Follow Daily Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Tottenham host Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League, with Oliver Holt and Isaan Khan reporting from the ground.
Tottenham Hotspur dresses beautifully. The suit is designer. The accoutrements are most pleasing on the eye. When visitors arrive at the club’s lavish, landscaped training ground on the northern outskirts of London, they are met by the sight of a putting green by the side of the driveway, manicured so neatly it would not be out of place at Augusta National.
In the academy building, everything is just so. It is faultlessly impressive. Upstairs, there are rows of modern offices. Some have trophies on the desks. A slogan on the wall says ‘Fuel Your Dreams’ or something similarly motivational. Outside, kids do keepy-uppies on pitches that stretch away to far Enfield horizons.
On Friday morning, as some of us are sitting in a semi-circle of chairs in one of these offices, talking to Johan Lange, the one remaining Spurs sporting director, a man appears on the other side of the oblong window set into the door and starts to dust it assiduously. Nothing is out of place.
It is to Spurs’ credit that they make Lange available. As the power of sporting directors increases and increases, it feels right that they should be answerable for their actions, in the same way that managers are. Lange is nice and Lange is careful and Lange talks in platitudes. ‘We are very ambitious to create a team that can play dominant football,’ he says.
Lange is probably also out of here in the summer. That is what everyone expects, anyway. His record is patchy. Recruitment has been alarmingly poor in some areas and many blame him. ‘When are you contracted until at Tottenham?’ someone asks him. Lange looks distinctly uncomfortable. He hesitates. ‘I need to get this correct on English employment law,’ he says.
It begins to feel a bit like the opening scene in Blue Velvet where red roses are framed by a white picket fence, a lollipop lady helps kids cross the road, a golden Labrador rides on a fire truck but the surface of a well-watered lawn conceals a chaos of seething, writhing, scurrying ants beneath.
That is what the modern Spurs looks like. On the outside, everything is wonderful. They have the best new stadium in Europe, a stadium that is a stunning monument to the unparalleled financial acumen of its former executive chairman, Daniel Levy, who was fired after 24 years at the helm last summer.
But the best new stadium in Europe houses one of the worst teams in the English top-flight, a team that sits 16th in the Premier League, five points above the relegation zone, a club that has just fired its manager, Thomas Frank, and appointed a peripatetic coach, Igor Tudor, as it prepares to face top of the table Arsenal in the North London derby.
The firing of Frank has not transformed the mood at the club. It has brought some temporary relief from the brickbats being thrown at him by a frustrated fan-base but it has not changed the fact that this still feels like a club in disarray. Beneath that beautiful suit lies a proud old institution wracked by uncertainty and confusion.
It is a club lacking direction. Levy was the fulcrum of everything. Without him, there is a vacuum of authority that has not been filled by the scions of the Lewis family, the majority owners of the club, who dismissed him. Instead of moving forward without him, there is a feeling that the club has become a rudderless ship.
Even though Vivienne Lewis, the daughter of billionaire Joe Lewis, 89, who heads the family, assumed a prominent public role after the dethroning of Levy, it is becoming increasingly apparent to those close to the situation that the dominant voice in the boardroom is now that of her son-in-law, Nick Beucher.
Beucher’s influence over football affairs at Spurs is a cause of some concern, given that he has no prior experience in the sport or knowledge of the English game. It is not even as if the Lewis family has an ownership role in teams in other sports as is the case with the owners of Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United. They are novices, pure and simple.
In the past, Levy shielded them from scrutiny. He took all the flak when things went wrong. Which was often. Now that shield has gone. It has even emerged in recent days that none of Vivienne Lewis, her brother Charles Lewis, and Beucher have taken the Premier League’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test and none of them are in the process of taking it.
That revelation, in turn, has led to renewed speculation that the Lewis family might be preparing to sell the club. They distanced themselves from that idea after the sacking of Levy but Tottenham’s continuing woes and prolonged flirtation with relegation may be weakening their resolve. If Spurs did go down, however, the £4bn they could ask for the club would diminish significantly.
At the same time, there has been a haemorrhaging of confidence in chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, who was only appointed to the post 10 months ago, and whose Arsenal past has always counted against him with Spurs fans.
There is a feeling among many in the game that, without Levy, there is a naivety at the heart of the Spurs football operation and that that naivety was easy to discern in an underwhelming January transfer window and in the lack of succession planning that followed the firing of Frank.
The idea that the removal of Levy would suddenly lead to a transformation in Spurs’ transfer policy and wages structure has also been exploded. Some are even wondering now whether it was always the Lewis family that was the problem and that Levy was just doing their bidding.
Rather than the club repairing itself in the wake of Levy’s departure, rather than the shackles being taken off, it has felt more as if the club is falling apart. Last season, even though the club eventually finished 17th in the league, there was never a fear they would be relegated. This season, the fear is real.
The situation has been made foggier by the machinations in the hierarchy. Fabio Paratici was reappointed as a second sporting director alongside Lange in October last year once a ban for his part in the Plusvalenza financial scandal in Italian football during his time at Juventus had expired.
He was thought to have argued for Frank’s dismissal in November, once he became convinced that the Dane was the wrong fit for the job. He wanted to replace him with then Marseille boss Roberto de Zerbi.
Venkatesham and Lange resisted that idea and last month, amid suggestions he had grown disillusioned by the post-Levy running of the club, it was announced that Paratici would leave to join Fiorentina. His departure has left a big gap in expertise and contacts at a club increasingly under the control of Beucher.
Doubt is everywhere now. Many are openly sceptical about the idea that Spurs have gambled on the short-term appointment of Tudor because they are confident that they will be able to land fan-favourite and former boss Mauricio Pochettino when his reign in charge of the USA men’s team comes to an end after this summer’s World Cup.
Tudor, a fine player but an under-achieving boss, represents a huge gamble in Spurs’ bid to escape relegation but Pochettino may not be the prize awaits even if they do retain their Premier League status.
One source with knowledge of the situation said there had not even been any informal contact between Pochettino and the club, let alone any hint of an agreement for him to take over in the summer.
For now, Tudor is the man entrusted with Spurs’ safety and their future. ‘If things go well,’ Lange said, as the cleaner dusted the window, ‘he could be here for a long time.’ It did not suggest there is an awful lot of long-term planning going on in the building.
A little later on Friday, Tudor addressed the media for the first time in the auditorium downstairs. He was impressive in a way that a man who is comfortable in his own skin is impressive and his manner and his style could not be more different to Frank’s. He has often been referred to, during his various coaching assignments as a ‘hard taskmaster’.
He places a great deal of value on physical fitness and on team bonding and there have been times recently when Spurs look in dire need of both. Tudor took the entire squad out for dinner at a Cypriot restaurant in Muswell Hill on Thursday evening.
He acknowledged in that introductory press conference that he had inherited an ‘emergency situation’ at Spurs. He also said that he preferred not to look at the league table when he was in a job. Plenty of Spurs fans would, no doubt, share that particular predilection.
They know, better than Tudor, that Spurs are in a fight for their lives at the bottom of the Premier League. They know that their club is in stasis. It is in the hands of a chief executive who has little authority, a sporting director who may be leaving in the summer, and an ownership family who know nothing about football and have sacked the man who protected them from scrutiny for so long.
Levy may have been deeply unpopular at Spurs. He was never willing, or able, to allow the club to make the financial commitment to attract the world’s best players for the world’s best fees and on the world’s best wages.
But without him, Spurs are a club adrift. Anything other than a win against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon at their magnificent stadium is likely to leave them even closer to the Armageddon of relegation.
However regularly they trim the borders of that putting green at the training ground, however furiously they clean those oblong windows in the office doors, it is not going to fix what ails a great club that is still sinking.
The north London Derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal is always one of the fiercest fixtures in English football - but Sunday's meeting at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium carries enormous weight at both ends of the Premier League table.
Arsenal arrive knowing victory is essential to remain atop the table and maintain control of the title race. With Manchester City breathing down their necks, any slip-up could prove costly.
For Tottenham, the pressure is very different - but just as intense. Spurs need a win to create breathing room and avoid being dragged deeper into the relegation fight.
With the above in mind - let's take a look at the key markets on offer with Sky Bet for this pivotal match-up.
Firstly, regarding the head-to-head odds - it is Arsenal who are tipped to come away with the win, with Mikel Arteta's side priced at a short 1/2.
Conversely, Spurs are 5/1 underdogs to cause the upset at home, while a draw is valued at 16/5.
The Gunners boast a fantastic record against Tottenham in recent years, winning six of their last seven against their rivals, with the other fixture resulting in a draw.
Meanwhile, if you're after more detailed bets - there are four Price Boosts on offer courtesy of Sky Bet.
They include Xavi Simons to have 1+ shots on target at 13/10, Viktor Gyokeres to score 1+ goals at 13/8, Micky van de Ven to commit 3+ fouls at 7/1, and Arsenal to have 9+ shots on target at 9/1.
Simons has seven shots on target in his last eight games across all competitions, while Gyokeres has three goals in his last four Premier League matches.
Additionally, Van de Ven committed four fouls when the two sides met earlier in season.
Lastly, there are a number of Match Stat Specials that are generating plenty of interest in the betting lines - of which can be found below.
Match Stat Specials
Dominic Solanke & Bukayo Saka to have 2 or more shots on target each & to be fouled 2 or more times each
Each team to have 2 or more headed shots on target & each team to have 2 or more shots on target from outside the box
Bukayo Saka & Declan Rice to be fouled 4 or more times each
Gabriel Magalhaes, Dominic Solanke & Micky van de Ven to commit 10 or more fouls between them
Mikel Arteta to be shown a card & 25 or more match fouls
Any GK to be fouled
Declan Rice to commit 3 or more fouls or Declan Rice to make 3 or more tackles
Each team to commit 5 or more fouls in each half
Both GKs to make a save in each half
Conor Gallagher to commit 4 or more fouls or Declan Rice to commit 4 or more fouls
Arsenal to make 20 or more tackles (Happened in their last 2 Premier League games)
Declan Rice, Conor Gallagher & William Saliba to make 2 or more tackles each
Tottenham GK to make 6 or more saves or Arsenal GK to make 6 or more saves
Both GKs to make 10 or more saves between them
Tottenham GK to make 4 or more saves in the 1st half
Declan Rice, Conor Gallagher & Gabriel Magalhaes to have 4 or more shots on target between them
Both GKs to make a save in each half & each team to be offside in each half
Both GKs to make 2 or more saves each in each half
Tottenham GK to be fouled & to make 6 or more saves
Dominic Solanke & Bukayo Saka each to have a headed shot on target
Declan Rice, William Saliba & Micky van de Ven to be fouled 8 or more times between them
Both GKs to make 3 or more saves each in each half
Johan Lange has defended Tottenham's lack of activity in the final weeks of the winter transfer window and revealed interim boss Igor Tudor could get the role permanently.
Lange faced the UK media on Friday and explained why Spurs turned to Tudor despite a lack of Premier League experience.
Tudor is no stranger to a mid-season arrival and difficult position, but will be without at least 11 players for Sunday's visit of rivals Arsenal.
'We interviewed a few (interim) candidates. Igor impressed us very, very much in the interview,' Lange explained. 'If you come in here on the Monday and you are playing at the weekend, you need to build relationships with the players immediately.
'You need to come in to build relationships but of course assess the style of the club immediately. He has shown that with great success, not only once but a few times, to come into that.
'That is one of the reasons why we believe he is the best candidate here now but of course also with his reputation and what he's done in his career. Of course if things go well, he could be here for a long time.'
Spurs lost nine players through injury last month, but after Conor Gallagher signed in a £34.7million deal on January 14, only 19-year-old left back Souza joined the club's threadbare squad.
Sporting director Lange insisted: 'I personally believe the new European format changed the dynamic a little.
'You are playing two very competitive matches (in January), with the fact that not only us but a lot of teams have what they would say is too many injuries.
'(That) meant that in January very few players who could make a difference for us now or in the future was available and then it's back to the point even though the squad is too short, we still have players we are unable to register for the (Champions League) last 16.
'So, to bring in players that cannot help us now or we don't believe have potential for the future, that unfortunately for me doesn't make sense.'
Tottenham captain Cristian Romero has twice already in 2026 expressed his frustration at the club's current situation on social-media.
'Romero is here, he is our captain, he is here on a long-term contract with the club,' Lange pointed out.
'I think we have been clear as a club that we have dealt with that internally and now it is about being together.'
Tottenham and Aston Villa are among the clubs monitoring Lyon attacking midfielder Pavel Sulc.
The 25-year-old has scored 13 goals in 29 appearances since joining from Viktoria Plzen in the summer.
He was on Villa's radar previously as well as other Premier League sides, but they wanted to see how he fared in a stronger competition first.
Lyon, however, now value Sulc at around £43million though there is hope that could be negotiated down.
Nottingham Forest and Leeds United have also checked on Sulc but the main threat to Villa and Spurs' interest is understood to come from Atletico Madrid.
The Spanish side have the allure to compete with Villa and Spurs plus the financial capacity.
Villa have been looking to strengthen in the position after picking up a number of injuries. They did try for Ruben Loftus-Cheek in January and are firmly in the mix for Fulham's Harry Wilson who is out of contract this summer though has also attracted attention from Everton.
Czech Republic international Sulc is three years younger than Wilson but would obviously command a greater fee.
Tottenham are looking to strengthen in a number of positions should they retain Premier League status. They are also among the clubs to have pitched for Bayern Munich midfield all-rounder Leon Goretzka who is free in the summer.
Tottenham's interim manager Igor Tudor looked to get his interregnum off on the right foot on Thursday evening by taking his squad out for a team bonding dinner.
The former Juventus head coach was appointed at Spurs on Friday afternoon, but faces a baptism of fire for his first competitive match, with the club welcoming loathed rivals Arsenal on Sunday for the north London derby.
But in a bid to raise morale following the departure of Thomas Frank, Tudor may have turned to more unorthodox methods to improve the mood at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Tudor - perhaps inadvertently - appeared to add a sprinkle of Europa League-winning manager Ange Postecoglou's formula in the early stages of his time in north London, plumping for Greek-Cypriot restaurant Ousia in Muswell Hill for his first team meal.
Tottenham's players might have chosen between classic dishes such as chicken souvlaki, lamb kleftiko or beef moussaka as they toasted the start of Tudor's time in the dugout.
After dinner, the team posed for a picture, with the players beaming smiles a hint that with the departure of Frank, the darkening mood around the club might at least begin to lift.
Going into the north London derby, Spurs sit just five points above the relegation places, with Frank given his marching orders following another dismal defeat to Newcastle just under two weeks ago.
As well as overseeing a number of worrying losses, Frank is believed to have drawn his players' ire by over-relying on comparisons to Arsenal.
The Danish manager was said to be 'constantly' talking about their north London rivals, and even before and after playing at the Emirates earlier this season, Frank was said to be telling his players how impressive he thought the team were.
With Spurs' Premier League future potentially hanging in the balance, Tudor arrived under no illusion of a happy atmosphere, and cut a determined presence in his opening interview.
'The first priority is to give everything the team needs in these moments... first of all, to get some confidence, to get some courage, but also in the same way, the concrete things in the pitch,' he told the club's website.
'There is no time to find excuses. What I said from the first day here, each of us, each of the players need to give something, something more, something extra, because the position of the club in this moment is not that anybody can accept.'
'The situation is not easy because, as you know better than me, we have a lot of injured players, so we need first to find the best system that suits the players that are available at this moment.'
A Swedish politician has bizarrely likened his country's economy to Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur in a jaw-dropping speech delivered to parliament.
Mikael Damberg said Sweden have 'squandered opportunities' for their economy to prosper, despite having the perfect conditions to deliver success - much like Spurs, in the politician's view.
The north Londoners find themselves deep in a relegation battle this season, despite boasting a stunning new stadium and arguably the best training facilities in world football.
'I naturally think of Tottenham Hotspur, also known as Spurs, it is one of England's most distinguished and rich clubs with an enormous stadium, dedicated and large supporter base - everything to be considered a 'top team'' he told the Swedish chamber.
'Despite this, Tottenham find themselves in crisis. They are fighting at the bottom of the table, just a few points above the relegation zone. Not because they lack resources or benefits, but because they have squandered opportunities.
'Due to making wrong decisions, general jerkiness and thinking in the short-term, they have lost their direction and stability.'
'The club have been given the name 'Spursy', [which is] when you have opportunities but get no results. Madame Speaker that is precisely how the Minister of Finance is handling the Swedish economy.
'Sweden has the power, ability and resources. We have the companies, workforce and innovation capabilities. Conditions exist for the Swedish economy to prosper.'
He added: 'The government risks making Sweden 'Spursy'. That won't do. Sweden cannot perform like Tottenham.'
Many Spurs fans would agree with Damberg's assessment of the club's predicament. The north Londoners are just five points clear of the drop zone after an alarming slump in results, seeing head coach Thomas Frank dismissed.
Former Juventus boss Igor Tudor has taken the reins until the end of the season, and faces a difficult opening game in charge - with Spurs hosting north London rivals and Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday.
Tudor said: 'The situation is not easy, because, as you know better than me, we have a lot of injured players, so we need first to find the best system, the suit for the players that are available in this moment.
'So, a very particular moment, maybe this can sound strange, but I believe that the thing that we need to be focused on is the training. So, the training from today, that's the key, because, as I always like to say, Sunday and the game is a consequence of the training.'
Aussie football legend Ange Postecoglou has admitted taking the manager position at Nottingham Forest was a mistake.
The long-time football manager had recently been sacked by Tottenham Hotspur before being hired as the main man at Nottingham Forest.
He was then told his services wouldn't be required just 39 days into the job after a horrid start.
Postecoglou has now explained he was struggling to accept the idea of being unemployed for the first time in 20 years.
'It was the first time in 20-odd years that I wasn't working. I was lost,' he told the Stick To Football podcast.
'In the off-season, I was so lost. Usually you would go away with your family, but there are transfers and pre-season ahead, so your mind is on that. I was lost.'
The 60-year-old was brought in at a torrid time for Nottingham Forest, with the club left reeling after the sudden resignation of then-manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
He's now admitted taking the job was the wrong decision.
'That was on me, the whole Forest thing,' Postecoglou said.
'That was a bad decision by me to go in there. But there is no point in me blaming it on not getting time or anything. I should never have gone in there.
'It was too soon after Tottenham, and I was taking over at a time where, obviously, I wanted to do things differently.
'They were kind of used to doing things in a certain way. I have to cop that — that was my mistake.'
The Aussie manager saw potential in the club, due to there being a number of star players in their Premier League squad.
'That was the only reason that sucked me in,' he said.
'They (Nottingham Forest) were also in Europe in the Europa League, and I wouldn't have minded another crack at that,' Postecoglou added.
The 60-year-old's last two clubs, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur, are both sitting near the relegation zone on the current Premier League table.
Both teams have claimed victory on just seven occasions this season.
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An Arsenal past is hard to shake at Tottenham. Particularly when plans go awry and results fail. Particularly when a flurry of personnel disappear to leave you exposed, front and centre of attention.
Life has become distinctly uncomfortable for Vinai Venkatesham in the space of six months since he assumed responsibility for day-to-day affairs at Spurs after the exit of chairman Daniel Levy. His promises of good sense and stability have heralded nothing more than turbulence and mayhem.
First Levy’s exit triggered a major executive reshuffle, then came Fabio Paratici’s brief return as one of two sporting directors before desertion mid-crisis, then the sacking of head coach Thomas Frank with the team dangerously close to the relegation zone.
Now the north London derby looms with Igor Tudor taking interim charge and Venkatesham shaping up as both the chief target for angry Spurs fans and the butt of jokes at the other end of Seven Sisters Road about an 'Arsenal agent' sent undercover to sabotage the neighbours.
Ten months have passed since Venkatesham was appointed chief executive of Spurs, less than a year after vacating the same role at Arsenal. He replaced Scott Munn, shunted aside having made little impact during two years as chief football officer.
And, after sacking Ange Postecoglou, the new dawn was launched with a joint interview featuring Venkatesham and Levy in June, after Frank’s appointment, joshing awkwardly about their shared love for red wine and hard work, selecting their new manager and promising to build on the success of winning the Europa League.
Levy said he wanted to win the Premier League and the Champions League only to be dethroned by September, forced out of the club after nearly 25 years as chairman.
Peter Charrington became non-executive chairman but Venkatesham quickly surfaced as the front man, running day-to-day affairs under the watch of Vivienne Lewis, daughter of the club’s billionaire former owner Joe, and her son-in-law Nick Beucher.
This raised a few eyebrows at Emirates Stadium, where Venkatesham was well liked and admired for his decency and diligence, but seen essentially as a corporate executive.
He joined Arsenal having worked previously on London 2012, and different roles led him to the post of commercial officer, then managing director when Ivan Gazidis left in 2018 and chief executive two years later before stepping down in 2024.
At Spurs, he was thrust into a triumvirate of power with two Danes, Frank and sporting director Johan Lange. Together they were three logical minds, advocates of stability and sustainable growth. One of their first moves in the post-Levy era was to reappoint Paratici as a second sporting director, once the ban for his part in the Plusvalenza financial scandal in Italian football during his time at Juventus had expired.
Paratici resigned as managing director of Spurs in April 2023 when the ban was confirmed, although was seldom far from the club, retained on a consultancy basis. His return seemed on one hand to be Venkatesham, Lange and Frank accepting there was a gap in their expertise, and they would probably need Paratici’s vast network of contacts and deal-making influence in the transfer market.
On the other hand, it seemed to be a recipe for disagreement. And so it proved. Quite quickly, in fact.
Paratici had pushed for Roberto De Zerbi as head coach when Frank got the job and was later suggesting Frank ought to be sacked, claiming the job was too big for him and that he could still get De Zerbi out of Marseille or Tudor, who had been out of work since his sacking by Juventus in October.
Venkatesham and Lange were keen to hold their nerve and back Frank despite deteriorating form, insisting it was vital Spurs broke the culture of hiring and firing. Venkatesham had overseen Arsenal's transformation by staying loyal to Mikel Arteta despite teething troubles at the start when he was unpopular among many fans.
Frank, like Arteta had at Arsenal, identified culture as the key to success and Venkatesham, like he had at Arsenal, set about re-engaging with the fans’ groups disenfranchised under the Levy regime, in the hope of repairing lost connections and creating a better atmosphere inside the stadium. But the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust have expressed their irritation at the lack of clarity, following meetings with the club, over a direction of travel.
Levy had always been dead set against statues of heroes around the stadium, but Venkatesham was open to the idea - Arsenal legends dot the surrounds of the Emirates after all, with Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Tony Adams among those cast in bronze.
A singing section was trialled at Spurs' FA Cup tie against Aston Villa. Arsenal created an area at the Emirates for the 'Ashburton Army' to improve the atmosphere at the ground.
Spurs in the past have been accused of having an unhealthy obsession with their neighbours. Postecoglou thought it indicated the ‘foundations’ of the club were ‘fragile’ when fans celebrated losing to Manchester City in May 2024 because it damaged Arsenal’s title hopes.
This was reinforced in the wake of the departure of Frank - pictured holding an Arsenal coffee cup before a recent Spurs match at Bournemouth - when it was suggested he had been undermined because he repeatedly made his admiration for the Gunners clear during his eight months at Spurs. So much so that it reportedly annoyed the Spurs players.
Of course, results trump everything, even the best intentions, and as a decent start faded and Frank’s team plunged down the league, Paratici grumbled about the way the club was being run post-Levy and leapt at a chance to leave when Fiorentina approached in December.
Spurs demanded that he stayed in post until the end of the January transfer window, although his mind seemed to be elsewhere. Fiorentina made five loan signings in January after all.
Meanwhile, Spurs, despite Frank’s claims that they had been busy making plans since September, spent £35million on Conor Gallagher when Rodrigo Bentancur was injured and signed teenage left back Souza from Santos in Brazil.
The transfer window became another disappointment for Spurs fans. They wanted to see more activity to arrest the slide, especially as more injuries piled up. There were five serious injuries in five games in January. Claims that they were ever serious contenders for Antoine Semenyo or Marc Guehi hinted at a misguided recruitment policy when both those players ended up at Manchester City.
Spurs considered testing West Ham with a bid for Crysencio Summerville and the idea of Raheem Sterling as a free agent was discussed as the injuries took hold, but Frank said they decided not to interfere with summer recruitment plans.
Paratici started at Fiorentina on February 4, one week before Frank was sacked and yet his lingering influence was clear when Tudor was appointed interim head coach. The Croat and the Italian know each other well from Italian football and worked together at Juventus in 2020-21 when Tudor was assistant to Andrea Pirlo.
Spurs had drawn up contingency lists of interim managers at the start of this season when Paratici was part of the committee, so Lange and Venkatesham simply turned to the working list of options when they sacked Frank after losing at home to Newcastle.
Hardly a case of Venkatesham and Lange thinking on their feet and the whole episode has served to enhance what Paratici had been telling his contacts, that the new Spurs regime did not have much of a plan without him.
Tudor comes in with a clear challenge to keep Spurs safe from relegation. Three wins from 12 games should be enough and that is achievable, especially when players start to return from injury over the next month and onwards.
Venkatesham, though, must prove he has what it takes to run one of London’s finest and most illustrious clubs without Levy or Paratici there at his side. Not only to escape relegation but to hire a new head coach to launch a long climb back to respectability and convince fans there can be better times ahead in N17.
Unfortunately, it begins against Arsenal, the club where his reputation was built and their fiercest rivals, who just happen to be top of the Premier League and chasing four trophies.
All of it adds to the heat on Venkatesham. And without Levy, Paratici or Frank, he is exposed front and centre. Vinai and dry you might say.
The ex-Arsenal man who led Spurs into a relegation fight. He needs the Tudor spell to hasten success and find some solutions fast.
Tottenham have signed a sponsorship deal with an online trading platform which was the first in the country to be fined under new reporting laws - and which featured in an investigation into scam traders.
Earlier this month Spurs said they were 'delighted' to announce 'a multi-year partnership' with INFINOX.
The club added that they would work with the company to 'engage our supporters through educational initiatives to promote informed participation and performance around online trading'.
Chief revenue officer Ryan Norys added that INFINOX 'brings a strong international presence and a clear focus on regulated financial services'.
However, Daily Mail Sport's attention has been brought to a number of matters which may raise eyebrows.
In 2021, the BBC carried out a probe named 'Scam Land' which uncovered how investors lost millions after they were caught up in foreign exchange schemes.
Many of the investments were made via a broker, who then used INFINOX, with those caught out unaware that Spurs' new partner - despite having an office near the Bank of England - were actually based in the Bahamas and not subject to UK regulation or under the control of the Financial Conduct Authority.
The broker, a well-known influencer by the name of Gurvin Singh Dyal, was subsequently reported to Action Fraud having lost an estimated £3.5m.
Singh Dyal, then 28, also admitted a civil charge of contempt of court and was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for two years. The fraud investigation remains ongoing.
A year ago, INFINOX became the first to be fined by the Financial Conduct Authority for failing to submit 46,053 transaction reports which it said 'increased the risk of market abuse going undetected' under new Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation (MiFIR) rules, which are aimed at improving protection for investors. The FCA found that while the company identified the failure through a third-party review, it then failed to 'proactively report the breach' until prompted by the FCA.
As a result, it was fined a total of £99,200.
Currently, a visit to INFINOX's website delivers the message: 'This website does not provide services to UK clients'.
A spokesperson for Tottenham suggested that they had carried out checks before penning the deal. They said: 'We don't disclose the commercial terms of our agreements with partners, this approach to confidentiality is standard in most industries. Due diligence will happen on all high-value contracts.'
INFINOX failed to respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, the value of a 'Fan Token' released by the club in 2023 has collapsed. In January 2024 the token, five of which were offered for free to season ticket holders and members, was priced at $4.67. However, as of last week its value had fallen per cent to a paltry $0.19.