Tottenham Hotspur made a big move today. The club has a verbal agreement with Igor Tudor to step in as interim head coach. He’ll manage the team through the end of the 2025-26 season. But here’s the catch: the deal has no option for him to become permanent, leaving the door wide open for other candidates like Mauricio Pochettino.
This news follows the sacking of Thomas Frank. Frank was in charge for only eight months, starting summer 2025. Tottenham will finalize Tudor’s contract details this weekend. He’s expected to start training with the squad by Monday.
Tudor Takes Over a Struggling Spurs Side
Frank’s tenure wasn’t going well. Tottenham picked up just two wins in their last 17 Premier League games. That’s a rough stretch. The team sits 14th or 16th in the league, just five points above the relegation zone. Not where a club like Spurs wants to be, that’s for sure. But they are through to the Champions League Round of 16. That’s something.
Igor Tudor is a 47-year-old Croatian coach. He’s known as a bit of a “firefighter.” He has experience stabilizing clubs mid-season. He did that for Juventus from March to October 2025, even getting them into the Champions League.
He also had short, successful stints at Lazio and Hellas Verona. At Verona, he took them from zero points in three games to a ninth-place finish. Udinese improved their scoring and conceded fewer goals under him, keeping them up. This is a guy who can come in and shake things up fast.
Sky Sports confirmed the verbal agreement, stating, “Igor Tudor has agreed to become Tottenham interim head coach until the end of the season. The last details still need to be finalised… verbal agreement in place.”
The Interim Strategy and Future Candidates
Tottenham’s plan is simple. They want an immediate impact coach for the short term. Then they’ll find a permanent manager in summer 2026. Tudor could make a case for himself if he does well. But the deal doesn’t force their hand.
ESPN sources indicated, “Tottenham are finalising the appointment… Talks progressed quickly… verbally agreed… confident Tudor will be in place by Monday.”
The lack of a permanent option in Tudor’s deal is important. It means the club isn’t committed. It leaves the path clear for other big names. Mauricio Pochettino’s name keeps coming up. He’s currently coaching the USMNT. Fans remember his time at Spurs fondly. He’s a popular choice. Roberto De Zerbi, Oliver Glasner, and Andoni Iraola are also names that have been floated around for the permanent role.
What’s Next for Tottenham?
Tudor will be thrown right into it. The players return from their break soon. His first big test is a Premier League home game against Arsenal on February 22. That’s a huge derby. Then an away trip to Fulham on March 1. And a home game against Crystal Palace on March 5.
The club needs a turnaround. They need it fast. Tudor’s track record suggests he can provide that. But the long-term vision is still taking shape. And the possibility of Pochettino’s return will hang over everything until summer 2026. As Goal.com’s headline put it, the “Door still open for Mauricio Pochettino!”
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