According to Italy’s Sky, former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is open to joining Tottenham as their new manager immediately.
Italy’s Sky reports that negotiations are expected to take place with manager De Zerbi over a proposed five-year contract from Spurs. Spurs are seeking a third managerial appointment this season following the departure of manager Igor Tudor on Sunday.
Sky Sports News understands that Tottenham’s preference is for Tudor to be permanently appointed after a disastrous run of seven games in 44 days.
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Sky Sports News’ Michael Bridge considers whether Roberto De Zerbi could replace Igor Tudor as Tottenham manager as the club looks to avoid relegation from the Premier League
Sky Sports News has reported for several weeks that all options are on the table, including bringing forward the summer target.
De Zerbi ranks high among them, along with former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino, who is under contract to coach the United States until after this summer’s World Cup.
Several Spurs fan groups are calling on the club to reconsider De Zerbi’s possible appointment, citing his support for Mason Greenwood during his time at Marseille.
Will De Zerbi have a change of heart?
De Zerbi has been available since leaving Marseille in February, but Italian outlet Sky reported last week that the player was unlikely to join Tottenham or any other club before the end of the season.
The 46-year-old had intended to avoid returning to football immediately in order to consider his options in the summer.
However, it appears he has had a change of heart and could join relegation-threatened Spurs.
The north London club sit just one point above the relegation zone with seven games remaining in the Premier League.
Tottenham will aim to avoid relegation to the Second Division for the first time since 1977 when they play Sunderland in their next match on April 12, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Sunday, April 12th 1:00 p.m.
Kickoff at 2pm
De Zerbi has been in charge of Brighton for almost two seasons, finishing the 2022/23 season in sixth place, qualifying for Europe for the first time in the club’s history, achieving the club’s best ever top-flight result, and a return to the Premier League on the horizon.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk manager then left the Seagulls at the end of the following season, after finishing 11th and reaching the last 16 of the Europa League.
De Zerbi then joined Marseille in the summer of 2024, but after a staged exit from the Champions League and a 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, he left by mutual consent last month, leaving Marseille in fourth place in Ligue 1 after finishing runners-up to PSG the previous season.
Is De Zerbi a good choice to use mid-season?
Tottenham, currently one point above the relegation zone, need a head coach who can deliver immediate results to ensure they remain in the league with seven games remaining.
De Zerbi established himself as a coach who instilled a possession-based philosophy and built a team that was praised for its appealing style of football.
However, the Italian’s start at Brighton, who was appointed midway through the 2022 season following the departure of Graham Potter, suggests he may struggle to make the necessary impact.
Despite a tough schedule, De Zerbi led Brighton to a winless start in his first five Permier League games, with two draws and three defeats.
When he was appointed to Serie A newcomer Benevento midway through the 2017 season, De Zerbi’s team were praised for their football, but were relegated from Italy’s top flight.
De Zerbi did not win a single game in his first nine games as Benevento’s manager.
The Italian struggled when he took charge of Palermo midway through the 2016 season, winning just one of 13 games before being sacked after less than three months in charge.
Why Spurs fan groups oppose De Zerbi’s appointment
Three Tottenham fan groups had previously called on the club to reconsider de Zerbi’s possible appointment, citing his past support for Marseille forward Mason Greenwood.
Fan groups Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane and Spurs Reach all raised concerns about the Italian after working with Greenwood at Marseille.
Former Manchester United forward Greenwood was charged in October 2022 with one count of attempted rape, one count of controlling/coercive behavior and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to a young woman whose images and videos were posted online.
The Crown Prosecution Service withdrew the charges in February 2023, citing “a combination of withdrawals of key witnesses” and “no realistic prospect of conviction”. Greenwood then restarted his career and joined Marseille in 2024.
In November, Mr De Zerbi described Mr Greenwood as a “good man” who had paid a “huge price”, adding: “I’m sad about what happened to his life, because I know a very different person to this person described.”
Spurs’ LGBTQI+ fan group Proud Lilywhites said: “We have seen reports linking Roberto De Zerbi to the Tottenham job and frankly that is not the right fit.”
“As Proud Lilywhites, we care deeply about this club, not just what happens on the pitch, but what Tottenham stands for off the pitch. It’s not just about results or the style of football. It’s about values, identity and the kind of people we choose to represent.”
“Everyone wants Spurs to move on, but what they do about it is important. When someone in that position publicly defends a player like Mason Greenwood and frames it in a way that downplays the seriousness of what happened, it’s important not just in the isolated circumstances, but also in what it suggests.”
“We are proud of the progress we have made in making football more inclusive and welcoming.
“That progress is important and cannot be compromised or treated as secondary.
“We’re not looking for perfection. We’re looking for accountability, transparency and leadership that reflects the values that this club stands for. All at all times. That has to mean something. No to De Zerbi.”
The Lane women added: “We want to clarify how this (assumptions) is impacting many women and allies in our community.
“Mr De Zerbi has publicly defended Mr Mason Greenwood in a way that downplays the seriousness of male violence against women and girls. This raises serious questions of his judgment and leadership.”
“This is not the appointment that Tottenham Hotspur should make.”
A statement from Spurs Reach said: “Comments previously attributed to Roberto de Zerbi, including his public comments defending and contextualizing Mason Greenwood following serious allegations, have been widely criticized for appearing to downplay the seriousness of violence against women.
“Regardless of the intent, frameworks of this nature risk normalizing harmful attitudes, degrading the experience for survivors, and sending a very worrying message about what is acceptable in the game.
“We all want the club to progress, but we have to do so in a way that reflects the club’s values. No to De Zerbi.”
