Tottenham Hotspur’s 2025/26 season was a chaos-filled campaign that saw one of the world’s richest clubs come frighteningly close to relegation. A run of poor signings, an escalating injury crisis, boardroom upheaval and three managerial changes combined to produce Tottenham’s most disturbing year in decades — a season that ended with a last-day escape rather than anything resembling stability.
A turbulent start
After parting company with Ange Postecoglou despite Europa League success, Spurs appointed Thomas Frank. His first competitive match ended in defeat on penalties in the UEFA Super Cup after Spurs surrendered a two-goal lead. The mood soured further in the summer transfer window: Eberechi Eze switched to Arsenal, Tottenham missed out on Morgan Gibbs-White, and the club failed to secure the creative reinforcements they needed.
Injuries and thin resources
Tottenham’s campaign was crippled by injuries. James Maddison suffered a full ACL rupture in pre-season, Dejan Kulusevski remained out for long periods, and new signing Xavi Simons (bought for around £51m) struggled to adapt before also sustaining a season-ending ACL injury in April. Transfermarkt counted a league-high run of absentees at one point, continuing a pattern from the previous season when Spurs also ranked highly for injuries. The combination of long-term absences and limited winter recruitment left the squad short on creativity and depth.
Boardroom shock and early promise
September brought a further shock when chairman Daniel Levy stepped down after almost 25 years in charge. Ownership reassurances followed, but the off-field uncertainty ran alongside a mixed start under Frank: a bright October saw Spurs sitting near the top of the table, but that promise would not last.
The November collapse
November marked the beginning of a freefall. A poor home defeat to Chelsea exposed on-field frailties and sparked visible tensions between players and Frank. A heavy loss at Arsenal was compounded by the sight of Eze — the man Spurs failed to sign — scoring a hat-trick for the rival. Fan unrest grew after a howler by goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario in a home loss to Fulham; Frank publicly criticised supporters for booing, which widened the divide between manager, players and fans.
Escalating unrest
Incidents off the pitch fed the narrative of a fractured dressing room. After a defeat at Bournemouth, Frank was photographed drinking from an Arsenal-branded cup before the match — an image that became emblematic of the detachment perceived by supporters. Tensions boiled over further when Cristian Romero posted criticism of the club’s hierarchy on social media (a post later edited), with teammates publicly showing support. Poor discipline on the pitch — Romero’s red card at Old Trafford was costly — coincided with the start of a club-record six-game losing run.
Managerial roulette: Frank out, Tudor in
Thomas Frank was relieved of his duties in the aftermath of sustained poor form. The board’s replacement, Igor Tudor, arrived with a short-term deal and produced one of the bleakest spells in club history. Tudor lost his first four Premier League games, became the first Spurs boss to do so, and presided over defensive errors and embarrassing defeats. European nights offered brief respite — a dramatic second-leg win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League knockouts — but domestically Spurs slid deeper into trouble. After less than seven weeks, and with the club precariously positioned in the table, Tudor was sacked.
De Zerbi’s rescue and VAR controversies
Roberto De Zerbi became Tottenham’s third head coach of the season and inherited a side in the relegation zone. Early results under him were inconsistent: a defeat at Sunderland and a stoppage-time Brighton equaliser extended a 15-match winless league run. Spurs finally recorded crucial victories — including a nervy win at Wolves and an important 2-1 away win at Aston Villa that briefly lifted them out of the bottom three — but their route to safety was littered with costly errors and controversial video assistant referee (VAR) decisions.
High-profile moments that swung the season
Several incidents shaped the run-in. Mathys Tel’s reckless overhead kick at home to Leeds led to a penalty that turned a potential three-point swing into a draw. Later, James Maddison was denied a late penalty after a challenge that VAR judged contact with the ball had occurred; Spurs and supporters felt hard done by. At Chelsea, many believed a clear pull on Micky van de Ven in the box should have been a penalty; VAR again ruled otherwise. These moments, combined with defensive lapses and individual mistakes, amplified the pressure.
Final day survival
It all came down to the last game. Spurs faced an Everton side already down the table, and a hard-fought performance produced the win they needed. Midfielder Palhinha again produced key moments and the players’ late celebrations focused on relief as much as joy. De Zerbi received the loudest plaudits on the final lap of appreciation, but the wider picture was alarming: back-to-back 17th-place finishes and a season that nearly ended in relegation exposed systemic problems.
What went wrong and what must change
The campaign highlighted multiple failings. Recruitment missteps left the squad short of the right balance and depth; injuries were not adequately mitigated; discipline and unity in the dressing room broke down at times; and managerial turnover prevented any sustained strategic approach. Off the pitch, the departure of a long-serving chairman and public rows raised questions about club governance.
Looking ahead
Survival offers a platform, but not a solution. Tottenham cannot afford the same mix of misfortune, poor decisions and disunity next season. Clear recruitment that replaces lost creativity, a medical and sports-science overhaul to reduce injury disruption, and stable, decisive leadership will be essential if the club is to rebuild credibility and prevent a repeat of this near-catastrophe.