Tottenham eye De Zerbi to rescue season after sacking Tudor

March 31, 2026 Oliver Obel

Tottenham Hotspur have made another urgent managerial change as their Premier League survival hangs in the balance, parting ways with Igor Tudor after just over six weeks in charge.

The club confirmed the departure was by mutual agreement following a run of poor results that has left Spurs hovering just above the relegation zone with seven games remaining.

Attention has now turned once again to Roberto De Zerbi. According to The Guardian, Tottenham are pushing to appoint the Italian on a long-term deal, despite his reluctance to step into a high-risk situation before the end of the season.

De Zerbi, who previously managed Brighton and most recently Marseille, had already declined an approach earlier this year after Thomas Frank’s dismissal, preferring to wait until the summer before returning to management. Taking over a team battling relegation is still viewed by him as a significant gamble.

Tudor’s short tenure never gained traction. He collected just one point from five league matches, with a 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest proving to be his final game. Spurs are now just one point above the bottom three, raising the prospect of a first relegation since the 1976–77 campaign.

Their current run of 13 league games without a win is the club’s worst since the 1934–35 season, when they last dropped out of the top flight during a similarly difficult period.

Off the pitch, Tudor also faced personal tragedy. Following the defeat to Forest, he was informed of the death of his father. Tottenham acknowledged the situation in a statement, sending their “support to him and his family at this difficult time.”

His backroom team, including Tomislav Rogic and Riccardo Ragnacci, have also left the club. First-team coach Bruno Saltor is expected to oversee training on an interim basis while a successor is finalised.

When Tudor was appointed in February, Tottenham said his role was to bring “organisation, intensity and competitive edge” during a decisive stretch of the season. However, performances remained inconsistent. Heavy defeats, including a difficult Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid, and controversial decisions such as substituting goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky early in that match drew criticism.

Tudor also publicly questioned his squad, saying they were “lacking” across multiple areas, including what he described as the “brain” aspect of their play.

With time running short, Spurs are now racing to secure a replacement. As The Guardian reported, several potential candidates have been hesitant to take on a short-term rescue mission under relegation pressure.

The club’s next appointment could prove decisive not only in determining whether they retain their Premier League status, but also in shaping their financial outlook and longer-term direction.

Sources: The Guardian