Tottenham sporting director hints Igor Tudor could stay on as manager beyond this season

Johan Lange has revealed interim manager Johan Lange could be given the Tottenham role permanently if things go to plan.

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.”

The current expectation is that Tottenham will appoint a new permanent boss in the summer, with Tudor’s main objective being to steer the club away from a humiliating relegation.

Lange declined to discuss the club’s managerial search, however, and when asked if former boss Mauricio Pochettino would be on a summer shortlist, he said: "Igor has been here for five days. That is our focus and I am not going to comment on any names that have been linked to the job.

"Our focus right now, as I said, is to get high up in the table in the league, focusing on the Champions League as well. That is our focus right now and I am sure you can understand that."

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Lange did confirm that a manager with a possession-based style of play will be targeted in the summer after Thomas Frank failed to truly win over Spurs' fanbase with a pragmatic and direct brand of football.

"It is definitely something high up on the list," Lange acknowledged.

"We are very ambitious to create a team that can play dominant football and that can control the matches with the ball for a few reasons. If you look across almost every league in the world, that is how you can say the top teams normally are successful.

"Then we are also a club with a rich history of having some of the best offensive players in the world and having a very particular style of play that resonates with the history, resonates with the fans.

"And I think that combined with having a possession-dominant, aggressive style of play, those two things go hand in hand. Of course that is something that is important for us here at the club."

Additional reporting from PA