By OkayGoal 
Tottenham Hotspur search for a new manager took a significant turn on Monday morning when Adi Hutter publicly ruled himself out of the running.
The Austrian, who had been repeatedly linked with replacing Igor Tudor at Spurs following Tudor’s departure on Sunday, confirmed via Sky Sports Austria that he has no intention of taking any managerial role until the summer at the earliest. That statement closes one door firmly, but the situation at Spurs remains urgent with a new head coach needed within days.
Reports suggest Tottenham want a new manager in place quickly, giving them approximately ten days to work with the squad before the next fixture at the Stadium of Light.
The clock is ticking, and with seven Premier League games remaining and the club fighting to avoid relegation. Getting the right appointment and getting it done fast is quite important given the situation they find themselves in.
Adi Hütter Tottenham statement ends speculation over Tudor replacement role
Hütter’s words left no room for misinterpretation. “In recent days and weeks, I have been increasingly linked with various clubs,” he said.
“However, as I already stated immediately after my time at Monaco, I would prefer not to work as a head coach again until the start of the new season at the earliest. My position on this matter has not changed since then.”
The 56-year-old has been out of work since parting ways with Monaco last October, having guided the Ligue 1 club to back-to-back Champions League qualifications in his two previous seasons there.
Some outlets had suggested over the weekend that concrete talks between Hütter and Tottenham had taken place, claims that Sky Sport Germany had already pushed back on. His own statement now removes any remaining ambiguity. Spurs need to look elsewhere, and they need to do so immediately.
Roberto De Zerbi remains Tottenham’s dream managerial candidate to beat the drop
With Hutter out of the picture, attention at Spurs turns firmly to Roberto De Zerbi. Reports indicate that the former Brighton manager is Tottenham’s top target and their preferred solution to the current crisis.
Talks are understood to be ongoing, though a separate report suggests there has been a twist in negotiations despite a five-year contract offer and significant guarantees being put on the table. De Zerbi’s appointment would represent a genuine statement of ambition from the club, even amid the chaos of a relegation battle.
The challenge with De Zerbi is whether his style of football (typically possession-based and attack-minded) can be adapted quickly enough to produce results in a survival scrap with very little time on the training ground to implement new ideas. That is not a reason to avoid the appointment, but it is a practical consideration Tottenham’s board will be weighing up.
