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Tottenham Hotspur have several players recovering from injuries as the battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League resumes next month

Tottenham Hotspur will have to deal with several injury concerns when they return after the international break.

Spurs are currently looking to appoint a new manager following Igor Tudor’s departure, which was confirmed over the weekend.

Former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi has been listed as the early favourite to be the next Tottenham boss, with Spurs looking to appoint the 46-year-old on a permanent basis rather than look for another interim manager until the end of the season.

Spurs were dealing with several players on the sidelines through injury before the international break, and that is expected to continue when they return to the pitch.

Tottenham’s next match will see them face Sunderland in the Premier League on April 12, which will see a number of players still expected to be unavailable.

Guglielmo Vicario is not expected to be available to face Sunderland after the goalkeeper underwent surgery to treat a hernia, but could return before the end of next month.

Spurs will also hope to have Mathys Tel available next month after the striker suffered a groin injury, which resulted in him being withdrawn from the France Under-21 squad.

Mohammed Kudus and Rodrigo Bentancur have both been recovering from muscle injuries, but Spurs will hope the duo will be able to return to training sometime before the clash against Sunderland.

Yves Bissouma missed Tottenham’s defeat to Nottingham Forest before the international break and there is still uncertainty over whether the midfielder will be available in time for the trip to the Stadium of Light next month.

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Tottenham also have several players recovering from long-term injuries, with Ben Davies’ timeframe for a return still uncertain after he suffered a broken ankle earlier this year.

James Maddison is continuing to recover from an ACL injury he suffered during pre-season last summer, but will have hopes of making a return before the end of the campaign.

Wilson Odobert and Dejan Kulusevski are both recovering from long-term knee injuries and are not expected to feature for Tottenham before the end of the season.

Tottenham currently find themselves one point above the relegation zone in 17th place and could drop into the bottom three before kick-off against Sunderland, if West Ham defeat Wolves in the Friday Night Football.

Pep Guardiola has previously explained why Roberto De Zerbi would be a brilliant fit for Tottenham Hotspur.

Pep Guardiola has told Tottenham Hotspur exactly what they want to hear about Roberto De Zerbi.

After mutually parting ways with Igor Tudor, Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange have been tasked with appointing a manager who will not only keep the Lilywhites in the Premier League but also lead them back into the UEFA Champions League. So, the Spurs chiefs have set their sights on the former Marseille boss.

football.london understands there's a feeling within Tottenham that they're closing in on De Zerbi, whose brand of football aligns with those in the boardroom. Regardless of whether the Italian takes the job, the Lilywhites expect to appoint a head coach in the coming days.

Tottenham want somebody in place to welcome back those who reported for international duty, giving the squad enough time to prepare for the clash against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on April 12. If De Zerbi were to fill the vacancy, he'd have just under two weeks to work with his new players at Hotspur Way.

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Although there would be question marks over whether the 46-year-old could instil his core ideas and principles in such a short time, Guardiola has given Spurs every reason to take a leap of faith. Since first locking horns in October 2022, he and De Zerbi have grown to become friends.

The Manchester City boss previously described the Italian as 'one of the most influential managers in last 20 years' following a brilliant debut campaign at Brighton. In his first season at the Amex Stadium, De Zerbi helped the Seagulls qualify for the Europa League.

In May 2023, Guardiola said: "There is no team playing the way they play - it's unique. I had the feeling when he arrived the impact he would have in the Premier League would be great - I didn't expect him to do it in this short space of time.

"He creates 20 or 25 chances per game, better by far than most opponents. He monopolises the ball in a way it hasn't been for a long time. They deserve completely the success they have."

Guardiola added: "If you don’t play at a high level, he can do whatever he wants against you. They completely deserve the compliments and the success that they have. It’s one of the teams that I try to learn a lot from; it’s unique."

In October 2023, Guardiola heaped praise on De Zerbi for his ability to play such an exciting brand of football without any 'top players', which certainly bodes well for Tottenham. The Spaniard said: "I think I admire him for the fact it doesn’t matter the team he plays.

"He proved you don’t have to be in a top, top, top club or with top, top exceptional players to make your team play how you like to play. He came from Italy, and the way he plays is a little counter-cultural, and it doesn’t matter what happens.

"He plays [with] Sassuolo and teams who may not be considered the top, top, top ones, it doesn’t matter, [we] have the ball, we are going to play, to play, to play. I’m a spectator mainly as a manager, and I enjoy a lot watching his teams play, I learn, like it, and what he does makes sense.

"It’s not a surprise the success his teams have because he is playing deservedly. Even when they lost to Villa, he plays his own style, it doesn’t matter transitions, deflections, Aston Villa, a top side this season for the quality they have with the manager and players, but they do [play], it doesn’t matter."

Although they haven't faced each other since April 2024, they remain friends. In February 2026, De Zerbi and Guardiola met in Brescia, Italy; they took a selfie and it went viral on social media!

Tottenham Hotspur's managerial preference has seemingly emerged following Igor Tudor's departure

With Italian manager Roberto De Zerbi among the leading candidates being considered for the Tottenham Hotspur hotseat, it will go down well with the current fanbase that he has already had a running with an Arsenal star. De Zerbi was at the centre of a notable clash with Leandro Trossard during the pair's time together at Brighton, a dispute that ultimately prompted the Belgian winger to join Spurs' neighbours.

Tottenham are on their lookout for a third manager of the season after Igor Tudor left by mutual agreement off the back of just one point from five league matches. De Zerbi, who lasted less than two seasons at his most recent employers Marseille, is one of several managerial candidates in contention to take over.

The 46-year-old oversaw 69 matches at Marseille and 89 at Brighton, having previously managed in Italy and Ukraine. He parted ways with Brighton at the conclusion of the 2023/24 season, over a year after a falling-out with Trossard that effectively brought the former Genk ace's time at the Amex Stadium to an abrupt end.

In January 2023, De Zerbi alleged that Trossard had walked out of a training session without authorisation after learning he would not be selected for the FA Cup third-round tie. The forward never featured for Brighton again, completing a move to Arsenal later that month, although Trossard publicly contested his former manager's account of events as his agent gave his side of the story.

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"He left the session without saying anything to me," De Zerbi said. "And it's not good. I spoke with him, and I explained this attitude [and] behaviour, I don't like.

"I am open with him to take a step back and listen to him, but he has to understand me; I want only players who work hard and play for the team 100 per cent."

Trossard moved to Arsenal for a fee rising to £27million on January 20, assisting the north London side in pushing Manchester City all the way in the title race. De Zerbi's claim was contested by the player's representative, who indicated a contract extension at Brighton had been explored before the 2022 World Cup only for things to ultimately turn sour.

"In the run-up to the game against Middlesbrough for the FA Cup, Leandro had already indicated twice that he had problems with his calf," Trossard's agent said in a statement. "This was the reason why he stopped training. This was, incidentally, in consultation with the medical staff.

"The manager told Leandro that he had to train separately. Last Monday, the manager humiliated Leandro in group and indicated that he no longer wanted to see him. A manager who has not communicated directly with his player for four weeks is really incomprehensible.

"Incidentally, it is also the manager who has indicated several times that a transfer is the most convenient solution. It is therefore important that Brighton cooperates with a potential transfer during this transfer period and shows a benevolent attitude, which is beneficial to both parties."

The remainder of the 2022/23 campaign proved successful for De Zerbi and Brighton, who secured their finest ever Premier League finish of sixth place. They occupied a top-half position for most of the subsequent season but ultimately ended in 11th, with their manager's departure confirmed shortly before the final game of the season.

Trossard recently marked three years as an Arsenal player, having agreed enhanced terms last August and continued to show his value under Mikel Arteta. He brought up 150 appearances for the London outfit this season and has netted five league goals this term to help them occupy top spot in the title race with just seven matches remaining.

Rivals Tottenham, by contrast, sit merely one point above the relegation zone. De Zerbi had reportedly been hesitant to accept the manager's position at the club until the summer, but it has since been suggested that his position has softened.

Tottenham are understood to have offered Roberto De Zerbi a five-year contract as the club seeks to avoid relegation from the Premier League

Roberto De Zerbi is renowned for his tactical eye and attention for detail. It's is one of the key reasons Tottenham are working hard to appoint the Italian, who recently departed his position with French club Marseille.

Spurs are understood to be proposing a five-year contract to De Zerbi as they look to twist his arm and persuade him to return to the Premier League where he previously impressed with Brighton - firing them to the Europa League.

So what would his Tottenham team look like, if he was to land the role? There would be huge emphasis on possession and aggressive pressing when his side do not have the ball.

He likes his goalkeeper to bait the opposition forwards so that when they engage, there is space for his players to move the ball swiftly up the pitch with purpose.

Guglielmo Vicario's distribution is not his strongest quality but it feels somewhat risky to field Antonin Kinsky ahead of the Italian, who recently underwent hernia surgery, given his recent disaster in Madrid.

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When both are fit, Vicario should still get the nod. Beyond that, the formation will be a key factor because De Zerbi favoured a 4-2-3-1 at Brighton, while at Marseille he had joy playing a 3-4-2-1.

Igor Tudor tried to implement that system upon arrival in north London but then reverted to a back-four.

Given Tottenham are leaking goals for fun, perhaps De Zerbi would look to sure things up with a three-man defence.

Micky van de Ven, Cuti Romero and Kevin Danso could make up the back-three with Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro operating as wing-backs.

Archie Gray or Conor Gallagher could be the midfield destroyer and usually, De Zerbi likes a ball-playing midfielder alongside his defensive-minded midfielder.

Spurs have lacked that this season but maybe Lucas Bergvall could be ready to step up in that role now that he's returned to fitness.

Then, in attack behind the striker, Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus, who is close to returning to fitness, could provide support behind a centre-forward.

Dominic Solanke could be first-choice but De Zerbi will not be short of options because Spurs also have Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani.

On the flip side, if he was to try and implement a 4-2-3-1, Mathys Tel and Kudus could be the wingers with Xavi operating as the No.10 behind Solanke.

Danso would then likely drop out of the defence and De Zerbi could also go for a more sturdy midfield, made up of Gray and Gallagher plus Joao Palhinha or Pape Matar Sarr.

Rodrigo Bentancur is also on the comeback trail but Tottenham will need to rebuild his condition carefully following an adductor injury.

Roberto De Zerbi is open to joining Tottenham Hotspur as their new head coach, according to reports.

Spurs are currently looking for a replacement for Igor Tudor, after the Croatian parted ways with the club on Sunday via mutual consent after just seven games.

De Zerbi is currently available for work, having left Marseille in February. And according to Sky in Italy, the 46-year-old is not opposed to the idea of a Premier League return.

It comes despite reports last week that De Zerbi had distanced himself from potentially taking up tenure with another club until the new season, affording himself some time to assess his options.

However, it now appears as though the Italian has had a sudden change of heart, and could chip in with helping Spurs avoid relegation from the Premier League in 2025/26.

At the time of writing, the Lilywhites sit 17th in the league standings, just a point clear of the drop zone with seven games to go.

Their next game comes in the form of a tough trip to the Stadium of Light to face a resurgent Sunderland AFC on Sunday, April 12.

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Having managed Brighton and Hove Albion between 2022 and 2024, De Zerbi is no stranger to the trials and tribulations of the English top flight.

However, his recent run of form with Marseille could prove problematic, especially given Spurs' current predicament. The north London outfit have managed just seven wins in total this season, their last coming in the form of a 1-0 runout over Crystal Palace in late December.

It comes as Spurs announced that Tudor had left the club on Sunday afternoon. A statement announcing the decision read: "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.

"An update on a new Head Coach will be provided in due course."

Former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp will be in a different continent while Spurs try to avoid Premier League relegation

Harry Redknapp looks set for a very busy April as he prepares to go on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! South Africa. The 79-year-old, who has spoken about returning to Tottenham and becoming head coach, will instead be undertaking some very different tasks over the coming weeks.

Redknapp won the 2018 edition of the hugely popular ITV show and is set for a return seven years later to their All Stars version, that starts on April 6, alongside the likes of David Haye, Sir Mo Farah and Jimmy Bullard. Redknapp has been in the headlines already this month following his claims at the Cheltenham Festival.

When asked by Sky Sports about taking the Spurs job, he said: "They know where I am if they need me. They need somebody to go in there and give them a lift and make them believe in themselves. They're bang in trouble, I must be truthful. It's going to be tight at the bottom, isn't it?"

He also told a very interesting story on talkSPORT about a conversation he had with former Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy.

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Redknapp said: "I got a phone call last week from Daniel, funnily enough. "I think I spoke to him once since I left all that time ago. I was in the car last week and suddenly my phone goes – it's Daniel Levy.

"I was on the phone to him for about half an hour. He said to me: 'If I was there now, and I'm not just saying it, I would bring you back until the end of the season, Harry'. That would have been interesting."

With Levy departing the club back in September, the interim role was given to Igor Tudor but he managed just six weeks in the job. His exit by mutual consent was confirmed on Sunday afternoon.

Tottenham also wrote in their statement that "an update on a new Head Coach will be provided in due course." Roberto De Zerbi, Sean Dyche and Adi Hutter have all been strongly linked, though the latter has recently ruled himself out of contention.

He told Austrian media: "In recent days and weeks, I have been increasingly linked with various clubs. However, as I already stated immediately after my time at Monaco, I would prefer not to work as a head coach again until the start of the new season at the earliest. My position on this matter has not changed since then.”

Ben Davies, who is still recovering from ankle surgery, has also emerged as a shock candidate for the role. The Tottenham hierarchy do have time to make their decision though, with their next game not until Saturday April, 11 against Sunderland.

The March international break and the Lilywhites being out of the FA Cup and Champions League will also hopefully give injured players time to recover.

Lucas Bergvall and Destiny Udogie returned before the domestic pause and there is hope that Mohammed Kudus and Rodrigo Bentancur will also make comebacks having both not played since January.

There has also been positive news on James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, who have not played this season due to major knee injuries. The former is back on the grass and has featured in parts of team training while Kulusevski recently confirmed he underwent a minor procedure and is feeling much better.

Tottenham Hotspur are on the lookout for a new manager after interim boss Igor Tudor left the club less than 50 days after being appointed

Tottenham Hotspur have a decision to make in the dugout after Igor Tudor’s exit and defender Ben Davies is among the names in the mix, prompting a surprised reaction from fans. Tudor’s reign lasted just 44 days, with the Croatian leaving the club in relegation trouble after failing to win any of his league matches in charge.

Tudor picked up just one point from five league outings - a 1-1 draw away at Liverpool. His only win came in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 match against Atletico Madrid but this wasn’t enough to prevent a 7-5 aggregate defeat.

According to The Telegraph, Davies is among a number of interim candidates being considered to take charge for the remainder of the season. Roberto De Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino, two of the leading candidates to step in permanently, are considered unlikely to want to take charge before the summer.

Davies has been joined by a number of former Spurs players on the list of short-term options. Harry Redknapp, Glenn Hoddle, Tim Sherwood and Chris Hughton have all been mentioned as options, while out-of-work bosses Adi Hutter and Sean Dyche are also reported to be in the mix.

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Fans’ responses to the Davies links have been mixed. The Welsh international defender, who is currently injured, joined the club from Swansea City in 2014 and has made more than 350 Spurs appearances, though only five of those have come this season.

“Gotta say, as much as it would be a huge gamble, I would take Ben Davies over most, if not all, of the other prospective candidates being suggested,” one wrote. “Initially I was like WTF but after some thought, I can see the vision. I also love that he put his hand up to do it.”

Another called for Davies to take charge with midfielder James Maddison - also currently injured - as his No. 2. “Why not? Only vibes can save us now anyway,” they said.

Other responses were less optimistic. “Ben Davies?! Are we down that bad for a manager?” asked one, with another simply saying: “Not Davies man”.

Spurs sit just one point clear of the relegation zone after losing to Nottingham Forest last time out and there’s even some acceptance in the light of the Davies links. “This fanbase deserve relegation,” said one fan. “I'm convinced it’s a social experiment.”

Tudor took over as interim manager after Spurs sacked Thomas Frank, only for defeats against Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace to leave them perilously close to the drop. The former Juventus manager’s father died earlier this month - with Tudor learning the news moments after the defeat to Forest on March 22 - and the club offered support in the immediate aftermath but still decided a change of manager was needed.

“We can confirm that it has been mutually agreed for head coach Igor Tudor to leave the Club with immediate effect,” a club statement on Sunday read. “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. An update on a new head coach will be provided in due course.”

The talented young Irish striker is finally set to get going at Tottenham Hotspur after putting pen to paper more than a year ago

Mason Melia is finally set to get his Tottenham career up and running after the talented teenager returned to full training.

The 18-year-old was considered to be one of the biggest young talents in Irish football when Spurs fended off competition from top Premier League and European clubs to agree a deal with St Patrick's Athletic in February last year for the forward, worth an initial £1.6million - a record transfer for the League of Ireland - with the potential for future add-ons to double that figure.

Melia, who put pen to paper last year on a long-term contract until 2031, was not allowed by EU law to make the move to the Premier League club until he turned 18, which meant he had to wait until January this year to complete the switch.

On top of that, the teenager arrived at the north London outfit that month with a back injury that he had been playing with at St Pats in the final months of their season. It was decided by Spurs' medical staff to let that fully clear up before getting the Irishman into the action.

However, to compound that, before he was set to return Melia then picked up a chest infection that further delayed his attempts to get to work. The rest might not have been a bad thing though for a very young player who has played a lot of football.

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At just 18, Melia has already taken part in 98 senior matches, including Europa League games, and been directly involved in 33 goals, scoring 25 and recording eight assists.

There are high hopes for the Republic of Ireland U21 international and football.london understands that Melia has since returned to full training at Hotspur Way and could potentially get his first minutes in a Spurs shirt in the U21s' Premier League 2 match against West Ham on Saturday afternoon at the club's training ground.

Like his fellow January arrival James Wilson, from Hearts, who has been named on the first team bench twice in the Premier League this season, Melia will spend his initial time with both the U21s and first team but is expected, with his exposure to senior football and his physique and ability, to quickly catch the eye.

Tottenham are looking for yet another new face in the dugout as their farcical Premier League campaign took another twist

Tottenham Hotspur find themselves in another fine mess as they prepare to appoint their fourth head coach in the past nine months.

football.london reported on Tuesday that the expectation within the club was that a mutual agreement would be found with Igor Tudor in order for the Croatian to focus on family matters after his father Mario's death and Spurs on the huge pressures of what lies ahead. Five days later, following Mario's funeral in Croatia in midweek, Tottenham announced on Sunday afternoon that such an agreement had been come to.

"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," read their statement. "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. An update on a new head coach will be provided in due course."

Tudor was in charge for just 44 days and was unable to win a Premier League match at the helm. His only point came in the draw at Liverpool and his sole victory was the Champions League last 16 second leg tie against Atletico Madrid that was not enough for Spurs to progress to the quarter-finals.

Despite the difficulties of the past week, Tudor is understood to have been back in the UK and took training on Saturday and Sunday with the handful of available first team players not on international duty as they returned from some time off. Now coach Bruno Saltor will take the sessions for the next couple of days.

football.london understands that Spurs CEO Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange expect to have a new head coach in place in time for when the remaining players are back from international duty, giving the new man 10 days to work with the squad ahead of the Premier League game at Sunderland.

The preference is to bring in a permanent new head coach to steer the club in the right direction.

Spurs are believed to have looked into the possibility of luring a currently-employed manager to swap the safety of their position for this tough scenario.

Mauricio Pochettino would certainly be a popular choice with the fans and take the heat off the club hierarchy. His involvement with the USA is less time-consuming in the weeks ahead than the schedule a Premier League manager would face but it would be a difficult task to make any such kind of unusual arrangement work before and after a World Cup and leave the Argentine focused on two different things.

The alternative to luring someone from paid employment leaves Roberto De Zerbi as the obvious available permanent candidate right now after the Italian left Marseille last month by mutual consent following a 5-0 defeat to PSG.

The Italian was set to be a potential candidate in the summer for the permanent role, alongside Pochettino, Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola and Fulham's Marco Silva among others, but the situation at Spurs has become so desperate that any desire to examine a wider managerial market after the end of the campaign could prove redundant if the club fall into the Championship.

The problem has been convincing De Zerbi to take on a job that two other men have failed in this campaign and risk adding a relegation to his CV if there is not enough time to imprint his very specific, high energy style on this confidence-drained group of players.

Tottenham are likely to be willing to offer the 46-year-old a major salary and bonus for keeping Spurs in the Premier League as it would dwarf the huge financial losses relegation would bring.

Various supporter groups, including Women of the Lane, Proud Lilywhites and Spurs Reach, have all hit out at the club's interest in De Zerbi due to his support of Marseille striker Mason Greenwood.

If De Zerbi decides there is not enough time to turn around this Spurs squad or simply that he may have more clubs to choose from in the summer then the north London club would have to look at interim appointments.

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Tottenham have been linked with those who have been inside the club before, like two-time former caretaker head coach Ryan Mason, ex-Spurs bosses Harry Redknapp and Glenn Hoddle, former player and assistant coach Chris Hughton, ex-Tottenham striker Robbie Keane who is believed to only want the permanent job.

Those outside the club include for the former Burnley and Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche as well as Edin Terzic and Marco Rose, who were both in the frame before Tudor was announced.

Former Monaco boss Adolf 'Adi' Hutter ruled himself out of the running on Sunday. In a statement reported by Sky Sports News in his native Austria, he said: "In recent days and weeks, I have been increasingly linked with various clubs. However, as I already stated immediately after my time at Monaco, I would prefer not to work as a head coach again until the start of the new season at the earliest. My position on this matter has not changed since then."

There would be a huge risk involved in appointing yet another foreign coach without Premier League experience. Some have suggested that a first team player like Ben Davies could be involved in any interim coaching staff.

The Welshman, who underwent ankle surgery in January, told football.london last summer that he hoped to play for a few years longer despite obtaining his UEFA A coaching licence - an unusual achievement for a currently playing Premier League player. Davies' contract at Spurs comes to an end this summer after 12 years in north London.

Tottenham are yet to win a single Premier League match in 2026 and whatever Venkatesham and Lange decide will be the final roll of the dice in the messiest and most embarrassing of seasons.

Ange Postecoglou was sacked just a few weeks after lifting Tottenham's first trophy in 17 years, to be replaced by Thomas Frank. The supporters soon turned on the Dane though due to turgid performances with running and possession stats tumbling, all of which was compounded by his struggles to communicate effectively with the fanbase.

Tudor got the players running again but fared no better with the results as his ill-fitting tactics rarely got the best out of Frank's injury-ravaged squad. The Croatian was a football firefighter at struggling clubs in Serie A, but soon admitted the job in north London was far beyond what he had expected.

He ended up being ill prepared for it and that falls back on his appointment by Lange and Venkatesham, who are both squarely in the spotlight after a string of decisions gone wrong.

As they did under former chairman Daniel Levy, Spurs continue to lurch from one type of manager to the next, leaving the players and fans dizzy as they turn their eyes from one brand of football to the next. Now those eyes must turn to the looming danger below and whether the club's freefall can be slowed and stopped before it's too late. Otherwise disaster beckons.

Tottenham Hotspur are scrambling for their third manager this season, but Spurs have been dealt a blow after Adi Hutter made their decision

Tottenham Hotspur managerial candidate Adi Hutter has appeared to rule himself out of replacing Igor Tudor this season. The Austrian recently held talks with the Spurs about the potential of taking up the reins, according to reports from France.

Tudor's departure from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was confirmed by the club on March 29th. Spurs CEO Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange are now scrambling for their next boss, with coach Bruno Saltor understood to be taking training sessions for the next few days.

However, it now appears the Spurs supremos have lost one of their key candidates. The Austrian has made it clear he will not be managing anybody until, at least, this summer.

He said in a statement released to Austrian media: "In recent days and weeks, I have been increasingly linked with various clubs. However, as I already stated immediately after my time at Monaco, I would prefer not to work as a head coach again until the start of the new season at the earliest. My position on this matter has not changed since then.”

This is a huge setback for Venkatesham and Lange. Hutter has an impressive reputation in the Bundesliga and is also a free agent, having left Monaco in October last year. Tottenham have also been strongly linked with a move for Roberto De Zerbi, who is also a free agent having left Marseille in February.

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However, the Italian's support for ex-Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood, who moved to Marseille and played under the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion boss not long after the ex-England international saw charges of one count of attempted rape, one count of controlling and coercive behaviour and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm be dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service, has resulted in fan groups being against the potential appointment.

The links to De Zerbi were condemned by supporter groups Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane and Spurs Reach. In a statement, Women of the Lane wrote: "We want to be clear about how this (speculation) is landing with many women and allies in our community.

"De Zerbi has publicly defended Mason Greenwood in a way that downplays the seriousness of male violence against women and girls. That raises serious questions about judgement and leadership. This is not an appointment Tottenham Hotspur should make.”

As well as De Zerbi and Hutter, former Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has been earmarked as a replacement. Ryan Mason has also been linked with a third spell as interim manager, but the ex-Spurs midfielder has just had an underwhelming spell as West Brom manager.

Robbie Keane, who is currently in charge of Hungarian giants Ferencvaros has also been earmarked as a potential replacement, as he was when Thomas Frank was sacked. The biggest positive for the Tottenham board is there is still time to make an appointment.

Tottenham are not in action again until April 12, when they travel to face Sunderland. Spurs are hoping to have a new manager in place by the time their international players return from their respective countries.