Tottenham Hotspur are now battling to sign a defensive addition, who has already worked with Igor Tudor, in a deal worth around £43m.
Tottenham appoint Igor Tudor
Out of all the names mentioned, Tudor was one that came as a surprise. The former Juventus boss has been out of a job since being dismissed by the Italian giants in October, but now has the task of taking the Lilywhites to safety and towards a restoration of pride in the rest of the current campaign.
After putting pen to paper, the Croatian told the Tottenham website: “It is an honour to join this Club at an important moment.
“I understand the responsibility I have been handed and my focus is clear. To bring greater consistency to our performances and compete with conviction in every match.
“There is strong quality in this playing squad, and my job is to organise it, energise it and improve our results quickly.”
Sporting director Johan Lange echoed that, saying: “Igor brings clarity, intensity and experience of stepping into challenging moments and producing impact.
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Spurs have appointed the Croatian as an interim until the end of 25/26.
“Our objective is straightforward – to stabilise performances, maximise the quality within the squad and compete strongly in the Premier League and Champions League.”
It’s a crucial few months for Spurs, who are already reportedly looking towards the likes of Edin Terzic as a long-term candidate to arrive after Tudor’s interim spell.
Whoever arrives must also receive the full backing of those in North London, and that could see a crucial defensive reinforcement arrive in a big-money deal.
Tottenham battling to sign Lloyd Kelly
According to reports in Italy, as relayed by Sport Witness, Tottenham are now battling to sign Lloyd Kelly from Juventus. The former Newcastle United defender has taken his game to a new level in Italy and is now valued at as much as €50m (£43m) as a result.
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Spurs are attempting to steal a march.
His improvement has seemingly sparked interest from around the Premier League, with Tottenham joined by Chelsea and Liverpool in a shock race to welcome him back to the Premier League.
If Tudor impresses enough to earn the permanent job, which is always a possibility, then he’ll be pleased to see Kelly’s name on Tottenham’s radar, having worked with the versatile centre-back at Juventus.
|
Kelly under Tudor |
Record |
|---|---|
|
Games |
22 |
|
Wins |
10 |
|
Draws |
6 |
|
Defeats |
6 |
It wasn’t the most successful spell for either player or manager, but that didn’t stop Tudor from shielding Kelly against criticism in the early days of his Juventus career – telling reporters: “People only said he was playing well after he scored two goals. But he was already putting in great defensive performances despite the small mistakes that everyone makes.
“Labels aren’t needed. He’s a humble guy, eager to improve. I’m pleased with him; he has to keep going like this.”