Tottenham Hotspur are considering appointing Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk after the season, according to reports in Italy.
The north London side have reportedly included the Turkish tactician on their shortlist, along with ex-Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi and Fulham boss Marco Silva.
Buruk’s expiring contract with Galatasaray has placed him on the radar of several clubs, with both Serie A side Lazio and Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad closely monitoring the 52-year-old.
A former midfielder, Buruk spent time at Galatasaray and Inter Milan, among other clubs, during his playing career, but has yet to manage outside Turkey since starting his coaching career in 2013.
Tottenham Eyeing Okan Buruk as Next Manager
According to Italian publication TuttoMercatoWEB, Tottenham are among the clubs eyeing Buruk ahead of his contract expiry with Galatasaray in June.
The 52-year-old is believed to be firmly on the shortlist for Spurs at the moment, as he could leave Galatasaray following a decorated four-year stint in the Turkish capital.
Buruk led Galatasaray to three consecutive Super Lig titles after taking over in June 2022, and he is on course to secure a fourth, with the Istanbul side currently sitting at the top of the league.
Buruk, praised as 'the best manager in Turkey', also guided Istanbul Basaksehir to the Turkish championship in the 2019-20 campaign, delivering the club’s first league title in history.
Roberto De Zerbi Appointment Unlikely
Tottenham have not ruled out making another managerial change before the end of the season, but they appear unlikely to appoint De Zerbi.
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Italian manager wants to keep his options open until the summer and would consider joining Spurs if they avoid Premier League relegation.
Following Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, Spurs find themselves one point above the drop zone with seven games to play.
Tottenham have yet to win a league game under interim boss Igor Tudor, collecting one point from a possible 15.
Okan Buruk Tactics Explained
Amid Tottenham’s reported interest in Buruk, we asked ChatGPT to explain the 52-year-old manager’s tactical approach that helped him lift four Turkish league titles: