Spurs Target De Zerbi and Keane as Tudor's Tenure Teeters; Richarlison and Vicario Eye Summer Exits

Tottenham's managerial situation has become increasingly precarious, with the club already preparing contingency plans should Igor Tudor's interim tenure come to a premature end.

Having dispensed with Thomas Frank's services last month, Spurs turned to the Croatian to steady the ship until season's end. Three matches in, that ship appears to be taking on water. Back-to-back defeats to Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace have left the north London outfit in freefall, and they now sit just a point clear of the relegation zone following West Ham's 1-0 victory over Fulham and Thursday's 3-1 hammering by Palace.

The club are bracing themselves to move on from Tudor in the coming weeks, with reports suggesting they will wait until after next week's trip to Anfield before pulling the trigger. Two names have emerged as frontrunners: former Spurs favourite Robbie Keane and Roberto De Zerbi, the ex-Brighton and Napoli manager. However, De Zerbi has reportedly shown reluctance about stepping into what is, for now, merely an interim role.

Nothing is set in stone just yet, but Tottenham are clearly hedging their bets by identifying potential successors before making any formal move.

Off the pitch, the mood appears equally bleak. Spanish outlet AS reports that Richarlison is preparing his departure, with a summer switch back to Brazil on the cards. Fellow squad member Guglielmo Vicario is also eyeing an exit, with the Italian goalkeeper reportedly exhausted by his time at the club. The stopper's relationship with Tudor has been described as less than harmonious, and he is understood to harbour ambitions of joining Juventus when the transfer window opens.

The situation has become so dire that even Harry Redknapp has waded into the conversation. Speaking to talkSPORT, the former Spurs boss suggested that Tottenham could actually be considered among the favourites to go down alongside Leeds, Nottingham Forest and West Ham.

"Four or five weeks ago I really couldn't see Tottenham being involved in a relegation scrap," Redknapp said. "Every week it's got worse. West Ham are playing very well, Forest picked up a big point, Leeds have also got sucked into it. But Tottenham are bang in it now. They're looking like they could even be favourites out of the four to go down—it's that desperate."

With a Champions League double-header against Atlético Madrid sandwiched around the Liverpool fixture, Tudor faces a baptism of fire that may well determine his future in the job.