Spurs look to appoint Croatian Igor Tudor as interim coach ahead of north London derby with Arsenal

TOTTENHAM Hotspurs are looking to appoint Croatian coach Igor Tudor as their interim manager until June following the dismissal of Thomas Frank earlier this week with the intention of having him in place ahead of their north London derby on February 22.

On Wednesday this week, Spurs sacked their manager Thomas Frank following their 1-2 loss at home to Newcastle which has left the team in 16th place, just hovering above the relegation zone. Next Sunday, Spurs and their fierce north London rivals Arsenal meet in a Premier league fixture, which is crucial for both sides.

Arsenal need the three points as they are locked in a fierce battle with Manchester City for the Premier League title, while Spurs needs the win to avoid the drop. Both teams have large Nigerian contingents in their squad, with Arsenal boasting of Bukayo Saka, Ebere Eze and Noni Madueke, while Spurs have Dominic Solanke, Callum Olusesi and Destiny Udogie in their ranks.

Apart from this, both clubs have a large Nigerian fan base, with Arsenal boasting of the largest Nigerian following of all the clubs in the English Premier League.  Negotiations between Spurs and Mr Tudor are understood to be at an advanced stage, as the club seeks stability for the remainder of the season.

Mr Tudor, who has previous managerial experience in Serie A and Ligue 1, is seen as a candidate capable of guiding the team through the final months of the campaign. Roberto De Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino are regarded as the leading candidates for the permanent role when the season ends.

Pochettino, who previously managed Spurs, is currently in charge of the US men’s national soccer team, while De Zerbi recently left Olympique de Marseille by mutual consent. According to BBC Sport, Spurs are confident of finalising a deal with Mr Tudor before the squad returns to training on Monday.

With their exit from the FA Cup in the third round, Spurs have a nine-day break before facing rivals Arsenal in the north London derby on February 22.  Members of the first team have been given time off and are due back at training at the start of next week.