The 58-year-old is ready for the Tottenham managerial role.
The clock is ticking on Igor Tudor‘s tenure at Tottenham Hotspur. Appointed on an interim basis in February following the departure of Thomas Frank, the former Juventus manager has been unable to arrest the club’s alarming slide. With Spurs already eliminated from the Champions League and clinging to safety just one position above the Premier League relegation zone, a parting of the ways appears imminent, and the scramble to identify his successor is well underway.
Into that vacuum has stepped Gus Poyet, who wasted no time making his ambitions known. Speaking live on talkSPORT, the 58-year-old Uruguayan, who won the League One Manager of the Year in 2010/11, made clear he would not turn down the opportunity if ENIC came calling.
“I can’t say no, and I have to trust my ability, I have no doubt. But listen, me, I like when the clubs, they support the coach. I like it...I already did it at Sunderland.”
It is a characteristically candid statement from a man who built his reputation at White Hart Lane as a combative, influential midfielder in the 1990s before going on to manage Brighton & Hove Albion and Sunderland in England. His most recent post was with South Korean side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in 2025, making him available should Spurs decide to move quickly.
Gus Poyet to the rescue for Tottenham?
According to further reports from Teamtalk, Tudor’s exit will see itself handled carefully, with both parties aligned on a mutual consent arrangement. Senior members of the club hierarchy have engaged in discussions with Tottenham CEO Vinai Venkatesham, and they have already made the decision to part ways. What remains is timing.
Tudor is also said to be personally ready to step away from the role following the recent passing of his father, Mario, which adds a deeply human dimension to what is otherwise a hard-nosed football decision.
That personal context makes the situation all the more delicate for Spurs to navigate publicly. The club will need to handle Tudor’s exit with sensitivity while simultaneously pressing ahead with a managerial search that is already in its advanced stages.
Despite Poyet’s public declaration of interest, ENIC have two other candidates higher up their list of preferred replacements. The indication is that the club’s owners are looking for a more established profile, possibly someone with recent top-level European experience.
Poyet’s candidacy is not without merit. His playing connection to the club carries weight with supporters, and his managerial career, while not without its bumps, has taken in stints across England, Spain, Greece, Russia, and South Korea. However, Spurs’ position in both the league table and the broader footballing landscape demands a candidate capable of making an immediate, transformative impact.