Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Igor Tudor as interim head coach until the end of the season.

The former Croatia international has signed a deal running through to June following Wednesday’s dismissal of Thomas Frank. Tudor’s first match in charge will be next Sunday’s north London derby against Arsenal.

“It is an honour to join this club at an important moment,” Tudor told the club’s official website.

“I understand the responsibility I have been handed, and my focus is clear: to bring greater consistency to our performances and compete with conviction in every match.

“There is strong quality in this playing squad, and my job is to organise it, energise it and improve our results quickly.”

Tudor inherits a side sitting 16th in the Premier League, five points above the relegation zone and without a league win in eight matches. Frank was dismissed after just eight months in charge, with his final game a 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United.

Despite domestic struggles, Tottenham performed strongly in Europe, securing automatic qualification for the Champions League round of 16 with a fourth-place finish in the league phase.

Sporting director Johan Lange said: “Igor brings clarity, intensity and experience of stepping into challenging moments and producing impact.

“Our objective is straightforward — to stabilise performances, maximise the quality within the squad and compete strongly in the Premier League and Champions League.”

Tudor has been out of work since October, when he was sacked by Juventus after a seven-month spell with the Italian club. He left with the team eighth in Serie A and on an eight-game winless run.

As a player, Tudor won two Serie A titles during a nine-year spell with Juventus before moving into management with Hajduk Split in 2013. He has since coached a number of clubs, including Galatasaray, Udinese, Marseille and Lazio.