GiveMeSport

Tottenham are assessing their leadership team at board level and could make changes when the season comes to an end, GIVEMESPORT has learned.

Following the departure of Daniel Levy, GMS sources have suggested that further back-office changes or restructurings could come by the start of next season. Highly-regarded director of football operations Rafi Moersen already forms part of a new-look leadership team, while Nick Beucher carries weight with the Lewis family despite not sitting on the Spurs board.

Spurs want to hire a new sporting director prior to making a decision on their new permanent head coach, which was one reason why caretaker Igor Tudor was appointed.

Former Crystal Palace sporting director Dougie Freedman is one option, but GMS understands Saudi side Al-Diriyah will fight to keep him.

Chelsea co-sporting director Paul Winstanley and Bournemouth's Tiago Pinto have also made the shortlist for a role that is currently being billed as working alongside Johan Lange.

When it comes to the new head coach position, Mauricio Pochettino remains one of the leading contenders to replace Thomas Frank and the Argentine will be in attendance for Spurs' UEFA Champions League last 16 first-leg tie at Atletico Madrid as a guest of the LaLiga club. Pochettino will be at the game to watch American midfielder Johnny Cardoso.

GMS understands the Argentine is open to a return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and would not necessarily be put off the role if Spurs go down. Pochettino is expected to leave the US men's national team after the 2026 World Cup when his contract expires.

Spurs also have Roberto De Zerbi and Marco Silva on their radar, two names they approached prior to hiring Frank. And Robbie Keane has also been discussed having impressed during his time with Hungarian champions Ferencváros.

Tottenham Keen To Keep Four Key Players

On the field, no progress has been made to extend the contract of Micky van de Ven, with the defender likely to seek an exit if Spurs go down. The centre-back is not a player Spurs want to lose, but GMS understands Van de Ven is open to an exit this summer.

Spurs captain Cristian Romero is another name who could be sold, even if Spurs stay up. Atletico Madrid held an interest over the summer, while Romero has confirmed he would like to play in Spain one day.

Spurs' players have relegation clauses in their contracts resulting in around a 50% wage decrease, but that alone won't necessarily prevent sales if the club is relegated.

Spurs want to keep hold of Dominic Solanke, Conor Gallagher, Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, but all are likely to draw interest from Europe's big five leagues. Chelsea and Aston Villa already made enquiries on Bergvall in January. Solanke is on Roma's radar, while Saudi clubs are also showing an early interest.

Silver Lining To Spurs Not Qualifying For The Champions League

Managerial candidates will be keen to understand not only the potential flight risks if Spurs drop into the Championship, but also the planned investment if Spurs secure their Premier League status for 2026/27.

It is expected to be a summer of upheaval at Spurs. Barring winning the Champions League, there will be no European football next season. Naturally, this would have a detrimental impact on the books, but the one silver lining if Spurs only have domestic football next season, and remain in the Premier League, is they can take advantage of the new Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) rules without being bound by Financial Fair Play. The first year of the Premier League's new financial rules factors in the transition away from PSR and should allow clubs to be aggressive in the market without fears of penalties.

Tottenham are preparing to face Atletico Madrid in Spain on Tuesday night, and one of their manager targets is going to be in attendance, according to The Athletic.

Spurs are desperately hoping to turn things around under Igor Tudor, who has lost all three of his games in charge of the north London club.

Their Premier League form is the most concerning situation at the moment, with the threat of relegation now serious as they sit one point above the bottom three.

The game against Atletico is a chance for Spurs to try and gather some momentum, but there's no doubt the Premier League is the more important competition at the moment.

Being knocked out of the Champions League won't be a disaster, despite being disappointing, but suffering relegation would be catastrophic.

'World-Class' Manager Attending Tottenham Clash

According to a report from The Athletic, former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino will be in attendance for their game against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The report claims that Pochettino has made no secret that he's interested in returning to north London one day, but he's currently working with the USA national team ahead of the World Cup.

The Athletic suggest that Pochettino is a guest of Atletico, rather than Tottenham, and he could be keeping an eye on American midfielder Johnny Cardoso.

Spurs fans might be hoping the Argentinian manager is in attendance for other reasons, with Pochettino one of their targets to take over in the summer.

Pochettino a Target for Tottenham

GIVEMESPORT sources have confirmed that Pochettino is open to joining Tottenham in the summer, even if they are relegated.

The former Chelsea and Spurs boss is believed to be on their shortlist, alongside Roberto De Zerbi and Robbie Keane.

The 'world-class' 54-year-old might be hoping to return to club management in the near future, and with him making it clear that he'd be open to a return to Spurs, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him in the dugout for next season.

Tottenham's managerial situation is likely to ramble on for the next few months, and something might even change even sooner if their form under Tudor continues.

Would Pochettino be a Smart Appointment for Tottenham?

GIVEMESPORT asked ChatGPT whether Pochettino would be a smart appointment for Spurs, and whether he'd suit their current squad.

Tottenham manager Igor Tudor needs to start making some tough decisions after a horrendous start to his tenure, and that should begin against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Tudor has lost all three of his opening games in charge of Spurs, but he'll be hoping to bounce back and pick up some momentum away to Atletico.

It's certainly not an easy fixture for Tudor to be attempting to steer Tottenham back in the right direction, and he might have to make some bold calls to try and get a tune out of his squad.

Although the managers have taken a lot of the blame this season, the players can't escape criticism. A large portion of the Tottenham squad have severely underperformed, and there is one player who has been seemingly undroppable, undeservedly.

Tudor Must Axe Tottenham Star, He's Done

Guglielmo Vicario has started every single Tottenham game in the Premier League this season, but he certainly hasn't deserved to. The Italian goalkeeper has endured a dismal season, and it's time for Tudor to take him out of the team.

Vicario was given a 2/10 rating by Football Fan Cast for his display against Crystal Palace last week, and that's been a common theme throughout the campaign.

In reality, Vicario shouldn't be playing for Tottenham again. He's let them down far too many times now, and he's reportedly desperate to leave the club.

The Spurs goalkeeper already appears to be thinking about his future beyond the end of the season, rather than focusing on trying to save the north London club from being relegated to the Championship.

Tudor Must Axe Him Immediately

Tudor needs to make the decision to drop Vicario for their game against Atletico Madrid.

The Tottenham boss has already admitted that Spurs need to play a little more defensively with bodies on the line, but Vicario has made so many errors that he's likely to undo any defensive work his team-mates produce.

Vicario ranks 20th in the Premier League for save percentage this season, only beating Lucas Perri and Sam Johnstone.

If he does drop Vicario until the end of the season, he could have played his last game for the club, as he seems so insistent on leaving in the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur forward Mathys Tel claimed on Monday that he had disagreements with former manager Thomas Frank, who 'didn't like him'.

Frank was sacked last month after eight months in charge of Tottenham, when the club had gone on a run of winning just two of their last 17 Premier League matches, which left them five points above the bottom three.

Spurs haven't improved since the interim appointment of Igor Tudor though, losing the Croat's first three matches in charge of the club as they now sit just one point above the relegation zone.

Tottenham chiefs would have been hoping for some positive results and performances from the new manager bounce, but the north Londoners have arguably got worse and are completely devoid of confidence.

Tel has been one of the brighter sparks, along with another youngster in Archie Gray, for Spurs in recent weeks, with more experienced players failing to step up when the club needs them the most.

Mathys Tel Makes Stunning Thomas Frank Claim

While Mathys Tel gears up for a big Champions League knockout game in the Spanish capital against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, he has been speaking to Zach En Roue Libre about many different subjects, including Thomas Frank.

The £30m Frenchman was given very limited starts and minutes under the Dane prior to his sacking, while also being left out of the club's Champions League squad before being recalled to it prior to the clash against Slavia Prague in December.

Tel said: “I disagreed with Thomas on my role within the team and he didn’t like me for it. He didn’t look to try and fix things. I was confused why I was on the bench a lot. I felt I could help the team more than I was.”

Tel Deserves More Starts for a Struggling Tottenham

While the quality and end product hasn't always been there for Tel, you can rarely fault his effort and work-rate in a white shirt.

Those are the qualities and his desire are what this Tottenham side needs right now to try and bring them away from the relegation zone.

Tel's minutes under Tudor have also been largely limited so far, with two substitute appearances before he played the full 90 in the defeat to Crystal Palace last week.

That decision was mainly down to the availability of players within Tudor's squad, but Tel will hope it was a sign of things to come and he doesn't have the same disagreements over his role in the side as he did with Frank.

Tottenham return to UEFA Champions League action on Tuesday night and the familiarity of a competition they have performed well in this season.

Much like last year, Spurs' European form this year has been in stark contrast to their domestic form.

While they have lost nine of 15 games at their Tottenham Hotspur Stadium home in the Premier League this season, Spurs ended the Champions League league phase unbeaten in N17, winning all four games without conceding a goal.

A game in Europe's premier competition could come as light relief for the long-suffering supporters, as they take on La Liga giants Atletico Madrid in a two-legged last 16 encounter.

It will be interim head coach Igor Tudor's first European game in charge, having taken over from the sacked Thomas Frank in February.

Tudor will be hoping to be able to call upon as strong a squad as possible for the first leg clash at the Wanda Metropolitano, knowing one star he has not yet been able to call upon will be in the squad for the first time in his tenure.

Here GIVEMESPORT takes a look at the latest injury news ahead of the clash in the Spanish capital.

Key Tottenham Duo Back In Training

Djed Spence was missing from the squad that took on Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Thursday night, but he is in training ahead of the game in Madrid.

The same can be said for Radu Dragusin, who was also spotted in training before the team jetted off to Spain for the clash on Tuesday night.

Spurs have been handed further defensive boosts by their two first-choice centre-backs too. Cristian Romero will be back to wear the captain's armband for the first time under Tudor, with his Premier League suspension now ended and not valid for the Champions League anyway.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Tudor said of Romero: "He missed a lot. He was also not feeling good to be in the circumstances not to help the team. He has been doing a lot. He has been working with the fitness coach and doing a lot of running to be in a top condition. Now he can show tomorrow that he is a leader like always."

Meanwhile Micky van de Ven will also be available. His suspension for the red card he received against Palace is only valid for domestic football, so he will miss the game with Liverpool at the weekend.

Destiny Udogie is now into week five of the suggestion from former boss Frank that he would be out for "four or five weeks", so he could return for the game with Liverpool.

All The Spurs Players Unavailable

Lucas Bergvall is not far away from a return to action following surgery on his ankle injury, but it is likely to be another month before we see him again. After the March international break is the likely date for his return to action. Reports in Sweden have said that his rehabilitation is 'going in the right direction'.

That will be the same for Mohammed Kudus following his hamstring injury.

Dejan Kulusevski, Ben Davies, Rodrigo Bentancur, James Maddison and Wilson Odobert all remain long-term injuries and may not be seen again this season.

There could be a firesale at Tottenham Hotspur this summer, if the worst was to happen and the Lilywhites were to be relegated to the Championship.

Spurs sit 16th in the Premier League table, just one point above the bottom three with nine games of the season to be played.

They are in horrendous form, failing to win any game in 2026, going on an 11-game winless stretch, while others in the battle to avoid relegation like West Ham United and Nottingham Forest have been picking up points here and there.

Tottenham Stars Prepared For Huge Wage Cut

Spurs have made a change in the head coach position, with Thomas Frank sacked in February to be replaced by Igor Tudor on an interim basis. And there will be wholesale changes in the playing squad in the summer if the club are playing in the second tier for the first time since 1978.

The Tottenham players are facing a huge wage cut if they are relegated, with former chairman Daniel Levy putting relegation clauses into all contracts to guard against the worst coming to fruition.

And that could lead to a number of high-profile players looking for a route out of N17 when the summer transfer window opens.

There is sure to be plenty of interest from other Premier League clubs and side in Europe's top five leagues for a number of the Spurs players and one is already being linked with a move away and could be the first to depart.

According to reports, Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe is ready to make a move to sign Dominic Solanke this summer, to team up with the striker he had during his time at Bournemouth again.

Dominic Solanke Could Reunite With His Former Boss

Solanke has scored five goals in 12 Premier League and Champions League games this season, despite struggling with injury for much of the campaign.

Spurs would be reluctant to sell the striker, who could prove to be hugely beneficial to their hopes of returning to the Premier League at the first time of asking. However, were the Magpies to stump up the £65million that Spurs paid Bournemouth for him in 2024, it may be too good to turn down.

Howe is a huge fan of the 28-year-old striker, saying during his time at the Vitality Stadium: "He’s an outstanding player, I have said that from day one, and he’ll only continue to get better.”

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be seriously considering appointing former Juventus man Cristiano Giuntoli after he was spotted watching their game against Crystal Palace last week.

Spurs are in the market for a new director after it was confirmed that Fabio Paratici left the club following the conclusion of the January transfer window.

It could be a crucial summer transfer window approaching for Tottenham, regardless of what happens over the coming months.

If they are relegated from the Premier League, and they rip up any transfer plans they've already made, and if they survive, they will undoubtedly be looking to overhaul the squad after consecutive disappointing campaigns.

Getting the right people in place behind the scenes will be imperative, and they'll want them in as soon as possible so they can begin their work ahead of an important window.

Tottenham Seriously Considering Appointing Italian

According to a report from Napoli Magazine, Tottenham are seriously considering appointing former Juventus director Giuntoli.

The 54-year-old was recently spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for their game against Crystal Palace, although Fabrizio Romano only claimed that he was only there to watch one of his former colleagues, Igor Tudor.

Tottenham are in the market for a new director, so it certainly wouldn't be a surprise if Giuntoli, who is currently without a club, was attending due to Spurs holding an interest.

A report from The Telegraph recently claimed that Tottenham's process of finding a new sporting director is underway, with former Crystal Palace chief Dougie Freedman one of the names on their shortlist.

Tottenham have some incredibly important decisions to make heading into the summer, and they could be heading into a new era with a new sporting director and manager.

Giuntoli an Award-Winning Director

Giuntoli is certainly a well-respected director in the game, and he even won the best sporting director at the Globe Soccer Awards in 2024.

The 54-year-old has also received some strong praise from John Elkann, describing him as someone who 'builds champions'.

"It’s the arrival in Turin of Cristiano Giuntoli, the new sporting director, who represents adaptation and innovation, in perfect continuity with our history. Giuntoli will bring to Juventus a way of working that enhances young talents and builds champions.”

It could be a bit of a coup if Tottenham are able to bring Giuntoli through the door, but there's no doubt they'll likely need to ensure they remain in the Premier League.

Giuntoli's Best Signings as a Sporting Director

GIVEMESPORT asked ChatGPT to name some of the best signings Giuntoli has made during his career.

Best signings by sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli

Gary Lineker has urged Tottenham Hotspur to do something 'mad' and make the shock re-appointment of Harry Redknapp as their manager until the end of the season.

Igor Tudor arrived as caretaker Tottenham manager last month with the Croat's goal to not only keep the club in the Premier League, but also move them up the table.

However, things have gone from bad to worse for Spurs since the 47-year-old replaced Thomas Frank, with the north Londoners losing three matches in a row and showing no sign of improvement.

Tottenham looked to be on course for a more positive result against Crystal Palace at home on Thursday as they took the lead through Dominic Solanke, before a disastrous 10-minute spell that saw stand-in captain Micky van de Ven sent off and three goals conceded.

Spurs now lie just one point above the relegation zone ahead of their trip to Liverpool this weekend, with the genuine unthinkable possibility that they will be playing second-tier football next term.

Lineker Suggests Another Tottenham Change is Needed

While you can point to the injury issues Tudor has also had to deal with since being appointed, what is most genuinely concerning is the lack of improvement in terms of performances from the players.

You are usually expected to get a new manager bounce when a coach arrives at a club, but it simply hasn't happened with Sky Sports presenter Marcus Buckland claiming on Sunday that there is chaos behind the scenes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and that the players are 'seething' with the situation.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Rest is Football podcast, Lineker urged the club to end the Tudor experiment and bring in the experienced Redknapp.

The pundit said:

"Honestly, I don't think it would be a bad idea to bring someone like Harry Redknapp in. Not someone like [him], but Harry Redknapp.

"I know it sounds a bit mad and he's been out of the game for a while, but you know what he's like, that big personality, lifting everybody in a moment of crisis. A little bit like Martin O'Neill's done on a couple of occasions at Celtic and lifted them."

Redknapp a Risk Worth Taking

While there is no doubting the quality of some of the players in Tottenham's squad, what is a big issue right now is the lack of confidence.

Redknapp is known for being a strong man-manager who knows how to get the best out of his team.

Of course there will be concerns that he has been out of management since leaving Birmingham City in 2017, but this nine-game run is almost a one-off where Spurs just need confidence and results.

There is no sign of that happening yet under Tudor, and if Spurs are to pivot to another option, then an experienced club legend like Redknapp might not be the worst shout.

Tottenham are preparing to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, and Igor Tudor has been boosted with two of his stars returning to training after missing the game against Crystal Palace.

Tudor has endured a difficult start to life at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but he's not exactly been dealt a strong hand.

Spurs have a host of injury problems to contend with, and that has undoubtedly contributed to their disappointing form this season, particularly since the turn of the year.

Since joining the club, Tudor has lost all three of his games in charge, meaning every fixture is now crucial with the threat of relegation looking more serious week after week. The distraction of the Champions League might not help their chances of survival in the Premier League, but Tudor's side need to find some momentum from somewhere.

Tottenham's Double Injury Boost

According to journalist Ryan Taylor, both Djed Spence and Radu Dragusin have returned to training ahead of their Champions League clash against Atletico.

Both Spence and Dragusin were missing from the squad to face Crystal Palace last week, so it's a huge boost for Tudor having two senior players return.

Whether the game against Atletico comes too soon or not remains to be seen, but it's important that they are available for the Premier League at the weekend, especially with Micky van de Ven suspended.

Archie Gray and young left-back Souza started as Tottenham's wing-back options against Palace, so it certainly wouldn't be a surprise to see Spence come straight into the starting XI vs Atletico.

Atletico Madrid: A Lose-Lose Situation?

Tottenham's one and only priority right now has to be to stay in the Premier League ahead of next season.

Unfortunately, that might mean the Champions League takes a back seat, and in reality, it's probably an unwelcome distraction for Spurs at the minute.

If Spurs win the two-legged tie against Atletico, they'll have more games to contend with, which isn't easy to deal with considering their injury situation.

If they lose, it's more pressure on the players to turn things around, and they could do with gathering momentum ahead of returning to Premier League action at the weekend.

It's somewhat of a lose-lose situation for Spurs.

Tottenham Hotspur can stun Premier League rivals Manchester United and get one over on them by winning the race to hire Roberto De Zerbi, after holding talks over hiring the Italian.

Both clubs have interim managers in place until the end of the season, although they have had differing fortunes with Spurs in a much worse position than United heading into the final nine matches of the 2025-26 campaign.

Tottenham have lost all three matches of Igor Tudor's caretaker reign and lie just one point above the Premier League relegation zone, with Championship football next term a real possibility after the north Londoners have gone 11 games without a win.

Meanwhile, United are flying high in third with Carrick winning six of his eight top-flight fixtures at the helm, although he tasted defeat for the first time against 10-man Newcastle United at St James' Park last week.

Tottenham Hold Talks Over De Zerbi Appointment

The Telegraph reported last week that Tottenham have held talks over appointing De Zerbi as their next permanent manager.

GIVEMESPORT sources had revealed last month that the Italian was willing to travel to London to hold face-to-face talks with Spurs over the job to see if the project would work for him now, having turned down the role previously.

Of course, Tottenham being in the Premier League and Tottenham being in the Championship are two totally different propositions, so Spurs making an attractive pitch would surely depend on preserving their top-flight status.

De Zerbi, described as 'one of the best managers in the world' by Arne Slot and 'world-class' by Adam Lallana, is open to making a return to the Premier League having left his job at Marseille earlier this year, after his success at Brighton and Hove Albion in England previously.

Spurs Could Stun Man United With De Zerbi Hire

While an appointment is most likely at the end of the season, Tottenham could be forced to make a permanent hire earlier than that if Tudor's poor form continues.

It remains to be seen whether De Zerbi will be willing to arrive in the next weeks and try and keep Spurs in the Premier League, but if not, it is something that will be more likely if and when they guarantee their spot in the top flight for 2026-27.

Nevertheless, Tottenham know they will be getting a replacement for Tudor in the summer, but Carrick's success as a caretaker means there is more uncertainty over the permanent position at Old Trafford.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is said to want to appoint United's next boss before the World Cup kicks off on June 11, which would rule out the likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Carlo Ancelotti and Mauricio Pochettino, who will all be managing at the tournament.

According to GMS sources, De Zerbi is one of United's preferred external managerial candidates, alongside Nagelsmann and Roberto Martinez, with the Spaniard another manager set to appear at the World Cup.

If Carrick continues with the same results he's had so far and secures Champions League qualification, it could be difficult to look beyond him, but Spurs may have the chance to act quicker and more decisively in the coming months for a manager they should be able to land earlier than another candidate in Pochettino.