Jermain Defoe and former West Ham United assistant Edin Terzic were reportedly in contention to take over from Thomas Frank at Premier League relegation rivals Tottenham Hotspur, though Igor Tudor is now in pole position.
Nuno Espirito Santo expressed sympathy for Sean Dyche and Thomas Frank when struggling Nottingham Forest and Tottenham opted to give up the ghost this week.
As things stand, West Ham United are only three points behind 17th-place Forest, who are expected to hire Vitor Pereira in the hope he can repeat his survival heroics at Wolves last season. Spurs are only one place and two points better off than the managerless Midlanders.
But not for long, it seems.
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A graphic showing Nuno Espirito Santo's quote after West Ham draw with Manchester United
Credit: Getty Images/Justin Setterfield
West Ham United’s bitter rivals Tottenham pick Igor Tudor over Edin Terzic and Jermain Defoe
The Telegraph claim that Edin Terzic, who worked as an assistant to Slaven Bilic at West Ham, was in contention to take over at Tottenham on a temporary basis.
Former England international Jermain Defoe, who started his career at Upton Park before moving on to Spurs in a deal which saw Bobby Zamora go in the other direction, had also been ‘discussed internally’, according to Ben Jacobs on talkSPORT.
Jermain Defoe ahead of England v Malta: Group C - UEFA EURO 2024 European Qualifiers
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Defoe is yet to take on a senior managerial role, but he has worked as a coach in Spurs’ academy.
Sky Sports, though, are now reporting that Igor Tudor has agreed to take charge until the end of May at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The 47-year-old Croatian is available to step into the breach immediately following his sacking by Juventus in October.
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Interestingly, Give Me Sport reported that former technical director Tim Steidten wanted to bring Terzic back to West Ham in 2024, shortly before Graham Potter replaced Julen Lopetegui.
Things are about to get VERY tough! 😟
How many points can you see us picking up here?
West Ham United's Portuguese head coach Nuno EspÃrito Santo reacts during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in east London on February 10, 2026.
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