on Wednesday morning.

The north London side have sleepwalked into a relegation battle and had to change something to prevent their desperate situation from getting worse in the coming weeks.

They have been linked with several potential replacements in recent days, with it clear that they were opting for an interim replacement to try to secure survival before they opt for a long-term solution in the summer.

And they have settled on Tudor to replace Frank, with it reported on Friday afternoon that an ‘agreement’ has been reached between the club and the head coach.

Journalist Matteo Moretto was the first to report that there is an ‘agreement’ between Tudor and Spurs, with this subsequently confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.

Romano said on X: ‘BREAKING: Igor Tudor becomes new Tottenham interim coach until June 2026, as revealed earlier.

‘He’s accepted the job and ready to stay until end of the season. #THFC

‘Main candidates for permanent job in June: Roberto De Zerbi, Mauricio Pochettino.’

Remarkably, Spurs is Tudor’s 12th managerial job since first stepping into the role with Hajduk Split in 2013.

In March 2025, the 47-year-old replaced Thiago Motta at Juventus and earned a long-term contract after guiding them to a fourth-place finish in Serie A. However, he was sacked in November following an eight-game winless run.

And a report from The Telegraph‘s Matt Law has revealed that his move to Spurs has ‘surprised’ those who have previously worked with him who are ‘familiar with his work and style’.

They are said to have deemed this appointment a ‘huge gamble’ as Spurs have ‘rolled the dice’ as Tudor rarely lasts long at clubs, has ‘no Premier League experience’ and is ‘too loud/emotional’.

Despite this, Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has explained why Tudor ‘fits the bill for what Spurs are looking for’.

He explained: “Spurs have been looking for an experienced head coach with a track record of going into clubs and making an immediate impact, and they see Tudor as someone who perfectly fits that bill.

“He was appointed at Juventus and Lazio in March in the last two seasons. He stabilised results in the short term. He guided Juve to fourth in Serie A to achieve Champions League qualification that earned him a two-year contract, but he was sacked just four months later after results deteriorated.

“He’s got this role based on what he’s done on a short-term basis at Lazio and Juve, and I can’t stress enough the importance of short term because it’s a huge few months ahead for Tottenham.

“On Pochettino, whether it happens in the summer, we don’t know yet. He’s got admirers at the club. He loves the club. The fans love him. We’ll wait and see if it happens in the summer.”