Igor Tudor left Tottenham by mutual consent after 44 days as head coach, with Roberto De Zerbi appointed as his replacement. The decision came a week after a damaging 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest on 22 March, which intensified pressure on the club's leadership. Tudor's departure marks the end of a brief and unsuccessful period that saw the team's fortunes decline sharply.
Tudor's tenure was nothing short of a disaster, according to multiple reports, with the manager failing to secure a Premier League victory during his time in charge. His only point came in a draw at Liverpool, while Tottenham suffered five defeats in seven matches across all competitions since he succeeded Thomas Frank on 14 February. The single point which Spurs have collected since Tudor's appointment is the fewest of any side in the Premier League during that time, and Tudor lost each of his first four matches as Spurs boss. His only win was in the Champions League last-16 second leg against Atletico Madrid, which was insufficient for Spurs to advance, according to major media reports. The 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest represented a particularly low point in what had already been a disappointing period.
Tottenham now faces a critical run of seven games to avoid financial meltdown or relegation, with the club just one point above the relegation zone. Spurs have been bottom of the form table since mid-December and are without a Premier League win in 2026, extending to a 13-match winless run in the top flight. The defeat to Nottingham Forest has made the prospect of relegation to the Championship a distinct possibility with seven matches of the season to play. According to major media reports, Spurs could have found themselves in the bottom three had West Ham picked up a result against Aston Villa, but West Ham also slipped to a defeat, providing temporary relief.
The search for Tudor's replacement moved quickly, with Tottenham's sporting director Johan Lange and chief executive Vinai Venkatesham settling on De Zerbi as their No. 1 choice, according to major media reports. De Zerbi was considered by Manchester United in summer 2024 and by Tottenham when they sacked Thomas Frank in February, and it has been widely reported that the former Marseille and Brighton boss has always been Tottenham's preferred replacement for Tudor. Initially, a move for De Zerbi looked unlikely before the end of this season, but Spurs made a huge effort to make De Zerbi U-turn on returning to management for the run-in. On Monday morning, it started to emerge that De Zerbi had begun to express his openness to joining Spurs now, with TalkSPORT reporters Alex Crook and Ben Jacobs revealing that an agreement is close between Spurs and De Zerbi. De Zerbi had told Spurs last week he wanted to wait until summer, but a lucrative long-term deal has made him open to taking the job now, and TalkSPORT has also reported that a significant survival bonus and signing-on fee have been put to De Zerbi from Spurs. Journalist Rudy Galetti revealed three other reasons behind De Zerbi's U-turn: a lucrative deal, assurances of major summer investment, and a relatively favourable run-in compared to relegation rivals.
Conflicting reports have emerged about Tottenham's managerial search, with some indicating Adi Hutter was the reported frontrunner for the role. Hutter was let go by Monaco earlier in the season and has been out of a job ever since, and contact has reportedly already been made between Spurs and Hutter, according to major media reports. The exact terms of De Zerbi's contract remain unclear, including whether it includes an exit clause if Tottenham is relegated, and specific financial bonuses have not been disclosed.
In official communications, Spurs said they have mutually agreed with Igor Tudor to part ways with immediate effect, adding that an update on a new head coach would be provided in due course. BBC Sport understands Spurs will appoint Tudor's replacement in the next few days to be in place for when most players return from international duty. The club confirmed goalkeeping coach Tomislav Rogic and physical coach Riccardo Ragnacci have also departed, and in a statement, Spurs thanked Igor, Tomislav and Riccardo for their efforts during the past six weeks, in which they worked tirelessly. The statement also acknowledged Tudor's bereavement, noting that they send support to him and his family at this difficult time. Tudor did not undertake post-match media duties after the defeat by Forest because of the death of his father.
Tottenham's executive leadership played a central role in the managerial appointment, with chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange driving the process. Venkatesham was part of a committee that appointed Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, according to major media reports, bringing experience from across North London. Venkatesham and Lange will discuss Igor Tudor's future in upcoming meetings, according to other sources, though that discussion has now been rendered moot by the appointment of De Zerbi.
De Zerbi's first match as Tottenham manager is away to Sunderland, a team that has not won at home since early February, losing to Liverpool, Fulham, and Brighton, according to major media reports. Sunderland is within touching distance of the top seven in the league, but Tottenham has an unbeaten league run against Sunderland dating back to 2010. De Zerbi has won his first match at previous clubs Marseille, Sassuolo, and Shakhtar Donetsk, offering hope that he can start his tenure with a positive result.
Tottenham's injury situation presents challenges for De Zerbi's first training sessions, with Mathys Tel participating in training on De Zerbi's first day, returning from injury, according to major media reports. Conor Gallagher, Lucas Bergvall, and Joao Palhinha also featured in De Zerbi's first training session after shaking off injury concerns, but Pape Sarr sustained a shoulder problem during the international break and was not visible in training footage. Mohammed Kudus suffered a major setback in his recovery from a quadriceps injury, potentially requiring surgery, while James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski remain long-term absentees for Tottenham.
The severity and timeline for Mohammed Kudus' injury and potential surgery have not been confirmed, adding uncertainty to Tottenham's squad availability. Additionally, Tottenham's exact Premier League position remains unclear, with conflicting reports suggesting either 16th or 17th place, both one point above the relegation zone.
Ownership support appears firm, with Tottenham's owners, Vivienne and Charles Lewis, represented by Peter Charrington, who will provide funding if the club is relegated, according to major media reports. This financial backing could be crucial in a potential Championship campaign, though the club's immediate focus is on avoiding that scenario altogether.
Temporary coaching arrangements were put in place after Tudor's departure, with Bruno Saltor overseeing training sessions temporarily. Tudor returned to the UK and took charge of training over the weekend before his departure, according to major media reports, indicating his involvement until the final moments of his tenure.
Other managerial candidates were considered by Tottenham, with Mauricio Pochettino identified as a popular choice among supporters for the role, according to major media reports. The Telegraph reported that Tottenham was considering firing Igor Tudor after three matches, highlighting the swift nature of the club's decision-making. Left-field options were also linked, with Harry Redknapp, Tim Sherwood, Chris Hughton and Ben Davies mentioned as possible interim solutions, according to research sources.
Tottenham's recent form has been dismal, with the club's last win in any competition coming over Eintracht Frankfurt on 28 January. This extended winless streak across competitions has contributed to the sense of crisis at the club, making De Zerbi's appointment a potential circuit-breaker.
De Zerbi is already working to build and complete his staff at Spurs, according to reporter Nicolo Schira, indicating immediate preparations for the crucial run-in.