Croatian tactician Tudor has overseen five draws on the bounce followed by back-to-back defeats without scoring against Como and Real Madrid. Far from the winning formula expected from a Juventus manager.
Despite their dismal run they remain within a whisker of topping the Serie A table, although just two points from three Champions League games leaves the Turin titans languishing outside the top 24 in the 32-team Champions League table.
Juventus last experienced a similar winless run when Claudio Ranieri was head coach in 2009, so a change of manager seems on the cards.
Already former Italy managers Roberto Mancini and Luciano Spalletti, who both have won the Scudetto, have turned down approaches with their focus firmly on taking the reins at Juventus in due course.
However, both would be an expensive acquisition for a club that is continuing to pay former boss Thiago Motta and if they axe Tudor would have to fork out a hefty compensation fee.
The return of Motta has been touted as viable within the Italian sports press. The ex-Italy international had a falling out with former Juve sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, who has since left the club.
Motta failed to win over the fans and when he left there was little sympathy from the majority of his squad. Too many draws and sticking to his favored tactical approach cost Motta dear, and Tudor’s tenure appears to be going the same way for the same reasons.
Although Tudor should be given until the international break, which kicks off in the second week of November, to turn things around there are numerous names to swiftly fill his boots.
Next Bianconeri boss candidates
Como manager Cesc Fabregas and former Fiorentina boss Raffaele Palladino would be the cheap options, but not as economical as reappointing Motta until the end of the season.
Eden Terzic, who recently turned down AS Monaco after leaving Borussia Dortmund in June 2024, is a mid-priced option.
Mancini, Spalletti, ex-Barcelona boss Xavi and former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane are all top-notch but would cost big bucks.
With Olympique Marseille’s Roberto De Zerbi and Fulham’s Marco Silva staying put, the Bianconeri have turned their attention to a former Premier League head coach who won the 2024/25 Europa League.
Postecoglou in mix for Juve
Ange Postecoglou, who was sacked by Tottenham Hotspur shortly after lifting the Europa League trophy, is understood to be included on Juve’s managerial shortlist.
The 60-year-old Australian holds the record for the shortest Premier League spell as manager, given the boot by struggling Nottingham Forest after 39 disastrous days in charge after failing to win a game.
Juventus general manager Damien Comolli is a known admirer of no-nonsense Postecoglou, despite the Athens-born coach having struggled in the English top tier with two teams. He collected just 31 wins from 81 Premier League matches.
Postecoglou has a knack for winning silverware, having picked up 13 trophies during his senior coaching career, and was a big hit in Australia, Japan and Scotland.
Tackling the slow pace of Serie A compared to the highly physical and swift play of the Premier League could suit his entertaining yet aggressive 4-3-3 formation nicknamed Ange-ball.
Tudor spate with Juventus hierarchy
Although the writing is not quite on the wall for Tudor, who has caused a rift with Comolli by making public comments about the summer transfers, something substantial needs to occur to prevent the 47-year-old from being given the boot next month.
Tudor’s tactics and seemingly aimless second half substitutions are not cutting the mustard with some of his squad members, many pundits and certainly most of the Juventus fans.
Under pressure Tudor admitted in a recent press conference: “Honestly, I don’t have this fear [about being sacked]. I’m aware of what’s around me, it’s all clear to me.
“When you see things clearly, you have a strength that you wouldn’t have had in other moments. As for the future, I’m not concerned, I don’t think about myself.”