Tudor could stay at Tottenham for ‘long time’

February 21, 2026 No Comments

Tudor could stay at Tottenham for ‘long time’ Image source, PA MediaImage caption, Igor Tudor’s last job in management was a seven-month spell with Juventus before he was sacked in October 2025ByMichael EmonsBBC Sport journalistPublished20 February 2026380 Comments

Updated 1 minute ago

New Tottenham interim manager Igor Tudor could stay at the club for a “long time”, according to the club’s sporting director Johan Lange.

The Croatian signed a six-month deal earlier this month to replace Thomas Frank as the club’s new head coach for the remainder of the season.

Tudor’s main objective is to keep the club in the Premier League, with Spurs sitting five points above the relegation zone with 12 matches remaining.

Sources told BBC Sport before Tudor’s appointment that the club were seeking a short-term appointment so they could re-assess their options in the summer, when the availability of potential managers is likely to be greater.

But Lange says the club are open to appointing Tudor on a permanent basis, provided he impresses in the role.

“Of course if things go well, he could be here for a long time,” mentioned Lange.

“We interviewed a few [interim] candidates and Igor impressed us very, very much in the interview.

“If you come in here on the Monday and you are playing at the weekend, you need to build relationships with the players immediately.

“You need to come in to build relationships but of course assess the style of the club immediately. He has shown that with great success, not only once but a few times, to come into that.

“That is one of the reasons why we believe he is the best candidate here now, but of course also with his reputation and what he’s done in his career.”

‘There were very few players available’

Lange, who joined Spurs from Aston Villa in 2023, has come in for criticism for the club’s lack of transfer activity in the winter window.

Spurs signed England midfielder Conor Gallagher and Brazilian defender Souza for a combined £38m last month but the arrivals were offset by Brennan Johnson’s £35m move to Crystal Palace.

Lange, though, has defended the club’s business and says the culmination of the Champions League group phase in late January impacted the availability of potential signings.

“It meant that in January, very few players who could make a difference for us now or in the future were available and then it’s back to the point even though the squad is too short we still have players we are unable to register for the last 16,” mentioned Lange.

“So to bring in players that cannot help us now or we don’t believe have potential for the future, that unfortunately for me doesn’t make sense. And if you analyse all the transfers in January, I think everyone can see there were very few players available.”

Tudor ‘100% convinced’ Spurs will stay up

Sunday’s north London derby against Arsenal will mark Tudor’s first game in charge.

The former Juventus manager took first team training for the first time on Monday, and his squad have had 12 days to prepare for Sunday’s match given they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third-round.

Tudor has a history of making immediate impacts at clubs and the former Croatia international is adamant he can keep Spurs in the Premier League.

Asked how confident he was Tottenham would still be in the Premier League next season, Tudor replied “100%”.

“I’m not here to enjoy it, I’m here to work,” mentioned the 47-year-old.

“Enjoy is the first moment, and then there’s work to do. It’s a fantastic club. I am very focused to do the right things.

“It is not about systems. It is important to become a team, a group, who will look after each other. For me this is basic.

“After that the quality can come out and, for me, this is a team with quality, with legs that can run. There is potential.”

Despite coming fourth in the league phase of the Champions League to jump straight into the last 16, Tottenham have struggled in the Premier League.

Since November they have only won two of 17 league matches, with six draws and nine defeats. Their last league victory was a 1-0 success at Crystal Palace on 28 December and they have collected only four out of a possible 24 points in 2026.

Spurs, who finished 17th last season, have been in the top flight of English football in every campaign since one year in the old Second Division in 1977-78.

But they head into Sunday’s match against arch rivals Arsenal with an injury crisis.

“It’s a very rare situation,” added Tudor. “We have 10 injuries, we trained with 13 players.

“It is an even bigger challenge to succeed from this situation. My first goal is that we become a team in the right meaning of the word, that suffers when it needs to suffer, to fight, to run, to have the right mentality. The start is always about mentality.”