Tottenham handed blow in their pursuit of Niko Kovac

Tottenham Hotspur have suffered a massive blow in their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac.

While Igor Tudor has taken charge at Tottenham on an interim basis, the North London club’s search for their next permanent manager continues. Borussia Dortmund’s Niko Kovac is among the top contenders for the job.

Tottenham are keen on having the 54-year-old manager on their bench and have stepped up their pursuit for his signature, but according to a report from Football Insider, Dortmund are reluctant to lose Kovac.

He took charge of the Bundesliga giants at the start of 2025 and has done a great job so far. He has managed them in 62 matches in total, and he averages close to 2 points per game. Kovac has managed some top clubs over the years. He has had stints at Frankfurt, Bayern Munich, AS Monaco and Wolfsburg before taking charge at Dortmund.

Tottenham want Niko Kovac on their bench?

Kovac is quite high on Tottenham’s wishlist as they look for their next manager. Following Thomas Frank’s dismissal, they handed the reins to Tudor. But he is on a short-term contract. While they will consider him for the full-time role, it will largely depend on his performance until the end of the season.

For now, the North London club continue to look at potential options to lead their project going forward. The Croatian manager is one of the names on their wishlist. While they continue to do their due diligence on him, Dortmund have already made their stance on him quite clear.

The German club do not have any intentions of letting him leave with his contract running until 2027. While he is underpressure by the fans following an early exit from the Champions League, the club are confident about him being the right guy. They won’t dismiss him, nor will they allow him to join Tottenham if they end up making a move.

The Bundesliga giants are prepared to do everything in their power to keep hold of him. The North London club have already reached out to Kovac regarding a potential move. While the manager seems open to taking up the job, Dortmund want him around for at least another season despite the UCL exit. If Spurs want him on their bench, they will have to convince the German club’s board.