Tottenham are in talks with Roberto De Zerbi to become their next manager.
Spurs, who sit one point above the bottom three with seven games in hand and are in danger of relegation, want the former Brighton manager to take over permanently after Igor Tudor’s departure on Sunday and have offered him a five-year contract.
De Zerbi previously said he would consider his options until the summer, but is now open to taking the job. Spurs are working hard to convince him and talks are expected to take place on Monday.
Spurs hope to approve his third appointment as manager of the season this week before the players return from international duty. What they hope is that Tudor will be made permanent after seven games and 44 days of disastrous coaching.
Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood, who has been repeatedly named as a candidate to replace him, told Sky Sports FC that De Zerbi is the perfect candidate, but only if he can keep Spurs in the Premier League.
“I love his personality and the way the team plays,” said the Sky Sports pundit. “But sometimes they’re open, sometimes they get hammered depending on the game, and they won’t get hammered between now and the end of the season.
“[De Zerbi]wanted to take a break after the game against Marseille in February, but why didn’t[Spurs]bring him in then? Why didn’t they bring him in before Igor Tudor? They would have given him seven more games. Then I would have had absolute confidence that he would have kept the team in the league.”
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.
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“De Zerbi is far from safe hands.”
Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood told Sky Sports News:
“I like him, I really like him. I like his personality. I said many months ago that he would be the player to join Tottenham.
“I would have chosen him over Mauricio Pochettino long-term, because he plays the style that Tottenham fans want to play. He opens the pitch, but not now. That style is not needed now. What they need now is a safe pair. This is far from a safe pair.”
Tim Sherwood believes De Zerbi is a better long-term appointment than former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino
“I still love him. I love his personality and the way the team plays. But sometimes they’re open and sometimes they get hammered depending on the game. They won’t get hammered between now and the end of the season.”
“We saw his Marseille team play against Liverpool with an open style. He opens the pitch and the way he plays is wide.”
“We know how stubborn this guy is. This guy is difficult to deal with, but I like him for that, he has his own ideas and he gets his own way, so that’s my only reservation.”
“If he can get them over the line, I think Tottenham are the best manager to take them forward.
“The main priority is just to keep these guys in the league. He’s not going to be a firefighter type of coach to come in for this seven-game period.”
“He wanted a day off after the Marseille game in February, so why didn’t you bring him in then? Why didn’t you bring him in before the game against Igor Tudor? I would have given him seven more games and I would have had absolute confidence that he would have kept the team in the league.”
“They obviously didn’t want him at the time. He was available, but they didn’t want him.”
Analysis: Maverick De Zerbi gives Spurs the hope they need
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Sky Sports News’ Michael Bridge considers whether De Zerbi could replace Igor Tudor as Tottenham manager
Adam Bate of Sky Sports:
It’s the final roll of the dice. De Zerbi or Tottenham bust? To dare means to do something. Is this combustible nature the motivating force that this situation requires? Probably not. But it’s a promise that intrigues, excites and, importantly, gives hope.
Igor Tudor was a pragmatist in theory and proved nothing off the pitch. De Zerbi at least brings Premier League experience and the potential to change the club’s fortunes in the short and long term. If he can keep the Spurs, it could be a turning point.
For better or worse, his reputation precedes him. An innovator in the way the game is played, his name was most often mentioned a few years ago when this journalist was working on a project about the future of football tactics.
Director after director consulted for the project cited De Zerbi as an inspiration. “He’s creating something that’s probably unique in football right now,” said one. “He’s probably Pep Guardiola’s biggest headache,” added another.
why? “Distance, position, body shape, and the intentions each player has.” These ideas still feel progressive. “How you control the rhythm and move through space is going to be a big key in the future.” His teams tend to take the lead.
While Marseille are a club with a proud history and huge support, there are reasons why De Zerbi was not given a bigger job after leaving Brighton. While his predecessor handed him the keys to Chelsea, something was holding back the European giants.
While the brand of football has not always proven to bring top trophies, De Zerbi’s character, his ability to manage ups and downs, was a more important factor. Will he fit in? No matter what he does at Marseille, those concerns won’t go away.
As early as November of the first season, there were intermittent threats to quit, accusing the players of humiliating him with their performances. By April, there were reports that he was refusing to practice with the team to complain about players above him.
Players were let go during training in August, with Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Lowe both transferred. Marseille is a difficult club for anyone to manage, but De Zerbi, 46, was often thought to have inflamed the situation rather than calming it down.
Will Spurs fans be concerned about this? not much. They desperately need someone who can give the club momentum. Of course it’s in their hands. Still, they are vulnerable. If West Ham try to escape in any way, it could be too much for them.
If so, a summer of condemnation awaits. There will be supporters who chose De Zerbi last summer, and others who will bemoan the fact that they had to endure seven games under Tudor before turning to him now. This last die roll must work.
Is De Zerbi a good choice to use mid-season?
De Zerbi was Brighton manager before joining Marseille.
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.”
