With Thomas Frank gone and Spurs 16th in the Premier League, five points above the relegation zone, this is not a cosmetic change. It is a decision that will shape the club's direction over the next few seasons.
Spurs have scored 36 and conceded 37 in 26 league matches. The goal difference is marginally negative, the pressing intensity has dropped compared to last season, and home form has been poor. The next appointment must restore structure, aggression and belief quickly.
Here are the main contenders:
Mauricio Pochettino
The emotional favourite, and still the benchmark.
Across five full Premier League seasons at Tottenham, Pochettino averaged 1.89 points per game and delivered four consecutive top-four finishes. In 2016/17, Spurs finished second with 86 points, scored 86 goals and conceded just 26, the best defensive record in the division. They were aggressive, intense, and structurally coherent, regularly ranking among the league leaders in shots and turnovers.
He also guided the club to their first Champions League final in 2019, transforming Spurs from hopeful outsiders into genuine contenders.
But there was also a decline. Recruitment stalled during the stadium transition, and the physical intensity that defined his system dipped. By November 2019, Spurs were 14th with 14 points from 12 league matches, and he was dismissed.
A return offers clarity and cultural alignment. He understands the club and has proven he can build a top-four side in north London.
The risk is expectation. The current squad is not built exactly in the image of his peak pressing teams, and second spells rarely carry the same emotional momentum as the first.
Romantic, yes. But also statistically the strongest proven Premier League option available. Still, he's currently employed with the United States, so Spurs will likely have to wait until after the World Cup this summer to secure the Argentine.
Roberto De Zerbi
Freshly available after leaving Marseille, De Zerbi is the most stylistically defined option.
At Brighton, he built one of the Premier League's most progressive sides, regularly averaging close to 60 per cent possession and ranking near the top for progressive passes and final-third entries.
In 2022/23, Brighton finished sixth and scored 72 league goals, qualifying for Europe for the first time in their history.
His football is built on brave build-up, midfield overloads and positional rotation. Spurs, who have lacked control and attacking clarity this season, would immediately gain structure and ambition in possession.
The trade-off is risk. De Zerbi's teams can leave space in transition, and Tottenham have already shown defensive fragility. But appointing him would not be cautious. It would be a statement of intent.
Xabi Alonso
At Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso oversaw one of Europe's most balanced and impenetrable teams, combining strong possession numbers with disciplined pressing.
That balance is exactly what Spurs lack.
Alonso has just left his role as Real Madrid manager under a cloud of mixed results and unhappy players, but his availability immediately elevates him into the top tier of candidates, with plenty of credit in the bank from his time in Germany.
Appointing Alonso would represent a clear statement of intent. He is one of Europe's most highly regarded young coaches, and convincing him to take over a side sitting 16th would require a compelling long-term project.
Oliver Glasner
Glasner has strengthened his reputation at Crystal Palace, turning them from a lower mid-table drift into a structured, upwardly mobile side. Under his management, Palace secured a first-ever FA Cup and Community Shield, qualifying for Europe for the first time in the club's history.
He operates primarily in a 3-4-2-1, building compact defensive spacing and disciplined transitions. Palace became more efficient rather than expansive, ranking strongly for transition goals and improving their shot quality rather than sheer volume. They were harder to break down and more clinical when space opened.
For Tottenham, that blend of organisation and counter-attacking threat addresses obvious weaknesses. Spurs have conceded 37 league goals and struggled to defend central spaces. Glasner would prioritise structure over style, offering stability over spectacle.
It's not necessarily going to be eye-catching, and he may be up for the job given he's already announced his Palace departure for the end of the season.
Xavi
A possession-first coach, Xavi delivered a La Liga title at Barcelona while conceding just 20 league goals in that campaign. His teams tend to prioritise territorial control, midfield overloads and defensive structure high up the pitch.
Spurs have often lacked control in matches this season. Xavi would seek to re-establish it, though it would require careful squad alignment. His lack of English football experience may not make him a top choice, though.
Andoni Iraola
Iraola's Bournemouth have been one of the division's most aggressive pressing sides, ranking highly for high turnovers and shots generated after regains. His football is vertical and energetic.
For a Tottenham side whose pressing metrics have declined, Iraola offers immediate intensity and domestic credibility. He may be a difficult prospect to prise away from the Cherries, let alone convince over the project.
Marco Silva
Silva has delivered consistent mid-table finishes at Fulham, combining compact defending with measured possession. He is less glamorous but offers reliability and tactical balance.
With Spurs 16th, reliability has value.
Robbie Keane
A club legend with 122 goals for Tottenham, Keane would provide an emotional lift, and his name has been touted by several former players and pundits.
Currently in charge of Hungarian club Ferencváros, his teams tend to play with tempo and vertical intent rather than slow possession.
The challenge is scale. Managing Tottenham in a relegation-tinged Premier League campaign is a vastly different test from domestic dominance in Hungary. The emotional lift would be real. The leap in pressure and tactical scrutiny would be significant.
Interim options
Harry Redknapp brings experience, excitement, history and short-term pragmatism. Ryan Mason offers internal continuity. Tim Sherwood would add personality and decisiveness. None necessarily brings enough to save the side from a relegation scramble.
With 12 league games remaining and relegation calculations uncomfortably real, Spurs cannot afford another stylistic gamble without alignment. The next manager must bring coherence, not just excitement, and will need to do it quickly.