Immediate or summer?
Pochettino, Xavi & Co – Five candidates to replace Thomas Frank as Tottenham manager
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Thomas Frank’s miserable tenure as Tottenham head coach is over after the Danish manager was relieved of his duties. Spurs are firmly engulfed in a relegation battle and the 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United was the final nail in the coffin for the 52-year-old. Despite his excellent stewardship of Brentford, Frank was never a universally popular appointment amongst the Spurs fanbase with many still attached to Ange Postecoglou following their Europa League triumph.
The decision to sack Postecoglou, however, was logical given Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League last season but Frank’s domestic record was even worse than his predecessor. The North London club are winless in the league in 2026 and Frank has paid the ultimate price and he won’t be in the dugout for their next fixture against rivals Arsenal. It’s unclear whether Spurs will appoint an immediate successor or an interim until the end of the season but we’ve assessed five candidates to replace Frank.
Five Tottenham managerial candidates to replace Thomas Frank
Staff
M. Pochettino
Age: 53
United States
Not only is Mauricio Pochettino the bookmakers favourite, but he’s already the preferred option amongst the Tottenham fanbase. The emotional connection to the Argentinian is clear given the transformation of Spurs’ fortunes during his five-year tenure. While silverware eluded him, Pochettino re-established Spurs as a force in English football, finishing second in the league and reaching the Champions League final. The 53-year-old never hides his affection for the club and he wants to return to the Premier League. Pochettino, however, won’t be available until after the World Cup as he’s United States’ head coach and that would mean placing an interim in charge and preparations wouldn’t be ideal ahead of next season.
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R. De Zerbi
Age: 46
Without Club
The timing of Roberto De Zerbi’s departure from Marseille coincides perfectly with the vacancy at Tottenham with Frank departing on the same day. It’s no secret that De Zerbi has admirers within the Spurs hierarchy and reputable reports claimed that he turned down the opportunity to replace Postecoglou in the summer. Despite leaving Marseille, De Zerbi’s reputation remains relatively high and he’s still viewed as one of the best young coaches in Europe. His fiery nature, however, would undoubtedly cause issues with Tottenham’s ownership and that casts immense doubt over his links to the club.
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M. Silva
Age: 48
Fulham FC
25
10
4
11
Marco Silva is a fascinating option and he was a leading candidate to replace Postecoglou in the summer. The 48-year-old doesn’t get the appreciation that he deserves for the excellent job he’s completed at Fulham, with the Londoners punching well above their weight. Silva is out of contract in the summer and he’s realistically done all he can at Fulham and wants a new challenge. The Portuguese boss won’t be short of offers and he could be prized away from Fulham immediately for relatively low compensation.
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Xavi
Age: 46
Without Club
Xavi hasn’t returned to management since departing Barcelona in 2024 and Tottenham could tempt the Spaniard back into the dugout. The 46-year-old has previously spoken about his desire to manage in England and Spurs could provide him that opportunity, but there’s no guarantee that he would accept the position. Xavi worked under difficult conditions at Barcelona but he’s widely credited for integrating Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi into the first-team. The legendary midfielder lacks the managerial CV of several of the favourites to replace Frank but his attacking philosophy appeals to the Spurs fanbase.
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R. Keane
Age: 45
Ferencvárosi TC
21
12
4
5
Robbie Keane is a left-field option and it’s realistically too soon for him to manage Tottenham but he’s enjoyed great success at the start of his managerial career. It’s fair to say that Keane has ventured down an interesting path in management but he’s won the league title with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel and Ferencvaros in Hungary. Keane is on track to win another title with Ferencvaros this season and they progressed into the play-offs in the Europa League. The 45-year-old has delivered success in both his managerial roles and naturally has an affiliation with Tottenham, scoring 122 goals for the club.
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