ESPN

Igor Tudor will be remembered at Tottenham Hotspur as the firefighter who used gasoline instead of water. That's if he's remembered at all.

Spurs and Tudor parted company on Sunday, just 43 days after replacing Thomas Frank as manager with a chance of getting the job on a permanent basis. His mission was simple, according to a club statement at the time: "To improve performances, deliver results and move Spurs up the Premier League table."

It turned out to be an unmitigated disaster. Depending on what comes next, Tudor's tenure will have accelerated Tottenham's slide toward the existential crisis of relegation, or it will stand as a footnote in one of the worst seasons in the club's 143-year history.

- No plan, no fight: Spurs hurtling toward relegation after loss to Forest

- How did Tottenham go from Europa League champs to relegation battle?

- Reranked: Who is the MVP for each of the Premier League's top clubs?

But he didn't start the fire. Since the beginning of last season, Spurs have lost a staggering 46 games in all competitions. They won the UEFA Europa League under Ange Postecoglou, but a rot set in domestically during the second half of last year that has so far proved more deep-rooted than anyone imagined. There is widespread anger and apathy from a fan base that believes its club is broken, drifting under a lack of direction from its owners.

Sources have told ESPN that Spurs are attempting to convince Roberto De Zerbi to become their next head coach. Sources say the Italian indicated during initial talks that he is open to the role, but only at the end of the season and as long as Tottenham remain a Premier League club.

Spurs are now working to convince him to join immediately because, for the third time this season, they need someone to come in and salvage a desperate situation. Here's the story of how things got worse during Tudor's short reign.

Catastrophic start

In a rare interview with media on Feb. 20, sporting director Johan Lange explained why Tudor got the job.

"We interviewed a few candidates," he said. "Igor impressed us very, very much in the interview. Obviously, we also managed to take references of Igor. He comes in with very big experience at the highest level in football.

"He has shown the capabilities of coming into clubs around this time -- February, March -- and also big clubs, and made an immediate performance impact. That was of course a very big reason."

There is evidence for that. At Udinese (twice), Hellas Verona, Lazio and Juventus, Tudor has increased the points-per-game average of all of those teams when arriving midseason.

"There is a big difference, if you are a coach for example, who has only started a new job on July 1," Lange added. "You have six or seven weeks to prepare to get to know the club.

"I'm not saying that necessarily is easy, but that's a different challenge. If you come in here on the Monday and you are playing at the weekend, you need to build relationships with the players immediately."

Sources told ESPN that Tudor quickly set about trying to increase the intensity of training, believing the players needed to be fitter. They ran ... a lot. However, his efforts on the training ground were complicated by the fact that his trusted assistant, Ivan Javorcic, never arrived at Spurs due to work-permit issues.

Tudor also spoke bullishly in public about being "100% convinced" Spurs would not be relegated, in fact suggesting it was almost a waste of time to even talk about relegation. (He leaves with the club in 17th place, one point above the bottom three with seven games remaining.)

His first game was a tough one: Premier League leaders Arsenal at home. But the visit of their north London rivals, who are chasing down a first title in 22 years, was at least guaranteed to unite the fan base behind a managerial appointment that did not leap off the page.

Yet what followed was catastrophe. Spurs managed to get to halftime at 1-1, but that owed more to Arsenal's carelessness. The Gunners sharpened their focus in the second half and ran out 4-1 winners, after which Tudor spoke with the candor of a head coach who had very quickly worked out the fundamental issues.

"What is the goal of this club? What is the goal of this team? What is the goal of this coach, these players, this staff?" he asked. "To become serious. Serious, not just a group of 20 players, and the medicine is you look in the mirror. Each of us look in the mirror and really try, really start to change the habits."

Tudor was even more blunt when losing 2-1 at Fulham a week later, claiming they "lacked everything" across the pitch. Sources have told ESPN that there was some surprise internally at Tudor's willingness to speak in such derogatory terms about a group of players so short on confidence.

That perhaps explains why his reaction to a third consecutive defeat -- at home to Crystal Palace on March 5 -- was so different, claiming he had "more belief than ever" in the group. Yet results didn't improve.

Kinsky's nightmare

First-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario had not enjoyed the best of seasons -- he had been jeered by some Tottenham supporters at the end of Frank's reign. But still, Tudor's decision to drop the Italian for Antonín Kinsky when Spurs traveled to Atlético Madrid shocked many.

Except what followed was even worse. Kinsky made errors for two early goals and was substituted just 17 minutes into the club's UEFA Champions League round-of-16 tie. Tudor did not console Kinsky as he trudged off and instead Conor Gallagher, João Palhinha and Dominic Solanke followed him down the tunnel.

The 22-year-old was humiliated -- it was the earliest a goalkeeper had ever been substituted in a Champions League knockout tie. Sources have told ESPN that several players were stunned by Tudor's approach, but others in the squad believed a hard line was needed in general to make the group aware of the situation it was in.

Consequently, Tudor also continued to make tactical changes -- switching between a back three and a back four, even playing a natural fullback in Pedro Porro as a right-sided center back against Palace -- in pursuit of a winning formula.

Publicly he spoke of players needing to be "on the boat," but privately, sources say, Tudor quickly harbored doubts about the character of several members of the first-team group.

Spurs were beaten 5-2 in Madrid, and calls from outside the club for Tudor to be sacked soon ramped up.

The false dawn and the bitter end

ESPN reported the morning after that Atlético defeat that Tudor would be given the chance to lead the team at Liverpool. They have won only twice at Anfield in the Premier League era and many feared another hiding, but Spurs showed resilience to earn a 1-1 draw through Richarlison's late strike.

Despite having 13 players out injured, Tottenham deserved the point they earned at Liverpool, even though their Premier League winless streak extended to three months. That said, the sense of momentum continued four days later as they beat Atlético Madrid 3-2 at home. It was not enough to avoid exiting the Champions League -- they lost 7-5 on aggregate -- but their first win in any competition for eight weeks seemed to set up the blockbuster visit of relegation rivals Nottingham Forest perfectly.

Spurs did everything to whip up the crowd, offering drinks promotions for fans arriving early and encouraging supporters to line the streets and greet the team bus, while a prematch message from captain Cristian Romero posted across social media acted as a call to action.

As a result, the atmosphere before kickoff was electric. Spurs started well but could not make the breakthrough and once Igor Jesus put Forest ahead on the stroke of halftime, Spurs went on to lose 3-0.

Sources have told ESPN that Frank felt the group did not respond well to setbacks and some of his work behind the scenes was designed to help improve this aspect. It was just one of many problems Tudor inherited, along with a squad decimated by injury, a broken relationship between the club and its supporters and a general sense of an organization as rudderless as it was when Frank was fired less than two months earlier.

Tudor was informed of the death of his father, Mario, after the end of the Forest game and was effectively put on compassionate leave last week before both parties agreed to part company on Sunday. Now, with the manager's job officially vacant, the search for a new boss is on.

There are major questions for Lange and CEO Vinai Venkatesham to answer about why Tudor was hired. With De Zerbi now in their sights, they have to get this appointment right, otherwise Tottenham's house will burn down.

Igor Tudor will be remembered at Tottenham Hotspur as the firefighter who used gasoline instead of water. That's if he's remembered at all.

Spurs and Tudor parted company on Sunday, just 43 days after replacing Thomas Frank as manager with a chance of getting the job on a permanent basis. His mission was simple, according to a club statement at the time: "To improve performances, deliver results and move Spurs up the Premier League table."

It turned out to be an unmitigated disaster. Depending on what comes next, Tudor's tenure will have accelerated Tottenham's slide toward the existential crisis of relegation, or it will stand as a footnote in one of the worst seasons in the club's 143-year history.

- No plan, no fight: Spurs hurtling toward relegation after loss to Forest

- How did Tottenham go from Europa League champs to relegation battle?

- Reranked: Who is the MVP for each of the Premier League's top clubs?

But he didn't start the fire. Since the beginning of last season, Spurs have lost a staggering 46 games in all competitions. They won the UEFA Europa League under Ange Postecoglou, but a rot set in domestically during the second half of last year that has so far proved more deep-rooted than anyone imagined. There is widespread anger and apathy from a fan base that believes its club is broken, drifting under a lack of direction from its owners.

Sources have told ESPN that Spurs are attempting to convince Roberto De Zerbi to become their next head coach. Sources say the Italian indicated during initial talks that he is open to the role, but only at the end of the season and as long as Tottenham remain a Premier League club.

Spurs are now working to convince him to join immediately because, for the third time this season, they need someone to come in and salvage a desperate situation. Here's the story of how things got worse during Tudor's short reign.

Catastrophic start

In a rare interview with media on Feb. 20, sporting director Johan Lange explained why Tudor got the job.

"We interviewed a few candidates," he said. "Igor impressed us very, very much in the interview. Obviously, we also managed to take references of Igor. He comes in with very big experience at the highest level in football.

"He has shown the capabilities of coming into clubs around this time -- February, March -- and also big clubs, and made an immediate performance impact. That was of course a very big reason."

There is evidence for that. At Udinese (twice), Hellas Verona, Lazio and Juventus, Tudor has increased the points-per-game average of all of those teams when arriving midseason.

"There is a big difference, if you are a coach for example, who has only started a new job on July 1," Lange added. "You have six or seven weeks to prepare to get to know the club.

"I'm not saying that necessarily is easy, but that's a different challenge. If you come in here on the Monday and you are playing at the weekend, you need to build relationships with the players immediately."

Sources told ESPN that Tudor quickly set about trying to increase the intensity of training, believing the players needed to be fitter. They ran ... a lot. However, his efforts on the training ground were complicated by the fact that his trusted assistant, Ivan Javorcic, never arrived at Spurs due to work-permit issues.

Tudor also spoke bullishly in public about being "100% convinced" Spurs would not be relegated, in fact suggesting it was almost a waste of time to even talk about relegation. (He leaves with the club in 17th place, one point above the bottom three with seven games remaining.)

His first game was a tough one: Premier League leaders Arsenal at home. But the visit of their north London rivals, who are chasing down a first title in 22 years, was at least guaranteed to unite the fan base behind a managerial appointment that did not leap off the page.

Yet what followed was catastrophe. Spurs managed to get to halftime at 1-1, but that owed more to Arsenal's carelessness. The Gunners sharpened their focus in the second half and ran out 4-1 winners, after which Tudor spoke with the candor of a head coach who had very quickly worked out the fundamental issues.

"What is the goal of this club? What is the goal of this team? What is the goal of this coach, these players, this staff?" he asked. "To become serious. Serious, not just a group of 20 players, and the medicine is you look in the mirror. Each of us look in the mirror and really try, really start to change the habits."

Tudor was even more blunt when losing 2-1 at Fulham a week later, claiming they "lacked everything" across the pitch. Sources have told ESPN that there was some surprise internally at Tudor's willingness to speak in such derogatory terms about a group of players so short on confidence.

That perhaps explains why his reaction to a third consecutive defeat -- at home to Crystal Palace on March 5 -- was so different, claiming he had "more belief than ever" in the group. Yet results didn't improve.

Kinsky's nightmare

First-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario had not enjoyed the best of seasons -- he had been jeered by some Tottenham supporters at the end of Frank's reign. But still, Tudor's decision to drop the Italian for Antonín Kinsky when Spurs traveled to Atlético Madrid shocked many.

Except what followed was even worse. Kinsky made errors for two early goals and was substituted just 17 minutes into the club's UEFA Champions League round-of-16 tie. Tudor did not console Kinsky as he trudged off and instead Conor Gallagher, João Palhinha and Dominic Solanke followed him down the tunnel.

The 22-year-old was humiliated -- it was the earliest a goalkeeper had ever been substituted in a Champions League knockout tie. Sources have told ESPN that several players were stunned by Tudor's approach, but others in the squad believed a hard line was needed in general to make the group aware of the situation it was in.

Consequently, Tudor also continued to make tactical changes -- switching between a back three and a back four, even playing a natural fullback in Pedro Porro as a right-sided center back against Palace -- in pursuit of a winning formula.

Publicly he spoke of players needing to be "on the boat," but privately, sources say, Tudor quickly harbored doubts about the character of several members of the first-team group.

Spurs were beaten 5-2 in Madrid, and calls from outside the club for Tudor to be sacked soon ramped up.

The false dawn and the bitter end

ESPN reported the morning after that Atlético defeat that Tudor would be given the chance to lead the team at Liverpool. They have won only twice at Anfield in the Premier League era and many feared another hiding, but Spurs showed resilience to earn a 1-1 draw through Richarlison's late strike.

Despite having 13 players out injured, Tottenham deserved the point they earned at Liverpool, even though their Premier League winless streak extended to three months. That said, the sense of momentum continued four days later as they beat Atlético Madrid 3-2 at home. It was not enough to avoid exiting the Champions League -- they lost 7-5 on aggregate -- but their first win in any competition for eight weeks seemed to set up the blockbuster visit of relegation rivals Nottingham Forest perfectly.

Spurs did everything to whip up the crowd, offering drinks promotions for fans arriving early and encouraging supporters to line the streets and greet the team bus, while a prematch message from captain Cristian Romero posted across social media acted as a call to action.

As a result, the atmosphere before kickoff was electric. Spurs started well but could not make the breakthrough and once Igor Jesus put Forest ahead on the stroke of halftime, Spurs went on to lose 3-0.

Sources have told ESPN that Frank felt the group did not respond well to setbacks and some of his work behind the scenes was designed to help improve this aspect. It was just one of many problems Tudor inherited, along with a squad decimated by injury, a broken relationship between the club and its supporters and a general sense of an organization as rudderless as it was when Frank was fired less than two months earlier.

Tudor was informed of the death of his father, Mario, after the end of the Forest game and was effectively put on compassionate leave last week before both parties agreed to part company on Sunday. Now, with the manager's job officially vacant, the search for a new boss is on.

There are major questions for Lange and CEO Vinai Venkatesham to answer about why Tudor was hired. With De Zerbi now in their sights, they have to get this appointment right, otherwise Tottenham's house will burn down.

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Jermain Defoe has made his first venture into full-time management by taking the head coach role at National League side Woking.

The appointment comes on the same day that Spurs announced the exit of Igor Tudor and his staff.

Defoe had been linked with a return to Spurs' coaching staff amid Tudor's struggles, having previously worked as an academy coach at the north London club, but will now take the senior job at Woking.

Defoe's only previous experience in senior management was a short spell as part of a four-man caretaker team that took charge of Rangers after Steven Gerrard's departure in 2021.

"Woking is a historic club with huge potential, and I'm thrilled to be part of this exciting project. I can't wait to get started," Defoe, who managed 20 goals in 57 appearances for England, said in a statement.

- Tottenham and Tudor part ways with club deep in relegation mire

- Tudor's 43-day tenure at Tottenham Hotspur: A timeline of failure

- Igor Tudor joins list of shortest managerial reigns in Premier League era

Woking sit mid-table in England's fifth-tier, nine points off the top seven.

"Jermain's achievements as a player speak for themselves, but what stood out to us during the process was how he sees the game, how he drives standards, and his approach to leadership and player development," club chairman Todd Johnson said.

"We have a clear plan for where we want to go as a club, and we believe Jermain is the right person to build on the strong foundations already in place and help take us forward in the next phase of that journey."

Defoe also turned out for Portsmouth, Sunderland, Rangers and West Ham among others in a storied playing career.

"Defoe joins the club following a distinguished playing career at the highest levels of the game and has built coaching experience through his work within the academy structure at Tottenham Hotspur and in a player-coach role at Rangers FC as part of Steven Gerrard's coaching staff," Woking said.

Tottenham Hotspur have parted company with head coach Igor Tudor by mutual consent after just 44 days in the role, the club confirmed on Sunday.

Tudor was only appointed last month and won just one of his seven matches as Spurs slipped closer to the relegation zone.

The 47-year-old replaced Thomas Frank on a short-term basis and was initially mooted as a possible permanent candidate but his sole victory came against Atletico Madrid -- which wasn't enough to avoid exiting the Champions League round-of-16, 7-5 on aggregate. They are currently 17th place in the Premier League, one point above the bottom three.

Tudor's final game in charge was last weekend's 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, shortly after which he was informed of the death of his father Mario.

Sources have told ESPN that Tudor was given time to process that bereavement before the both parties decided the best move was for Tudor to move on.

The club said in a statement: "We can confirm that it has been mutually agreed for head coach Igor Tudor to leave the club with immediate effect.

"Tomislav Rogic and Riccardo Ragnacci have also left their respective roles of goalkeeping coach and physical coach.

"We thank Igor, Tomislav and Riccardo for their efforts during the past six weeks, in which they worked tirelessly. We also acknowledge the bereavement that Igor has recently suffered and send our support to him and his family at this difficult time."

- Ogden: Tottenham hurtling toward relegation after limp loss to Forest

- Are Tottenham going to be relegated? What stats, charts say

- Shocking stats that will worry Tottenham during relegation scrap

Sources have told ESPN that coach Bruno Saltor will lead training for the next few days with the vast majority of the first-team squad away on international duty.

Spurs expect to appoint a new head coach in the coming days in time for a training block ahead of their next game, a Premier League trip to Sunderland on April 12.

It is unclear whether the club will make a permanent appointment or install another interim. Sources have told ESPN that Roberto de Zerbi is one of the club's leading candidates along with USNMT head coach -- and former Tottenham manager -- Mauricio Pochettino.

Pochettino is committed to leading USMNT at this summer's World Cup but has expressed a willingness to return to England while sources say De Zerbi is interested in taking over at Spurs but only if they avoid relegation.

De Zerbi had shown a reluctance to take over immediately but Spurs were attempting to convince the Italian -- out of work after leaving Marseille in February -- to change his mind.

Short-term alternatives include Sean Dyche while Adi Hutter has also been linked with the post. Hutter has managed a host of clubs including Red Bull Salzburg, Young Boys, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Monchengladbach and Monaco.

Former Spurs managers Harry Redknapp and Tim Sherwood have expressed a willingness to rejoin the club if asked while Ryan Mason, who has stepped in before in similar circumstances, is out of work after leaving West Brom.

Tottenham Hotspur have parted company with head coach Igor Tudor by mutual consent after just 44 days in the role, the club confirmed on Sunday.

Tudor was only appointed last month and won just one of his seven matches as Spurs slipped closer to the relegation zone.

The 47-year-old replaced Thomas Frank on a short-term basis and was initially mooted as a possible permanent candidate but his sole victory came against Atletico Madrid -- which wasn't enough to avoid exiting the Champions League round-of-16, 7-5 on aggregate. They are currently 17th place in the Premier League, one point above the bottom three.

Tudor's final game in charge was last weekend's 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, shortly after which he was informed of the death of his father Mario.

Sources have told ESPN that Tudor was given time to process that bereavement before the both parties decided the best move was for Tudor to move on.

The club said in a statement: "We can confirm that it has been mutually agreed for head coach Igor Tudor to leave the club with immediate effect.

"Tomislav Rogic and Riccardo Ragnacci have also left their respective roles of goalkeeping coach and physical coach.

"We thank Igor, Tomislav and Riccardo for their efforts during the past six weeks, in which they worked tirelessly. We also acknowledge the bereavement that Igor has recently suffered and send our support to him and his family at this difficult time."

- Ogden: Tottenham hurtling toward relegation after limp loss to Forest

- Are Tottenham going to be relegated? What stats, charts say

- Shocking stats that will worry Tottenham during relegation scrap

Sources have told ESPN that coach Bruno Saltor will lead training for the next few days with the vast majority of the first-team squad away on international duty.

Spurs expect to appoint a new head coach in the coming days in time for a training block ahead of their next game, a Premier League trip to Sunderland on April 12.

It is unclear whether the club will make a permanent appointment or install another interim. Sources have told ESPN that Roberto de Zerbi is one of the club's leading candidates along with USNMT head coach -- and former Tottenham manager -- Mauricio Pochettino.

Pochettino is committed to leading USMNT at this summer's World Cup but has expressed a willingness to return to England while sources say De Zerbi is interested in taking over at Spurs but only if they avoid relegation.

De Zerbi had shown a reluctance to take over immediately but Spurs were attempting to convince the Italian -- out of work after leaving Marseille in February -- to change his mind.

Short-term alternatives include Sean Dyche while Adi Hutter has also been linked with the post. Hutter has managed a host of clubs including Red Bull Salzburg, Young Boys, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Monchengladbach and Monaco.

Former Spurs managers Harry Redknapp and Tim Sherwood have expressed a willingness to rejoin the club if asked while Ryan Mason, who has stepped in before in similar circumstances, is out of work after leaving West Brom.

Alessia Russo scores first half hat-trick for Arsenal vs. Tottenham  ESPN

Tottenham head coach Martin Ho has signed a new long-term contract with the Women's Super League (WSL) club.

The Liverpudlian joined Spurs from Norwegian side SK Brann last summer and has guided the north London team to fifth place in the WSL.

Ho said: "I'm really proud to extend my time at Tottenham Hotspur. I want to thank the club for the trust and belief they've shown in me -- that alignment is vital when you're building something with real purpose.

"From the moment I arrived, there was a clear vision around the direction of the club, and together we've started to lay strong foundations in terms of identity, standards and the way we want to work every day.

"There has been progress, but we know there is much more to come. I'm fully committed to continuing that journey and ensuring we build a team that doesn't rely on moments, but dominates through structure, intensity and control while representing this club with passion and pride."

- Arsenal captain Kim Little signs new one-year contract

- Popular WSL fantasy football app set to shut down

Spurs have won half of their 18 league games so far this season and need only four points from their last four games to set a new points record for the club in a WSL season.

Andy Rogers, managing director of the women's team, said: "Martin committing his long-term future is an important step for the club.

"In a short period of time, he has made a clear impact -- on our performances, our environment, and the standards we set every day. He is exactly the profile of coach we want for this team."

Tottenham Hotspur forward Dejan Kulusevski has eased concerns of a fresh injury setback, insisting that his knee is "great" after a recent procedure.

Kulusevski has not played for Spurs since last May after an innocuous challenge with Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi resulted in a serious knee injury, which required surgery on the right patella of the Sweden international.

A lengthy recovery was expected, but Kulusevski was initially anticipated to return around the end of December, but he remains sidelined and images of him visiting Sweden's national team camp this week sparked concern after the 25-year-old walked with what appeared to be a limp.

In a post on his Instagram story, Kulusevski said: "Just to clarify things. I'm limping because I had a small intervention in the knee two weeks ago.

"Went in and took out what was not suppose to be there. Knee is great now. Thanks for all the support."

Spurs have sorely missed Kulusevski and have lacked creativity without the versatile attacker, who has scored 25 goals and produced 30 assists during 146 appearances for the Premier League club.

- The end for Tudor? Timeline of the Tottenham manager's woes

- Romero promises to put '200%' into Tottenham's 'seven finals'

- Transfer rumors, news: USMNT's Robinson on Man United's radar

Former Tottenham boss Thomas Frank revealed last month before his dismissal that he "didn't know" if Kulusevski would play again this season and current interim head coach Igor Tudor said on Friday there had been no progress on a timeline for when the ex-Juventus player to return.

Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea and Aston Villa hold an interest in versatile Tottenham Hotspur defender Archie Gray, while United have added Fulham and USMNT left back Antonee Robinson to their shortlist. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

Transfers home page | Men's winter grades | Women's grades

TRENDING RUMORS

- Manchester United hold an interest in versatile Tottenham defender Archie Gray, who can play across the defense or in midfield, according to TEAMtalk. United will face plenty of competition for the 20-year-old's signature, though, as Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea and Aston Villa are also interested. All four clubs are expected to attempt a move if Spurs are relegated from the Premier League, and if that does happen, a deal could be completed for around £50 million.

- Manchester United have added Fulham and USMNT left back Antonee Robinson to their shortlist of options for the position, says Football Insider. Robinson, 28, has been consistently linked with a move to Liverpool but United are also looking to sign a left back to provide competition for Luke Shaw and Patrick Dorgu, with Tyrell Malacia expected to leave. Yesterday, the club were being linked with Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies.

- Following the announcement that Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, TalkSPORT has suggested that the winger has interest from the Saudi Pro League and Major League Soccer. The 33-year-old has reached an agreement with the Reds that means he will be allowed to depart for free. Saudi Arabia has long been linked as a future destination and the league is prioritizing the Egypt international as its flagship signing of the summer, while there is also interest from MLS.

- Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez is Barcelona's priority as they aim to sign a No. 9 striker in the summer, reports Mundo Deportivo, while Atlético could look to replace him with Strasbourg's Joaquín Panichelli. In another report, Mundo Deportivo states that the Blaugrana's alternatives to Alvarez are Galatasaray's Victor Osimhen and Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic. They aren't interested in Manchester United's Benjamin Sesko or AC Milan winger Rafael Leão.

- Barcelona have informed Internazionale that they will start negotiations to sign center back Alessandro Bastoni, as reported by Sport. Talks will begin after the international break and the Spanish club will look to offer a set fee, plus the option to include a player in the deal, with Inter wanting a total package of around €60 million. Inter are reported to be interested in including Barcelona defender Gerard Martín, but the Catalan side don't want the 24-year-old to leave and intend to offer other players instead.

ESPN EXCLUSIVES

- Barcelona are considering an attacking shake-up which would include listening to offers for forward Ferran Torres and the arrival of up to two new forwards. Read

- Real Madrid are concerned that Caroline Weir and Naomie Feller will not renew their contracts at the club and could leave on free transfers this summer. Read

- Real Madrid are keen to sign Chelsea's Colombian striker Mayra Ramírez. Read

EXPERT TAKE

Could Liverpool sign Kvaratskhelia or Olise to replace Salah?

Craig Burley debates who Liverpool could sign to replace Mohamed Salah.

OTHER RUMORS

- Manchester City and Manchester United are set to go head-to-head to land Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali, 25, but the Italy international wants to return to Serie A. (TalkSPORT)

- Manchester United and Manchester City won't face competition from Bayern Munich for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson. (Christian Falk)

- Newcastle United have no intention of letting full back Lewis Hall leave despite interest from Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United. (TEAMtalk)

- Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool and Newcastle United are among the clubs monitoring Chelsea defender Josh Acheampong. (Caught Offside)

- Paris Saint-Germain forward Ibrahim Mbaye, 18, is on the radar of Aston Villa this summer. (Sky Sports)

- With Nico Schlotterbeck getting closer to an agreement to renew his Borussia Dortmund contract, the center back's new deal will include a pro-Real Madrid clause that will allow him to leave for a set fee. (AS)

- Tottenham are willing to let captain Cristian Romero leave this summer, with Atletico Madrid one of the clubs interested in the center back. (Football Insider)

- Real Madrid center back Antonio Rudiger, 33, is out of contract this summer and could move to Juventus. (Tuttosport)

- Napoli want to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka as a free agent in the summer but face competition from Juventus, Internazionale, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal. (Corriere dello Sport)

- Paris Saint-Germain could swap Tottenham loanee Randal Kolo Muani for Juventus striker Jonathan David. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

- Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich are admirers of Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic, 19, who is on loan at Hamburg and could leave Spurs if they are relegated. (TEAMtalk)

- Internazionale are ready to make an offer for Roma midfielder Manu Kone, which could approach €50 million. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

- Arsenal are unwilling to entertain offers for left back Riccardo Calafiori amid interest from Internazionale (Football Insider)

- With Paulo Dybala's Roma contract expiring this summer, the 32-year-old is the topic of interest from Boca Juniors and Turkey. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

- Aston Villa, Roma and Fenerbahce are among the clubs interested in signing Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder Julian Brandt as a free agent. (Nicolo Schira)

- Newcastle United are more likely to sign Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser than Tottenham Hotspur due to their hopes of playing European football next season. (Football Insider)

- Galatasaray midfielder Gabriel Sara is being monitored by Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford and AFC Bournemouth. (TEAMtalk)

With zero league matches won during Igor Tudor's thirty-seven days in charge, relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur face the decision of whether to put an end to one of the most shambolic and short-lived managerial spells in Premier League history.

He arrived at the club billed as an experienced firefighter, but defeats to Arsenal, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest have only fanned the flames that have left Spurs coming to terms with the very real prospect of relegation.

Tudor's time in north London has certainly been eventful.

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Feb. 13, 2026: Tudor replaces Frank as Spurs boss

Three days after Tottenham sent Thomas Frank packing, Tudor was appointed as his replacement, agreeing a deal to coach the club until the end of the campaign.

According to the Spurs hierarchy, the Croatian's record in stepping at short notice to deliver an upturn in results, as he did at Juventus and Marseille, made him the right man to get Spurs out of their malaise.

"Igor brings clarity, intensity and experience of stepping into challenging moments and producing impact," sporting director Johan Lange said. "Our objective is straightforward -- to stabilise performances, maximise the quality within the squad and compete strongly in the Premier League and Champions League."

Tudor arrived with the club 16th in the Premier League table and having won two of their previous 17 matches in the competition. The timing of his arrival gave him a week to work with his new squad ahead of the north London derby.

What Tudor said: "It is an honour to join this club at an important moment. I understand the responsibility I have been handed and my focus is clear. To bring greater consistency to our performances and compete with conviction in every match."

Later, in his first news conference as Spurs boss, Tudor was asked if he's enjoyed his first week at the club and replied: "No, I didn't enjoy it. Because I'm here not to enjoy. I'm here to work."

Feb. 22, 2026: Tottenham 1-4 Arsenal

Tudor's first task could hardly have been any tougher as Mikel Arteta's table-topping Arsenal side headed across north London seeking to boost their title aspirations and deepen their archrivals' relegation fears. Spurs were level at the break thanks to a player Tudor had worked with at Juventus, the on-loan Randal Kolo Muani, but the visitors were by far the better team in the first half.

A sobering second 45 made clear the scale of the task at hand as Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyökeres terrorised the injury-ridden Spurs team.

What Tudor said: "Arsenal are now probably the best team in the world at this moment. If we were thinking today that it's a derby and we can give something more, more mentality and more motivation, the reality is that there are things you can't change in 3-4 training sessions. It's impossible.

"So this was not a perfect team to play in the first game, but we need something good and today shows me the level.

"There is a big gap between the two teams, too much Arsenal for us. But it is nice to understand where we are -- a game to show the reality.

"It's nice for one point of view to understand that we must change habits, change state of mind. It's the only way to work."

March 1, 2026: Fulham 2-1 Tottenham

While the Arsenal defeat had perhaps been expected, the away loss to Fulham that followed began to set alarm bells ringing within the Spurs fanbase.

Tottenham were shambolic in defence with Harry Wilson giving the hosts a controversial early lead before Alex Iwobi's sweet strike had them 2-0 up at the break. Richarlison's second-half goal restored hope for Spurs, but in reality they were second-best for much of the afternoon and Marco Silva bemoaned the fact his side hadn't won by a bigger margin.

What Tudor said: "The problems are much bigger. It's a complicated situation. A lot of problems, I cannot tell you nothing new. Nothing new. We need to find the voices inside each of us.

"I said to the players, 'it's always what you're going to do, what you want to do with yourself,' you know? More personality, more wish to do before reacting, a lot of things.

"We lack when we attack, we are lacking the quality to score the goal, we are lacking in the middle to run and we are lacking behind to stay there to suffer and not concede the goal. So, an amazing situation."

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March 5, 2026: Tottenham 1-3Crystal Palace

It all seemed set up for Spurs to record a galvanising victory when Dominic Solanke gave them the lead in a game that had been considered winnable before kick-off. But a calamitous nine-minute spell in which captain Micky van de Ven was sent off and Crystal Palace conceded three goals was enough for much of the fanbase to start calling for Tudor to be replaced after just three games in charge.

Spurs supporters were seen leaving the ground in their droves before the half-time whistle, and those that stayed filled the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with boos -- a common theme this season.

Tudor's post-game comments in which he said he "saw something" in the performance that made him "believe more after this game than I believed before" did little to change the mood music.

What Tudor said: "I don't think in that direction [that he might be sacked]. I have my job to do and that's all.

"Of course I understand the fans. It's a normal thing that happens in football. They are disappointed. They wanted more. We are aware of that. We also wanted to give more. Unfortunately this is the moment that we pay everything. One red card change everything.

"I will tell you now maybe it will sound strange, but I believe more after this game than I believed before. I saw something.

"I need to choose the right guys because the boat is going in the direction that I want to go and needs to go and who is in the boat can stay. Otherwise they can bow down, or how do you say that, leave the boat.

"So, when the other players will come back and choosing the right [players], I'm sure we will have a good team and the victories will come back. It's not easy to accept the moment where we are now but it is how it is."

March 10: Atlético Madrid 5-2 Tottenham

The fourth match of Tudor's tenure had many saying they had seen things that they'd never seen before on a football pitch -- and not in a good way.

In one of the most bizarre moments of the season, Spurs conceded three goals in the opening 17 minutes of their Champions League round-of-16 first-leg tie at Atlético Madrid. The first came after goalkeeper Antonín Kinsky, starting in place of the dropped Guglielmo Vicario, slipped over to gift the hosts the chance to take the lead.

Then Van de Ven also slipped, allowing Antoine Griezmann to run through and finish into the bottom corner. Less than a minute later, Kinsky made a mess of an attempted pass out wide and presented the ball to Julián Álvarez who tapped home into an unguarded net while the goalkeeper covered his face while lying on the pitch.

Incredibly, with the game just 17 minutes old, Tudor then decided to replace Kinsky with Vicario and subsequently decided not to offer any form of consolation to the distraught Kinsky.

Widespread criticism poured in for Tudor's handling of the situation, including from former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel who said he thought the decision to replace Kinsky in that moment was "going to have ramifications for the rest of his career. He's absolutely killed his career."

Spurs did salvage some pride when winning the second leg at home, but the 3-2 result was insufficient to overturn the first leg deficit.

What Tudor said: "I've been coaching 15 years and I've never done that. It was necessary to preserve the guy, preserve the team. It was an incredible situation.

"Before the game, it was the right choice to do. It was the right decision for me. After this happened, of course it's easy to say it wasn't the right decision. He's a good goalkeeper. Unfortunately it happened with these mistakes, in a big game. We are fragile, we are weak."

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March 15: Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham

After four straight defeats, expectations were low as Spurs headed to Anfield but Richarlison's nous in Premier League relegation battles came to the fore as he earned his team a crucial point.

The north London club looked set for a seventh successive defeat after Dominic Szoboszlai's first-half free kick, but Spurs were vastly improved from their midweek outing and Richarlison's injury-time equaliser felt a just reward for their display.

It was Tudor's first point since taking over and appeared to offer a blueprint for the team's Premier League survival.

What Tudor said: "It's a long way to our goal, which is to stay in the Premier League, still a lot of games to play, but today was important to show what they showed today, independently of the result.

"When you are honest, you need to be honest, give everything, then the football will give you back. That was my words before the game, so this happened today."

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March 18: Tottenham 3-2 Atlético Madrid

Spurs carried their momentum from the draw at Anfield into the round-of-16 second leg and came away with an admirable 3-2 win. They exited the competition 7-5 on aggregate, but the result felt like it could be a turning point.

Xavi Simons put in arguably his best performance for the club since joining from RB Leipzig last summer and bagged a brace. It was the first win of the Tudor era and a much-needed morale boost for the team and fanbase heading into a crucial 'six-pointer' against Nottingham Forest...

What Tudor said: "It's nice, the sensation and feelings are mixed, of course. We are out, but it was a sensation of one very good team on the pitch, one very good performance of the players, the energy was very nice.

"From the first moment, the fans recognised that the team will try to do everything they can do, so from the first moment until the last moment, they were with us, it was beautiful."

March 22: Tottenham 0-3 Nottingham Forest

Any hopes of a renaissance were emphatically put to bed in Tudor's third home league game in charge -- a defeat that marked the third time Spurs had conceded at least three goals when losing in front of their own fans.

This time, though, the home side failed to make a telling impact themselves, leaving this result as the most galling so far of Tudor's league outings in north London.

What Tudor said: The Spurs manager did not speak to the media after being informed of a "personal family matter" after the match. Assistant coach Bruno Saltor spoke to reporters in his place, saying: "You can see the players, they care and they [are] 100% trying their ​best, but at the moment it's not enough and we need to minimise any mistakes because we know we ‌are ⁠going to concede a goal.

"The first 44 minutes, I thought were good, really good... Second half, probably we were not able to deal with the weight of the game."

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Information from PA contributed to this story