February 13, (THEWILL) — Igor Tudor has reached a verbal agreement with Tottenham Hotspur to become interim head coach until the end of the season.
The 47-year-old former Croatia international will join on a short-term contract without an option for permanence following the midweek dismissal of Thomas Frank.
The appointment has been driven by Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange, with a permanent manager to be selected from a broader candidate pool in the summer.
Tudor was removed from his position at Juventus in October after eight matches without victory left the Italian club in eighth place in Serie A.
His potential first match in charge will be the north London derby against Arsenal next weekend.
The incoming interim manager brings familiarity with several members of the squad. He worked alongside Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur during his time as assistant to Andrea Pirlo at Juventus in the 2020/2021 campaign.
He also managed Randal Kolo Muani last season and previously collaborated with former Tottenham co-sporting director Fabio Paratici.
Frank departed after eight months following a run of eight league matches without success and only two victories from the last 17 fixtures.
His tenure ended with a 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United on Tuesday, leaving Spurs in 16th position and five points above the relegation zone.
The club has qualified automatically for the UEFA Champions League last-16 stage after finishing fourth in the competition’s league phase.
Tudor has operated successfully in interim capacities previously, guiding Lazio to UEFA Europa League qualification after joining in March 2024 and ensuring Juventus maintained Champions League participation when replacing Thiago Motta.
The former Juventus defender typically employs a 3-4-2-1 formation, a system he implemented during his notable spell at Hellas Verona where he first gained recognition in coaching.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
