Football FanCast

Tottenham are eyeing a former Crystal Palace chief to replace Fabio Paratici as co-sporting director, according to a new report from The Telegraph.

Tottenham shuffling boardroom amid on-field crisis

Make no mistake, Spurs are in a mess.

A genuine, deep-rooted, bordering-on-catastrophic mess — and the club's search for a new sporting director is just the latest reminder of how badly the wheels have come off in north London.

Let's start with what's happening on the pitch.

Under interim boss Igor Tudor, appointed in mid-February to replace the sacked Thomas Frank, Spurs have been absolutely woeful. They got hammered 4-1 by Arsenal in Tudor's first game in charge, then went to Craven Cottage on Sunday and lost 2-1 to Fulham to make it a record-equalling ten Premier League games without a win.

Harry Wilson and Alex Iwobi had Fulham two up inside 35 minutes before Richarlison, one of three half-time substitutes thrown on by Tudor, headed one back on 65 minutes.

It wasn't nearly enough. Spurs are still 16th in the table, just four points above the bottom three, and have not won a Premier League game in 2026. Not one. Across the entirety of January and February — nine matches — they drew four and lost five.

This is a club that won the Europa League less than a year ago. That feels like ancient history now.

The chaos runs far deeper than results. Ange Postecoglou was sacked last summer despite that European glory, handed the most bittersweet of exits.

Frank came in from Brentford full of goodwill and lasted barely eight months before the fans turned on him and the board followed.

And then there's the matter of Paratici.

The Italian returned to his role as co-sporting director alongside Johan Lange in October after serving a 30-month FIFA ban for financial irregularities at Juventus.

He was back in the building for barely three months before announcing he was off to Fiorentina — citing a desire to return home to Italy.

He left in early February, but not before taking a thinly-veiled swipe at his former employers during his Fiorentina unveiling, pointedly praising the Serie A club's ownership as "serious." Given the turmoil at Spurs, it didn't go unnoticed.

There are suggestions that PCP Capital Partners, led by ex-Newcastle chief Amanda Staveley, hold a genuine interest in buying Tottenham, and for some fans, the possibility of a takeover is very welcoming.

Now, with Lange operating alone and a relegation battle consuming the attention of everyone at the club, Tottenham are stepping up their search for a new co-director.

Tottenham eye former Crystal Palace director Dougie Freedman

According to The Telegraph, one of the names they have been checking out is Dougie Freedman.

The former Palace chief is a significant figure in the game.

He spent eight years as the Eagles' sporting director, helping oversee a remarkable transformation at Selhurst Park that included the signings of Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Adam Wharton, and the appointment of Oliver Glasner — a decision that led to Palace winning the FA Cup last year and reaching Europe for the first time in their history.

The Telegraph add that Paratici's replacement would have a 'significant say' on who becomes their next manager, amid serious links to Mauricio Pochettino and Roberto De Zerbi.

Freedman departed Palace in 2025, eventually taking a role in Saudi Arabia with Al-Diriyah, but his track record in English football is one of genuine substance.

Chelsea's Paul Winstanley is also understood to have been looked at as Spurs cast their net wide, but Freedman's name carries real weight given what he built at Palace on relatively modest means.

The appointment of the right sporting director has rarely felt more important at a Premier League club.

Tottenham have chewed through managers at an alarming rate — six permanent appointments since Mauricio Pochettino left in 2019 — and the instability at boardroom level has done nothing to help.

Without a clear footballing vision and someone with the authority and nous to implement it, the revolving door at the dugout will keep spinning.

Freedman would arrive with a reputation built on smart recruitment, long-term thinking and an ability to connect with managers and players alike.

Whether he's tempted back from the Middle East to take on what is unquestionably a significant challenge remains to be seen, but one thing is clear — whoever comes in will need to be exceptional.

Amanda Staveley's company, PCP Capital Partners, have reportedly held talks over a prospective Tottenham takeover with a loose hand-shake on terms, but there's a real problem.

Spurs supporters take aim at Lewis family reign

The patience of Spurs supporters has been stretched to its absolute limit.

Sitting 16th in the Premier League and flirting with the relegation zone, this has been one of the most miserable seasons in the club's recent memory.

The current incumbent, Igor Tudor, has openly described his job as fighting for survival in the top flight.

The squad is decimated by injuries. The performances have been wretched. A club that once played regular Champions League football under Mauricio Pochettino and reached the tournament's final in 2019 is now fighting tooth and nail just to stay in the Premier League.

Off the pitch, the frustration is just as raw.

Supporters have grown increasingly disillusioned with the Lewis family, who have held a majority stake in the club since 2001.

Spending has been inconsistent, strategic direction has been unclear, and the sense that Spurs are falling further behind the division's elite grows with every passing season.

At a club of Tottenham's stature, with a stadium among the finest in world football, the gap between potential and reality has never felt wider.

Most fans want change. They want new ownership. They want someone to come in and give this club the ambition it is crying out for.

Which is why news from Saturday afternoon felt like such a tantalising prospect — and such a frustrating one in equal measure.

A Tottenham takeover has been repeatedly mooted for years, but after sacking long-serving chairman Daniel Levy last year, the Lewis family repeatedly affirmed their goals to stay at N17 for the long run and inspire success.

The group rejected multiple approaches, like from ex-DJ and tech entrepreneur Brooklyn Earick, and from Staveley's PCP International Finance Limited and a consortium led by Dr Roger Kennedy and Wing-Fai Ng through Firehawk Holdings Limited.

However, according to journalist Graeme Bailey for TEAMtalk, Staveley's interest hasn't gone away.

PCP Capital hold Tottenham takeover talks as Lewis family stall move

Staveley, the businessperson behind the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle United in 2021, has been eyeing a return to football.

According to TEAMtalk and Bailey, she and her husband, Mehrdad Ghodoussi, have the funding in place to make a move for Spurs — a sum believed to exceed £3 billion.

Their vehicle, PCP Capital Partners, had made significant progress in discussions with the club, and a broad agreement on terms had been reached.

That being said, the deal has apparently stalled.

The reason is the very people Spurs fans have been desperate to move on from.

The Lewis family, who inherited stewardship of the club following Joe Lewis' decision, have cold feet about relinquishing ownership.

Despite the progress made in talks, that hesitation has brought the process to a grinding halt, leaving Staveley and Ghodoussi in a holding pattern with no clear timeline for resolution as they await a positive response.

For supporters already worn down by a season they would rather forget, it is difficult news to digest.

The prospect of the duo who helped transform Newcastle — turning them into Champions League regulars with genuine investment and ambition — doing something similar at Spurs would capture the imagination.

TEAMtalk reports that if the Lewis family fail to move forward, Staveley and Ghodoussi are prepared to look elsewhere. They want top-flight football, and they will not wait indefinitely.

For Spurs fans watching their club scrapping to avoid relegation, the thought of that £3 billion walking through the door of a rival instead could be painful to contemplate.

Tottenham Hotspur’s future as a Premier League club will all be defined in the next few months, with Igor Tudor the man to try and drag them clear of the relegation zone.

The Lilywhites currently sit just two places clear of the relegation zone, with the failures of last season in England’s top-flight once again starting to rear their head.

With just four points separating the club and the drop zone, the Croatian desperately needs to start collecting positive results to fend off any looming danger.

Regardless of whether the 47-year-old is able to transform the club’s fortunes before the end of the season, he’s likely to depart when his current deal expires in June.

As a result, the hierarchy will once again be tasked with identifying the right man to take the club forward, with one name continuing to be linked with the job in North London.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt to land Pochettino this summer

After Thomas Frank’s dismissal from the role earlier this month, rumours were swirling over a potential return to Spurs for former manager Mauricio Pochettino.

The Argentine previously spent five and a half years in the role in North London, but he was sacked back in 2019 - a decision that has been an extremely unpopular one with the fans.

However, despite being sacked nearly seven years ago, he’s always stated his admiration for the club and his desire to return to the role at some point in the future.

It has been reported that any deal for the former manager would likely be in the summer, with Pochettino set to lead the USA national team at the 2026 World Cup this summer.

Other reports have stated that the club intend to make him a key target in the summer, but it remains to be seen if an agreement can be made with the Americans.

The manager Spurs should hire instead of Pochettino

Any move to bring Pochettino back to Spurs would no doubt be a popular one with the fans, especially given the heights he took the club to last time he was at the helm.

The Argentine led the Lilywhites to the Champions League final back in the 2018/19 campaign, before falling at the final hurdle to fellow English side, Liverpool.

He made the side into consistent top-four challengers in the Premier League, with the club only achieving such a feat once since his departure seven years ago.

However, doubts will likely be raised over a return to the club, with Pochettino taking a huge gamble in tarnishing his legacy with a return to the North London outfit.

As a result, the hierarchy should look at alternative managerial options, with Cesc Fàbregas another boss who’s currently in their sights ahead of the summer.

The Spaniard, who played 303 times for Arsenal and is currently managing Como in Serie A, could well be an unpopular choice given his Arsenal ties, but he’s a boss that would take the club to the next level.

He’s won 30 of his 70 games in charge of the Italian outfit to date, subsequently achieving a 43% win percentage during his near two year spell at the helm.

The 39-year-old has even starred against current boss Tudor during his short managerial career, as seen by his 100% win rate when coming up against the Croatian, albeit from just one meeting.

It’s unclear whether Fabregas himself would want such a job in North London, but it’s clear that he would be a better option than Pochettino for the Lilywhites.

The Spaniard, who’s been dubbed “football’s next elite manager” by one Premier League analyst, has worked wonders in Como, especially when having limited funds compared to Spurs.

Whilst he has no trophies to show for his efforts to date, the youngster is still in the early days of his managerial career, which will see him only progress in the years ahead.

It could allow the Lilywhites to build for a long-term project under the former Arsenal star, something which is desperately needed if the club are to progress in the Premier League.

Fabregas has also become known to help young talents thrive in Serie A, a trait that could be vital for the Lilywhites - especially given the youthful squad currently on the books.

A move for the 39-year-old could certainly be an interesting one, with the manager seen as a somewhat wildcard option given the other names in the mix.

Pochettino would certainly be the choice of the fanbase given his previous tenure, but his legacy must remain intact, with Fabregas deserving of the chance to manage in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur’s attempts to secure survival this season have led to the hierarchy appointing Igor Tudor as their new manager until the end of the campaign.

The Croatian has experience in taking the reins mid-season, as seen by his appointments at Juventus and Lazio during his two previous jobs in management.

However, the 47-year-old has already suffered his first defeat in the Premier League, after being on the wrong end of a 4-1 scoreline against bitter rivals Arsenal last weekend.

Injuries have no doubt played their part in the last couple of weeks, with the manager hopefully able to call upon numerous players who are set to return before the end of the season.

The Lilywhites’ boost for survival would also have been massively bolstered had they kept hold of one player who captured the hearts of the fanbase during his time in North London.

The stats behind Harry Kane’s success at Spurs

Clinical goal scorers are extremely hard to come by in the modern-game, as seen by Spurs’ measly tally of just 37 goals in the Premier League so far this campaign.

Harry Kane is a player who managed to constantly provide the goods during his time with the Lilywhites, as seen by his remarkable goalscoring tallies in North London.

The Englishman rose through the youth ranks in North London before making himself a staple of the club’s first-team setup between 2013 and 2023, before his move to Bayern Munich.

The centre-forward made 435 appearances and found the back of the net on 280 occasions - a tally which still sees him stand at the top of the club’s all-time goalscoring charts.

His goalscoring record, coupled with his link-up play and creativity, has made him one of the best players to ever play for the club - with Tudor no doubt wishing he could rely on a player of his calibre.

After leaving nearly three years ago, the 32-year-old has continued in the same vein in Germany, subsequently scoring 128 goals in his 132 appearances for the Bundesliga side.

The player who could become Tudor’s own Harry Kane

Since Kane’s departure in the summer of 2023, Spurs have tried numerous options to try and fill the void, but their efforts have been to no avail in recent months.

Richarlison currently sits top of the club’s goalscoring charts on seven goals in 2025/26, a tally that is 21 goals below that of former first-team member star Kane.

Randal Kolo Muani has started the only game of the Tudor era to date, subsequently finding the back of the net during last weekend’s defeat to local rivals Arsenal.

The aforementioned talents will no doubt play a key role during Tudor’s temporary reign in North London, but he could also turn to the likes of Mason Melia in the months ahead.

The Irishman joined the club from homeland side St Patrick’s Athletic during the winter window, after previously agreeing a fee for the teenager’s signature.

The 18-year-old has caught the eye back in Ireland for his clinical goalscoring displays in recent months, subsequently ending the previous campaign on 13 league goals in 35 outings.

Despite his tender age, Melia has already racked up just shy of 100 senior appearances, even scoring on 23 occasions, which showcases his phenomenal ability in front of goal.

There’s no doubt there’s a huge jump between the Irish top-division and the Premier League, but the current situation could hand the youngster the chance to become an immediate fan-favourite.

Upon his arrival in North London, Melia spoke about his admiration for former Lilywhites star Kane, which could see the teenager follow in the Englishman’s footsteps.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has also spoken about the similarities between the two talents in recent months, even labelling Melia as the “Irish Harry Kane”.

There’s no disputing the staff at Spurs will have to manage his progress in the years ahead, but Tudor could certainly hand him the perfect chance make an immediate impact in North London.

Melia may be an unknown quantity to many Lilywhites supporters, but his eye for a goal could make him a superb option in the club’s hunt for survival.

Should he be handed the chance to thrive under Tudor, the Irishman could have a similar impact to Kane, which could see the club have their latest deadly talisman.

Tottenham Hotspur have now intensified their move to sign a Premier League rival, who could leave his current club for as much as £61m this summer.

Tudor challenges Tottenham to "grow" amid relegation fear

Igor Tudor hasn't held back since arriving at Tottenham. He has held a serious expression at all times and told reporters that he's not here to enjoy the job, he's simply here to complete it.

Speaking ahead of his second game as interim boss, which comes against Fulham on Sunday afternoon, the Croatian challenged the younger players in his squad to step up in the face of relegation concerns.

He told reporters: "It is both things, physical and mental. There is some pressure here in this club of course.

"Some players are still young. They were brought here to help and now maybe they are in a moment where they need to resolve the problems.

"So, if you have too many of these (young) players, because of the amount of injuries, who are playing together in the squad, it does create some problems, but it is also an opportunity and a challenge to grow fast to become a man.

"To grow fast and say, ‘come on, I’m the guy, give me the ball, I will score’ instead of just, ‘what can I do, I’m just here you know?’

"This is the challenge for each of them. Why not? To say, ‘come on, I will be the (hero), give me the ball, I will not cry, I will take the ball, I will defend my box’."

Tudor believes that Spurs haven't got time to be emotional with their Premier League status at stake. Whether that pays off in the next 11 games remains to be seen, however.

Of course, if the Lilywhites do survive then their focus must shift towards summer reinforcements as they look to climb back into the top six next season.

Tottenham intensify Murillo move

Amid concerns that Micky van de Ven could leave the club in the summer, those in North London have already got a replacement in mind. According to reports in Brazil, relayed by Sport Witness, Tottenham have intensified their move to sign Murillo from Nottingham Forest.

Forest, however, are not making things easy. The Tricky Trees are also fighting to avoid relegation and know just how important their defender is for their short-term and long-term Premier League status.

As such, they're now demanding clubs to pay around €70m (£61m) if they want to sign Murillo this summer. Whether that would change if they're relegated will be interesting to watch, though.

It's easy to see why Spurs are chasing Murillo, especially around doubts over Van de Ven's future. The Brazilian is on the same level as the Tottenham defender and has a far better one-on-one record in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur may find themselves in a relegation battle, but that's not stopping them from pursuing a shock move to sign a Premier League rival.

Tottenham plot shock move to sign England international

The Lilywhites travel to Fulham this weekend knowing that securing three points is a must. Without them, Igor Tudor's side could sit just one point above the dropzone with 10 games to go by the end of the weekend.

It would simply represent a catastrophic start to the Croatian's interim reign after a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal last time out. The manager, himself, knows exactly what's at stake and made it clear to reporters earlier this week that this is the biggest rescue job of his career.

He said, when asked whether it is his toughest job: "Probably, if I see, if I recognise the difficulties there are, probably, yes. It’s even a bigger challenge, even a bigger motivation to do this and we do it."

No one at the North London club was expecting a relegation battle at this stage of the season. The target, like always, was top four and Champions League qualification. The reality, however, is that Tottenham are quickly becoming a bottom half side.

That must change in the summer. If they avoid the drop, then the focus should be on reinforcements and welcoming a long-term manager.

To that end, several candidates have already threatened to steal the headlines. Reports have name-dropped the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, who would certainly receive a hero's welcome, and former Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas, who wouldn't exactly receive the same ovation.

Meanwhile, when it comes to reinforcements on the pitch, the Lilywhites are looking to land a shock blow. According to TeamTalk, Tottenham are now plotting a move to sign Jarrod Bowen, whose future is now open amid West Ham United's relegation concerns.

Experienced Bowen would be Tottenham's best attacker

Having already enquired about Bowen's availability in previous windows, it's clear that there's a lot of admiration in the England international from Tottenham.

At 28 years old, the West Ham captain is at the peak of his powers and represents the type of player that the Lilywhites so desperately need. Whether he would betray the Hammers by making such a move to a direct rival this summer remains to be seen, however.

Once dubbed "unbelievable" by former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, it's easy to see why Spurs are interested in a player of Bowen's calibre and clear leadership.

Bowen would arguably be Tottenham's best attacker and could even get Xavi Simons firing on all cylinders. Chance creation has not been a problem for the Dutchman, but those chances have not been converted. Bowen, who knows the likes of Conor Gallagher well from his 20 England caps, would change that.

Tottenham Hotspur have now held talks over a deal to sign an attacking star in what would see them get one over on Premier League rivals Aston Villa.

Tudor: Tottenham survival a matter of "life and death"

If Igor Tudor wasn't aware of the job on his hands ahead of arriving in North London, then last weekend's 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal would have slammed it home.

Tottenham are in deep trouble in the Premier League. With trips to face Liverpool, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Sunderland awaiting in the final 11 games of their league campaign, the Lilywhites sit just four points clear of the dropzone.

Tudor has quick to realise the extent of the situation, however, and even went as far as to say that the season is now a matter of "life and death".

The interim boss told reporters earlier this week: "You know in a physical condition because it’s fantastic to go to press up and that’s when I speak about style. That’s also one part of the style, how you want to be without the ball, but then, if you have too much problems (at the) back, you need to think about the style?

"Is it the right style? Is it the right way? You can call it how you want, so I need to be smart to understand deeper the moment and the way how to take the points.

"Even not looking to the style now at this moment. The style needs to be in the second moment, because now it’s a question of life and death if I can say that in that way sportingly."

It's also worth pointing out that Tottenham are still planning for life as a Premier League club, especially on the transfer front. Targets like Dean Henderson and now Moussa Diaby are still on their radar, for example.

Tottenham hold talks over signing Moussa Diaby

Should they stay in the Premier League, the Lilywhites look set to focus on attacking improvement. According to TeamTalk, Tottenham have been contacted over a deal to sign Diaby from Al-Ittihad this summer, with intermediaries holding talks with a number of clubs.

Aston Villa are among those other clubs being offered a deal. The Villans initially sold the winger to the Saudi Arabian club in 2024 for a hefty £50m, but have now been offered the chance to bring him back to the Midlands.

Club chiefs at Villa Park will be sweating by Tottenham's presence, however. As much as they are levels above Spurs on the pitch, those in North London are still likely to have more financial freedom than Aston Villa this summer.

If Diaby is looking to keep hold of his Saudi salary then a deal won't come cheap, either. The Frenchman earns an eye-watering £254,000-a-week at Al-Ittihad, which would make him the highest earner at both Tottenham and Aston Villa.

It would be the most unexpected twist if Archie Gray dropped down to the Championship with Tottenham Hotspur just two years on from his decision to depart Leeds United.

In his mind, the versatile midfielder was leaving to progress his career. He was heading to a top-six Premier League club to play in a free-flowing Ange Postecoglou side at the time.

Two years later, however, Leeds sit above Tottenham in the top flight and Gray may be regretting his decision.

At 19 years old, however, the future is still bright for the former Leeds graduate even if those in North London continue to struggle in the Premier League.

Will Gray regret Leeds departure?

Whilst Gray does have a Europa League medal to his name, he would have been expecting to put relegation scraps behind him after leaving Leeds in 2024.

As it turns out, though, there wasn't a worse time to join up with the Lilywhites, who paid £30m to secure his signature from Elland Road. In the space of two years, the teenager has already played under three different managers, with Igor Tudor the latest coach tasked with navigating the club out of danger.

For Leeds, Gray's exit followed the heartbreak of missing out on promotion in the 2023/24 campaign. It spelt the end for one of their best academy graduates and the end for a third-generation Elland Road star.

There's no doubt that he would have a place in Daniel Farke's current side. After all, Gray is capable of playing right-back, defensive midfield and central midfield - featuring in all three roles at Spurs despite his tender age.

There will still be some regrets over his departure, but it could be argued that it was another young player who slipped through Leeds' grasp.

Whilst the focus is often on Gray, Charlie Cresswell's recent rise suggests that the Whites made a mistake without even realising it at the time.

Charlie Cresswell should be Leeds' biggest regret

When Cresswell swapped Leeds for Toulouse in 2024, he left Elland Road without ever really receiving a consistent opportunity.

He was not like Gray, who was a mainstay in Farke's matchday squad. Instead, he was on the periphery and featured just 14 times for the first team.

The central defender proved that he could cut it in the Championship, too. Cresswell impressed on loan at Millwall. Yet, still, his chance didn't arrive at his boyhood club.

Now, fast-forward two years, and the 23-year-old is worth more than every player at Elland Road right now. He has gone from Leeds struggles to one of the most promising young defenders in France, who's on the radar of Liverpool and others in the Premier League.

After impressing for England U21s on their way to victory at the Euros last summer, Cresswell has only kicked on even further. Reportedly valued at around £26m at Toulouse, there's every chance that Leeds could be bumping into a familiar face in the Premier League this summer.

To put that price tag into context, no player in the Leeds squad, according to Transfermarkt even comes close. Indeed, Anton Stach and Ethan Ampadu come out on top at Elland Road, worth around £17.5m each.

A bully of a defender, no player has made more clearances than Cresswell in Ligue 1. The Englishman has taken France by storm ever since arriving and, with every impressive performance, Leeds' feeling of regret continues to grow.

Although it was Gray who stole the headlines with his departure in 2024, Cresswell is arguably proving to be an even greater loss at Elland Road.

Tottenham are thinking about the prospect of appointing an Arsenal legend as their next permanent manager instead of Mauricio Pochettino, according to a new report.

Tottenham plan for life after Igor Tudor

Spurs' season has been a slow-motion disaster.

Sixteenth in the Premier League, just four points above the drop zone, with one of the most embarrassing recent records in the club's history.

Matters weren't helped at all by a 4-1 thrashing in Igor Tudor's first game as interim manager, with the North London Derby against Arsenal announcing his arrival with all the grace of a car crash.

The reality facing everyone connected with this football club is stark. Spurs are in a relegation battle, and right now staying up is all that matters.

Tudor's task is enormous. He inherited a squad stripped of confidence and short of leadership, a group that had buckled under Thomas Frank before the board ran out of patience entirely.

There is quality in this team, and they are capable of competing on their day, but consistency has been non-existent, the goals have dried up and the performances have too often lacked intensity.

Behind the scenes, the planning for next season is already well underway, and the list of candidates to take over permanently in the summer is growing by the week.

Mauricio Pochettino remains a name that resonates deeply with Spurs supporters.

The Argentine built the modern identity of the club during his time in north London, guiding them to a Champions League final in 2019 and establishing them as genuine top-four regulars.

A return has been widely discussed, and respected journalist Henry Winter recently confirmed that Pochettino represents the club's clearest first choice — though complications exist around both his availability and the approval required to get a deal done.

Roberto De Zerbi is another name in the frame, with the former Brighton manager bringing a progressive, high-energy style that would represent a clear statement of intent.

However, a genuinely surprising name has entered the conversation.

Tottenham considering Arsenal legend Cesc Fàbregas as manager

According to TEAMtalk and journalist Graeme Bailey, Cesc Fàbregas has emerged as a candidate being discussed at the very highest levels at Spurs.

The former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder — yes, that Fabregas — has been doing remarkable work as manager of Como in Serie A, guiding the once-second tier minnows to sixth place and a credible push for European football.

Real Madrid prospects Nico Paz and Jacobo Ramon have both flourished under his guidance, drawing widespread praise for his ability to develop young talent.

Bailey reports that Fabregas would be open to taking the Tottenham job and the Lilywhites are likewise considering him, with his obvious Arsenal connections representing no barrier whatsoever.

He spent the majority of his playing career in England, has strong London ties and understands the Premier League environment.

Chelsea considered him as a candidate before appointing Liam Rosenior, and Man City are also monitoring him as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola, so the competition for his services is real.

Fabregas made 303 appearances for the Gunners as a player, winning the FA Cup across north London, and his possible appointment would undoubtedly raise a few eyebrows.

TEAMtalk also reports that Eddie Howe at Newcastle and Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth have both been discussed internally, though Iraola is now expected to sign a new contract at the Vitality Stadium, effectively ruling himself out.

The long list is impressive, but the problem for Spurs is that none of it matters if Tudor cannot keep them in the Premier League first.

Igor Tudor has called the Tottenham job the biggest challenge of his career, and an update has now been shared on his future at the club amid links to USA manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Tudor calls Tottenham his biggest rescue job

Tudor has been parachuted into his first managerial role in England with Spurs’ Premier League future at stake after a horror run of form over the winter months.

A painful 4-1 debut defeat at home to rivals Arsenal extended Tottenham’s winless league run to nine matches and made it only two wins from their last 18 in the division.

Asked if this was his biggest challenge, Tudor said: “Probably, if I see, if I recognise the difficulties there are, probably, yes. It’s even a bigger challenge, even a bigger motivation to do this and we do it.”

The former Juventus boss also admitted the role was harder than expected, but believes work on the training ground can turn around the club’s fortunes before Sunday’s trip across London to Fulham.

“Probably yes,” Tudor reflected. “Yes, very tough, but it’s what I said before, I don’t change my opinion, it is how it is, so, daily work, focus, raising in all things we need to do, physical condition, mental confidence, performance and waiting for the players to come back.

“We need to be focused on us, what we can do, less thinking about others, that’s always good and it will be good.”

Spurs will discover their Champions League opponents for the last 16 on Friday, but Tudor promised to waste no “energy” on fixtures with either Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray due to the current situation.

Tudor added: “I don’t think too much about the draw. If you ask me whether I expect the draw tomorrow, it won’t change for me nothing.”

The Croatian coach will be boosted by the return of defender Kevin Danso and full-back Pedro Porro for Sunday’s fixture at Craven Cottage.

The duo could line-up alongside Micky van de Ven, who has faced criticism this week after a clip on social-media implied the Dutch centre-back had ignored the instructions of Tudor to push up during the loss to Arsenal.

Tudor said: “It was not an instruction to Micky, it was an instruction to the team to go up. It was about the team coming up and what we were speaking before.

“We want to go up because we want to have this style where we press high, but in this moment it’s too much for them, so that’s why I was a little frustrated on that, but this is part of it.

“If you watch carefully now, you see that I don’t speak with (Van de Ven) because after that one (team) advice, I said to him, come closer and he came closer. In that moment, I stood there like this, it was all for the defence to go up.

“We didn’t even speak about this me and Micky because there was nothing to speak about. He’s a fantastic guy, a very good professional and he would never do these things.”

Sharing an update on Tudor's possible replacement this summer, Alan Brazil told talkSPORT that contrary to several reports linking USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino with the role, Tottenham chiefs haven't even contacted their former boss.

"I had a chat with someone yesterday and the latest is Poch... they've not even spoken to Poch," Brazil told co-host Ally McCoist.

In response to McCoist exclaiming Pochettino should have been the "automatic" choice, Brazil continued: "No, not even spoken to him. So I don't know what they're doing and I don't think they know what they're doing."

The 53 year-old's last spell in the Premier League with Chelsea did not go to plan, winning just 50 per cent of his games in charge, but Newcastle manager Eddie Howe was full of praise at the time: "Chelsea have definitely improved throughout the season, they have got better and better, they have top quality players and an outstanding manager."

It certainly is surprising to hear the Lilywhites haven't even sounded out the USA boss, and it's hard to think they could find a more popular appointment elsewhere.