Mauricio Pochettino to return? Three candidates to succeed Thomas Frank as Tottenham Hotspur manager

Tottenham Hotspur confirmed on Wednesday morning that Thomas Frank had been dismissed from his role as head coach, with the Board making the decision due to poor results and performances.

The Danish manager leaves with the club disastrously placed 16th in the Premier League standings with just 29 points after 26 games, from seven wins, eight draws and 11 defeats, leaving Spurs sitting precariously five points above the bottom three.

Fans had been calling for Frank's dismissal for a number of weeks, with consistently underwhelming performances and results, leading to continuous rumours regarding the manager's potential successor.

Here, Sports Mole will take a look at three candidates that could replace Frank as Tottenham Hotspur manager.

Mauricio Pochettino

Pochettino remains a beloved figure at Tottenham Hotspur, with the Argentinian enjoying a successful spell at the club between July 2014 and November 2019.

The manager guided Tottenham Hotspur to the Champions League final and second place in the Premier League during his time at the helm, and many Spurs supporters feel as though Pochettino could have been more successful with more backing from the club in the transfer market.

Despite later managing rivals Chelsea, Pochettino has since spoken fondly of Spurs, while fans of the club continue to show their love for the manager, with his song still heard around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that the manager would be open to a sensational Spurs return, but with Pochettino set to lead the United States into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, any homecoming is unlikely to take place until the summer.

Given the club have sacked Frank with 13 games of the Premier League season still to play, and with Spurs fighting for their survival in the top flight, the Board may be unwilling to wait for a permanent successor, meaning this option may not be top of their list.

Roberto De Zerbi

Unlike Pochettino, Roberto De Zerbi is newly available on the manager market, having left Marseille by mutual consent just hours before Frank's dismissal.

The Italian manager could, therefore, be one of the main options to succeed the Dane at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, especially with De Zerbi's previous Premier League experience.

De Zerbi enjoyed a particularly successful first season as Brighton & Hove Albion boss in 2022-23, leading the Seagulls into European competition for the first time in their history with a seventh-placed finish.

The 2023-24 campaign was less productive for manager and club, dropping to an 11th-placed finish and ending with De Zerbi's departure due to unresolvable differences over the club's recruitment.

The manager went on to show his quality once again at Marseille, guiding the club to a second-placed Ligue 1 finish in 2024-25, but De Zerbi's less successful second campaign led to the manager leaving by mutual consent.

During his time at both clubs, De Zerbi was able to create a thrilling and attractive style of play that could prove an enticing option for Spurs, especially after Frank's largely uninspiring and negative approach to matches.

Although the manager is also known to fall out with club hierarchies, De Zerbi's previous record at the top level of European football, as well as his immediate availability, will surely make him a top option for the club.

Robbie Keane

Keane's name has been consistently linked with the Tottenham Hotspur job in recent months, with the former Spurs striker proving his managerial qualities abroad.

Keane led Maccabi Tel-Aviv to a league title in his first head coach role, followed by lifting the title with Ferencvaros in his second managerial position, and they are on course to defend their crown with Keane's team sat top of the league so far this term.

The former Tottenham Hotspur striker, who scored 122 times in 306 appearances for the club, would have the advantage of almost immediately getting the disenfranchised Spurs supporters back on side, given Keane is a club legend.

However, with Tottenham Hotspur in genuine risk of being sucked into the relegation zone, the club's hierarchy may opt for a more experienced manager to see out the remainder of the season.

With Ferencvaros also, as aforementioned, top of their league table and also into the knockout rounds of the Europa League, Keane may be unwilling to jump ship mid-season, meaning this may be a move for the summer.