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Roberto De Zerbi badly needs Lucas Bergvall fit and firing for Tottenham Hotspur.

The only problem, though, is that the young midfielder clearly needs more time, when time is hardly plentiful. With just six matches remaining, Spurs are two points adrift of safety. The odds of them slipping into the Championship are growing by the second.

As if De Zerbi isn’t already up against it in this relegation fight. He has inherited a squad battered and bruised, and desperately low on confidence. They are sterile when creating chances and leaky at the other end, a toxic combination, while injuries have hardly helped.

Cristian Romero will miss the end of the campaign due to a ligament issue sustained at Sunderland, a blow which highlighted the growing sense of inevitability at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while Bergvall has only just returned from a lengthy injury lay-off.

De Zerbi can’t afford Spurs’ most reliable players to drop their levels, but Bergvall was bitterly disappointing during the 1-0 loss at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

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Lucas Bergvall not up to speed at Tottenham

De Zerbi eventually hooked the Swede after a woeful 61-minute outing. He was surprisingly poor when compared to his usual outstanding performances this season.

This was despite the Italian working closely with him during his first training sessions at the club. Bergvall is known to have enjoyed these drills, understanding that he would be given a crucial role in this brave new era. The only trouble is that he doesn’t quite seem ready for it.

While Bergvall impressed for Sweden during the international break, he understandably appeared to return to club duties short on sharpness. He looked a yard off the space and at least a second behind Sunderland’s midfielders, who controlled the show with impunity.

De Zerbi will be worried. Bergvall is so often the focal point of Spurs’ midfield, acting as the main connection between defence and attack. But he is no glorified water carrier. Instead, he makes sure Tottenham tick, and when his level drops, so does theirs.

It was concerning, then, that he offered next to nothing on Wearside.

According to Sofascore, Bergvall registered a pass accuracy of just 70 per cent, made a whole lot worse when taking into account that he attempted only 10 passes before being replaced. The youngster was also errant with his dribbling, losing the ball twice.

Worryingly, Bergvall lost all 12 of his duels, with a zero per cent success rate from the 11 on the ground. It was telling that he committed the most fouls of any Spurs player before he was hooked. De Zerbi’s tactics rely heavily on physicality, but the talent had none of it.

“I saw Bergvall,” said Troy Deeney on TikTok. “People have been telling me he’s good for the past two years, he was touch-tackling everything. Everything that came near him, he was touch-tackling.” While over the top, these comments underline Spurs’ dilemma over Bergvall.

It was a quite staggering drop-off from his heroics before his injury.

Bergvall is technically gifted and has wriggled out of tight spaces time and again since arriving at Tottenham back in July 2024. His work off the ball cannot be understated either. Spurs badly rely on his determination and work ethic, and De Zerbi will too.

But what happens if he doesn’t get back to his best before the end of the season?

Tottenham must follow Bergvall example

There is a reason why Bergvall so quickly endeared himself at his former club, Djurgarden. He was electric despite his tender age, and both Tottenham and Barcelona made their move at the same time, culminating in an intriguing and eye-opening tug-of-war.

In the week before he turned 18, Bergvall was put on private jets and ferried between Barcelona and London. Both clubs made their sales pitches, desperate for him to snub the other. He was whisked to lavish restaurants and doggedly pursued by paparazzi.

These were scenes more suitable to a Christopher Nolan thriller, but they also proved that Bergvall had announced himself to the world. There could be no hiding; no shirking away from the spotlight. For some players, that is too much, but for him, it confirmed his talent.

All this for a youngster who had made fewer than 60 senior appearances.

Right from the very first minute, Bergvall embodied the humility and desire that must be hallmarks under De Zerbi. He was invited to Spurs’ training ground to meet Daniel Levy and Ange Postecoglou, and as he was driven in, he was impressed with the pitches.

He couldn’t wait to play on them, Bergvall said. It was only then that he was informed they were for the academy teams. He wasn’t in Kansas anymore, Toto.

In the end, Spurs outmuscled Barcelona. Bergvall chose them, and after taking time to find his feet, he now looks at home in the Premier League. He looks like a completely different player from the one given a rollocking by Guglielmo Vicario on his first appearance.

Then, he had been overawed by the speed and sheer brutality of the Premier League. He mistimed his challenges, lunging in and wiping out his opponents, and his passes lacked the necessary weight. Now, however, he is one of the top-flight’s classiest midfielders.

His statistics prove it. In his 19 appearances in the league this season, he has scored one goal and registered two assists. Bergvall has also completed an average of 12.5 passes per game, with an 82 per cent success rate, and takes roughly 24.5 touches every 90 minutes.

Defensively, he makes 1.1 tackles and 1.9 recoveries per game, while his impressive 64 per cent dribble success rate has allowed him to bring the ball out of danger.

Clearly, then, De Zerbi will hope to lean on him as he looks to steer Tottenham to safety, but Bergvall will require patience when there simply isn’t room for it.

When it rains in N17, it truly does pour.

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Tottenham Hotspur have banked on James Maddison’s return all season, but recent footage of his inclusion in training has been deemed all part of his rehabilitation plan.

Spurs have been without Maddison all campaign, and it’s no reason as to why the Lilywhites now find themselves 18th place in the Premier League and on the brink of relegation.

The attacking midfielder picked up an ACL injury during pre-season, and there have been hope from some Tottenham fans of his return after recent footage saw him training at Hotspur Way.

Roberto De Zerbi could do with the Englishman for the run-in, as Spurs sit two points behind West Ham with only six games left to play.

However, Maddison is not expected back “anytime soon” in a new update from Sky Sports journalist Uma Gurav.

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Uma Gurav reveals the latest on James Maddison’s injury

Tottenham have lost seven of their last eight Premier League games, and have only picked up five points since the start of 2026, all of which have come as draws.

Maddison racked up 22 goals and assists in all competitions under Ange Postecoglou last season, but has been unable to feature once this campaign.

Maddison’s absence has been detrimental for Tottenham, and as seen in the table above, he was a bright spark for Spurs last season, completing 1.64 dribbles per 90, 1.20 key passes per 90, and creating 41 chances in just 21 starts.

While speaking live on Sky Sports from Hotspur Way this Wednesday, Gurav provided the latest on the 29-year-old, and it’s not exactly good news in terms of this season.

Gurav said: “Maddison, who picked up that ACL injury in pre-season, was back in training. But, it’s been stressed to me that it’s not part of potentially getting him back into the matchday squad any time soon.

“It’s part of a reintegration into the squad, which will be very gradual, so unfortunately, Spurs fans, I don’t think you can expect him to be in a matchday squad anytime soon. But it’s still good news regarding his recovery.”

As seen in the graphic above, Maddison’s Sofascore rating of 7.30 shows just how good he was on a consistent basis. His nine goals and seven assists from last campaign prove that he’s been sorely missed in the final third.

Tottenham’s attacking stats show they are doomed without Maddison

Maddison also knew how to battle and won 53 per cent of his duels last season, a certain type of bite that current Spurs attackers are missing.

The Lilywhites have been toothless in attack this campaign, and have only scored 25 of their 40 league goals from open play.

They have the fourth-worst total of xG, which currently stands at 33.3, and it’s a mystery as to how Spurs are overperforming in this department by 6.7 goals.

Maddison averaged a goal 0.45 times every 90 minutes last season, and that type of number has been missing in the squad this season.

With any remaining hope of his return now destroyed, it’s hard to see where De Zerbi will find another attacking spark from, as relegation looks a reality.

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Tottenham Hotspur academy defender Tyler Tingey has been spotted taking part in Roberto De Zerbi‘s first-team training session on Wednesday.

Spurs are preparing to host Brighton in N17 this Saturday, as De Zerbi reunites with his former employers in a must-win game for Tottenham.

The Lilywhites boss is under huge pressure to turn things around in North London, both in the long and short-term, but his immediate focus is of course keeping Tottenham in the Premier League.

However, with no wins in the calendar year of 2026 and seeing all of West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United respectively pick up points over the weekend, time is running out to succeed in that venture.

As such, it may be time for De Zerbi to roll the dice and to get brave with his upcoming team selections, in the hope he can find inspiration from somewhere.

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Tyler Tingey spotted in Tottenham first-team training session

Tottenham have rarely utilised their academy this season, offering very few first-team opportunities to their brightest young stars.

Callum Olusesi, James Rowswell, Luca Williams-Barnett and Jun’ai Byfield respectively have been the youngsters handed some sparse minutes in the senior side, but it’s been incredibly tough sledding.

However, more and more Spurs fans are growing increasingly tired of seeing certain senior players underperform and fail to justify their place in the side.

As such, De Zerbi may just be considering bucking this Tottenham trend of not playing their academy talents in this run-in, and that theory has been granted further weight thanks to training ground footage captured on Wednesday.

Sky Sports News cameras were at Tottenham’s training ground on Wednesday to film the first-team going through some drills, and as shared by Lilywhite Rose on X, Tingey was captured involved in the session.

Of course, this could be simply to help flesh out the numbers for certain drills, but the teenage defender has had a big few days that could signal Tottenham’s intent to fast-track him into the senior side.

Tingey has just signed professional contract with Tottenham

Confirmed via Tottenham’s official website last Friday, Tingey has signed his first professional contract with Spurs.

Tingey captained Tottenham’s Under-16s side last season, and has progressed to both Under-18 and Under-19 level this season too.

Having been with Spurs since the age of 10, many inside the football club have known of his talent and potential for some time, and now 17, there is evidently confidence he can have a big first-team future in N17 too.

So, his name is certainly one to keep an eye on moving forward, as the very fact he’s already involved in first-team training suggests he may at least have a matchday squad inclusion chance in these final weeks of the season.

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Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been spotted in training ahead of Spurs’ match with Brighton on Saturday.

The 28-year-old central midfielder hasn’t been seen since early January, when he suffered a hamstring injury against Bournemouth.

Spurs haven’t won in the calendar year of 2026 so far, and Roberto De Zerbi is desperately searching for short-term answers to keep the Lilywhites in the Premier League.

However, with numerous star players currently sidelined through injury, his hands are somewhat tied in terms of his team selection options.

But that could be about to change, as Bentancur looks to be on the verge of being back to full fitness after his lengthy and impactful injury absence.

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What is the latest on Rodrigo Bentancur’s Tottenham injury?

Bentancur has been tipped for success under De Zerbi, with the Uruguay international having proven himself to be a top player in the Premier League since signing for Tottenham in January 2022.

Unfortunately though, injuries have been a fairly consistent part of his N17 story, missing differing amounts of time in every single season he’s been in North London.

This season has been a frustratingly similar tale too, having so far missed 16 games with the aforementioned hamstring problem he picked up at the beginning of 2026.

However, as shown in a Sky Sports News video report from Tottenham’s training ground on Wednesday, Bentancur is clearly seen running around and involved in the drills.

Spurs will of course want to be careful with him, and it remains to be seen whether he’s going to be available for Brighton on Saturday, but this footage is certainly an extremely positive update on his progress.

Also seen training is James Maddison, who has missed the entirety of the 2025-26 season so far with a cruciate ligament injury, and so this will also deliver hope that Tottenham’s talisman could make a return in the run-in too.

How well has Bentancur performed for Tottenham this season?

With 20 Premier League games under his belt this season, Bentancur was tracking to have another strong individual campaign before his untimely injury.

The two-footed midfielder had started 17 of those 20 league outings, and whilst Spurs weren’t doing well on the pitch prior to his injury, their form has been considerably worse in the months he’s been out of the team.

As per Sofascore, Bentancur has registered an 85 per cent passing accuracy in the Premier League this term, whilst also recovering 5.0 balls per game and making zero errors leading to goals.

He’s also recorded a dribble success rate of 59 per cent, won 60 per cent of his ground duels, won 1.9 tackles per game and gives away possession an average of just 7.6 times per game too.

So, if he can find a way to get back in the side before the end of the season, his return might just be the catalyst for Tottenham to pick up their performances and ultimately stay in the division.

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Roberto De Zerbi is looking to pick up his first win as Tottenham Hotspur boss, as his side take on Brighton.

The Italian watched his side fall to defeat in his first match at the helm on Sunday, with a deflected Nordi Mukiele strike securing a 1-0 win for Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Back on home soil, Spurs are looking to begin mounting a survival charge, with the Lilywhites sitting 18th in the Premier League standings, two points behind West Ham.

The remit for the 46-year-old is clear: guide the North London club to safety, before a much-needed rebuild over the summer.

Though if Opta’s latest supercomputer prediction is correct, the new boss will be pulling his hair out heading into the run-in.

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Supercomputer predicts most likely Tottenham vs Brighton outcom

After winning the Europa League last May, the current campaign was expected to be one of further progression in North London.

Instead, Tottenham fans have been greeted with a relegation battle, while there are no immediate signs of things improving on the pitch.

After guiding the club to Europe, De Zerbi would leave Brighton at the end of the 2023-24 season, while they are now fighting for continental football again under Fabian Hurzeler.

And based on the figures from Opta’s supercomputer, the Seagulls are set to get one over Spurs as they make the trip to North London.

With a 42.9 per cent chance of taking victory, Hurzeler’s side have been handed the label of favourites, with the Tottenham slump set to continue.

Poor Tottenham record vs Brighton set to continue

When it comes to the recent record between the sides, it does not look too good for Tottenham.

The last time that the Lilywhites came out on top against Saturday’s opponents came in 2024, with De Zerbi in charge of the Seagulls at the time.

Since Hurzeler’s subsequent arrival, Brighton remain unbeaten, having picked up 4-1 and 3-2 wins, alongside a 2-2 draw.

Brighton will present a stern test on Saturday, with De Zerbi’s impressive work at Brighton cementing them as a side consistently ready to challenge for Europe.

Now, Tottenham are the side looking to escape the bottom, and they will have to improve massively if they are to take all three points to mount a survival charge.

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Tottenham Hotspur could well be playing their football in the Championship next season.

Even with the introduction of Roberto De Zerbi, there is still genuine fear that the Lilywhites could be relegated.

It feels like West Ham, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest all have more fight, and their players are showing the desire needed.

That hasn’t been seen at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a long time as fans continue to lose faith in their players every week.

A drop into the second tier would likely spark a summer of change for Tottenham as we now assess how their starting XI could look for the new campaign.

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Tottenham could sign Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough

There has been so much annoyance surrounding the current Spurs squad, especially given that most will probably leave if they are relegated.

There are plenty of players also out on loan away from N17, and it could be them left to pick up the slack moving forward.

Antonin Kinsky, Djed Spence and Souza could stick around to help form part of the Lilywhites’ back line and bring some sort of continuity.

They could be joined by Kota Takai and Ashley Phillips, who are currently out on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach and Stoke City, respectively.

The latter would provide experience of the second tier and, as an academy product, understands the job at hand.

A fellow Hotspur Way graduate could sit just ahead of him, as Alfie Devine could play a role in midfield after his stint at Preston North End.

Joining him in the middle of the park could be Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney, who may be on the move away from the Riverside in the summer.

Tottenham are really struggling right now, and adding someone like him could prove to be the boost they need moving into a season in the Championship.

Zan Vipotnik and James Maddison could star for Tottenham

Ahead of an experienced midfield two at the second-tier level could be the potential jewel in the crown for the Lilywhites.

James Maddison has been missing due to injury for nearly a year, but coming back in, he could be the man to fire Spurs back to the Premier League.

He will need help around him, and bringing Mikey Moore and Manor Solomon back after their loans could prove to be excellent for all.

That is all well and good, but Tottenham will be in need of a true goal scorer, especially if Dominic Solanke, Richarlison and Mathys Tel leave.

Zan Vipotnik could prove to be a wise addition as he looks destined to win the Golden Boot with Swansea City this season.

He may be available for a price that can tempt the North London club and could score the goals that this current squad is missing.

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Nedum Onuoha has outlined how there isn’t much evidence to suggest Tottenham Hotspur are staying up, but the sheer size of the club leads many to think they can survive.

Tottenham have been branded as part of the so-called “Big Six” for years now, with their efforts to form a new European Super League in 2021 doing them no favours.

While they did win the Europa League last season, to end their 17-year wait for a trophy, Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League on 38 points.

They were 13 points clear of the bottom three last term, but this season, they are two points from safety and sit in 18th on 30 points with six games to play.

Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat to Sunderland has led to a growing number of people saying Roberto De Zerbi‘s men won’t beat the drop, and going by the numbers, they are right to think that.

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Tottenham close in on unwanted records as rivals do the opposite

In match week 32, Tottenham lost, West Ham won, Nottingham Forest drew, and Leeds United secured an unlikely victory at Manchester United.

Leeds’ win at Old Trafford was their first away league win over United since February 1981, ending an 18-match winless run there.

Just over a week before that, Leeds reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1987.

Conversely, West Ham’s win over Wolves on Friday saw Tottenham drop into the relegation zone for the first time since August 2015. That was also a first for De Zerbi, as his Brighton side (2022-24) never fell into the bottom three during his Amex tenure.

In 2026, Tottenham have picked up fewer points than fellow relegation rivals Burnley (eight), Wolves (14), Forest (15), Leeds (16), and West Ham (18).

As per Opta Joe, only Derby County in 2008, Sunderland in 2003, and Swindon Town in 1993 have had longer winless runs to start a calendar year in the Premier League than Tottenham in 2026 (14).

Moreover, all of those teams were relegated.

And yet, ex-players such as former City man Onuoha admits he has been swept up by an irrational thought process on Tottenham.

He said on BBC’s Monday Night Club: “It’s obscene. The last league win they had was on 28 December 2025. I’m one of those people who continued to believe Spurs would stay up.

“But with every game that passes, I am like, ‘Why do I believe that? They’ll win this week, and they’ll be fine’ and I’ve said this for three months now.”

Yes, Tottenham have many good players who are likely to be snapped up by big teams if they go down. But so far, there is no evidence to suggest their results will improve.

Tottenham veer towards the abyss

Tottenham’s 14-game winless run in the league is their second-longest stretch without a victory since going 16 matches without a win from December 1934 to April 1935.

There is a lot of blame to be handed out at Tottenham, including to sporting director Johan Lange, who are on course to get relegated for the first time since 1977.

To make matters worse, Tottenham’s next game is against a Brighton side that are pushing for Europe and have won five of their last six league matches.

It will be interesting to see what team De Zerbi picks to face his former employers, with captain Cristian Romero already ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Either way, Tottenham need results and fast.

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As the tears rolled down Cristian Romero’s face, the futility of Tottenham Hotspur‘s relegation fight set in. How many punches can one take before throwing in the towel?

Romero was consoled by almost all of his team-mates while walking off the pitch at the Stadium of Light, with Micky van de Ven even giving him a small kiss on the back of his head. The cruelty of the moment was horribly laid bare, for both the captain and his club.

The talismanic centre-back will miss the rest of the campaign after an innocuous collision with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky. Brian Brobbey had cynically pushed Romero in the back as he looked to shield the ball, and the resulting contact ended in a partial ligament tear.

Now, just like his hopes of making Argentina’s World Cup squad this summer, Spurs’ bid to stay in the Premier League is precariously hanging in the balance.

Tottenham will have to make do without Romero, but in the wake of his absence, a sense of inevitability has taken hold. It falls to Roberto De Zerbi to shift it – and soon.

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Tottenham will sorely miss Cristian Romero

The odds look to be firmly stacked against Spurs, who must be careful that they don’t just slip under the waves with six top-flight matches remaining. Leeds United pulling six points clear after beating Manchester United hardly helped matters.

While there were some promising indications that De Zerbi could yet rescue this sinking ship, the result on Wearside was wearyingly familiar. It was another confidence-shattering blow, one which punctured any buoyancy after the Italian was appointed as head coach.

His first objective is to instil some renewed belief into his squad, but an unblinking reality is staring him in the face. Spurs have not won a Premier League match since December, and are sleepwalking toward relegation. They are now more likely to go down than stay up.

That might have been the case even with Romero fit, but with him missing, their chances of survival are even slimmer. He has proven himself as the only player in the squad capable of conjuring up magic out of nothing, with his sheer determination enough to secure points.

Romero is a born winner, even if Tottenham’s results haven’t matched that for a while now. Yes, he has too often strayed over the line, picking up needless bookings, but when it comes to deciding matches, he is head and shoulders above his team-mates.

That, more than anything, will keep De Zerbi up at night.

Before being forced off, Romero was outstanding at Sunderland. According to FotMob, he took 47 touches, completed 91 per cent of his passes and created one chance.

Defensively, the Argentine made three tackles, four clearances, two interceptions and three recoveries. A man mountain, he also won five of his eight duels on the ground and all three aerially, with a 62 per cent and 100 per cent success rate, respectively, in those categories.

Across the course of the campaign, Romero has averaged 2.79 tackles, 1.44 interceptions and 4.23 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, while his return of six goals and four assists in 31 matches across all competitions is a deeply impressive return for a central defender.

It is obvious, then, that Spurs will be much worse off without him.

Roberto De Zerbi was relying on Romero

De Zerbi will have to find another way of rallying the troops. The identity of his next dressing room lieutenant is unclear, but someone, somewhere, has no choice but to step up. He will have sizeable shoes to fill, with Romero arguably a dream player for the Italian tactician.

The two share a similar ambition: football played on the front foot and a relentless desire to win. It is telling that both spoke highly of the other during their recent media appearances. De Zerbi said Romero was “crucial” and “maybe the most important player in our squad”.

Their similarity stretches into the shakier territory, too. Both have been accused of being too hot-headed. Romero, who has been brandished two red cards and 11 yellows this season, has certainly strayed beyond the line, missing seven games through various suspensions.

He has also not done himself any favours by openly courting interest from abroad. His interest in sealing a move to Spain at the end of the season is all too clear, and he may well get his wish. Atletico Madrid are keen, and that signing makes perfect sense.

His knee injury means that supporters will no longer be able to watch Romero in action under De Zerbi again this season, or indeed, ever again for Tottenham.

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Tottenham Hotspur‘s summer business could work out well for Will Lankshear.

Lankshear is highly rated in Spurs’ academy and has spent the campaign on loan in the Championship with Oxford United.

He has notched 10 goals and three assists in 43 appearances for the struggling club, which is not a bad return by any means.

The young striker has been tipped for a place in Roberto De Zerbi‘s squad next season, with the potential for a double exit mooted.

Tottenham need to get it right, and trusting the young forward could be the right move, given what he has shown this season.

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What was said about Lankshear’s Tottenham future?

John Wenham has tipped Tottenham to have a youth revolution next season, and Lankshear could be a part of that in his view.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “Will Lankshear got his tenth goal of the season for Oxford, and he’s another one who, if you’re talking about making a pathway, you’ve got 10 goals in a team that are in the bottom three of the championship.

“Will will always give you hard work, graft, going up for 50-50s. It’s a real pain to play against, and he’s now getting the goals that reward him for that.

“I was looking at some tweets from some West Brom fans. He went for his first ever loan to West Brom last year, and were saying that they would have kept him.

“They liked his work rate, scoring 10 goals in the championship is more than any of their three forwards have scored.

“He’s another one who this summer, with Randal Kolo Muani going back from his loan, with Richarlison only having a year left, I expect him to be sold, so there could also be a space in the squad for Will to be made as well. I think it makes sense.”

Why Lankshear stay makes sense

The young striker has served his time away from the club on loan, and he now has experience of senior football.

He would likely offer more than both Kolo Muani and Richarlison have this season, with his physical presence and youthful exuberance, and is less injury-prone than Dominic Solanke.

Spurs will hope that he can do what Harry Kane did and develop into an elite forward after a few loans lower down the pyramid.

That remains to be seen, but he deserves the chance to try and forge his place in the senior side.

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Ange Postecoglou could be back in a Premier League job very soon as he is among the early contenders to succeed Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth.

The Australian has been out of work since being sacked by Nottingham Forest in October after just 39 days in charge at the City Ground.

Prior to that dismal spell at Forest, Postecoglou famously guided Tottenham Hotspur to their first piece of silverware in 17 years with success in the Europa League last season.

However, the 60-year-old was out of a job 16 days later owing to Spurs’ dreadful Premier League campaign and his reputation has since fallen.

But speculation over a Premier League return for former Spurs boss Postecoglou is now set to grow following news of Iraola’s departure at Bournemouth.

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Ange Postecoglou among leading contenders for Bournemouth job

Roberto De Zerbi is Spurs’ third manager since Ange was sacked less than a year ago, with Thomas Frank and interim Igor Tudor both failing to make an impact.

Some would have preferred to see Postecoglou reappointed by Tottenham instead of De Zerbi being hired, given he ultimately achieved what he set out to last season.

But the past is the past, and it may well be that the Aussie is in the opposite dugout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next season.

In the hours after it was officially announced by Bournemouth that head coach Iraola is to leave his position at the end of the season, Postecoglou was listed as one of the frontrunners to succeed him.

One major bookmaker has Ange as the joint-fourth favourite to replace Iraola, ironically level with the man who replaced him at Spurs in Frank, as well as Eddie Howe and Edin Terzic.

Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou is the third favourite in the early standings, meanwhile, with Marco Rose and Kieran McKenna the second and first favourites respectively.

Incidentally, another former Spurs boss in Mauricio Pochettino is right behind Frank and Postecoglou in the odds.

What has Postecoglou been doing between jobs?

Postecoglou has regularly popped up here and there in terms of punditry duties, while he also recently went on The Overlap podcast and did not hold back on his time at Spurs.

Aside from that, Postecoglou is also known to have done some work with UEFA as an advisor, which entails watching games up close and grading players.

And the former Celtic boss has also been getting stuck in away from football, having delivered a lecture to students in Norway in February on leadership.

It may well be that Ange is more than happy away from football management, having been sacked twice in no time at all in the second half of 2025.

At the same time, nothing quite replaces the buzz that comes with playing, or indeed managing, this sport.

And it may well be that Bournemouth is deemed a good fit for both Ange and the Cherries. If that is the case, not a single Spurs fan will begrudge him the opportunity to kickstart his career down south.

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