Roberto De Zerbi has been appointed as the new manager of Tottenham Hotspur, tasked with saving the club from relegation in the final seven games of the season. According to reports, Tottenham sit 17th in the Premier League, just one point above the relegation zone, though another source claims the club is below the relegation line and threatened with relegation to the Championship.
According to reports, De Zerbi's appointment comes with an annual salary of £12 million, making him one of the highest-paid managers in the league. He is living in on-site accommodation at Tottenham's training ground and has already held numerous meetings with players individually and as a team to instill his footballing ideas. De Zerbi stated he is delighted to join the club, believes in its ambition, and signed a long-term contract to deliver success, with the immediate priority being to climb the Premier League table. Tottenham's technical director Johan Lange confirmed De Zerbi was the club's number one target for the summer, describing him as a creative, forward-thinking coach with high-level experience.
Unnecessary, ill-judged, and deeply offensive.
According to www.goal.com, De Zerbi described football as being about enjoyment and being a protagonist on the pitch through ball possession. He also emphasized building up play to reach attacking players in good situations to showcase their quality. Most players who have worked under him can vouch that he changed the way they perceived football, and his track record includes leading Brighton to their highest-ever Premier League finish of sixth in 2022-23 and taking them to the Europa League last 16 the following season. According to multiple reports, no 'big club' had previously hired De Zerbi due to his volatility and the risk of his teams collapsing, as they are almost as likely to blow teams away as they are to get walked all over themselves.
The appointment has been overshadowed by controversy stemming from De Zerbi's past comments about Mason Greenwood. De Zerbi previously managed Greenwood at Marseille and, according to Daily Express - Sport, described him as a 'good guy' who paid a 'heavy price'. Greenwood moved to Marseille in 2024, two years after being arrested on suspicion of rape, assault, and coercive and controlling behavior, with charges dropped the following year. The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust raised concerns, calling the comments 'unnecessary, ill-judged, and deeply offensive'. In response, De Zerbi said he 'never wanted to downplay the issue of violence against women' and apologized if he offended anyone.
He is not a safe pair of hands.
According to Daily Mail - Sport, Tim Sherwood described De Zerbi as not 'a safe pair of hands' for Tottenham's relegation battle. Danny Murphy expressed concerns about De Zerbi's ability to keep Tottenham up, comparing it to Graham Potter's move from Brighton to Chelsea. According to Metro - Main, Rio Ferdinand described how he would turn down the Tottenham job if he were De Zerbi due to the club's lack of ambition and spending. In contrast, former Tottenham player Victor Wanyama backs De Zerbi to save the club from relegation and turn them into a competitive force.
Tottenham's recent struggles have been severe, with the club not winning a Premier League game in the first 100 days of 2026. Igor Tudor served as interim manager before De Zerbi, lasting only 44 days. De Zerbi had been available since his exit from Marseille in February, citing 'a different view of football' as the reason for his departure. De Zerbi was offered the Tottenham job in February but declined, preferring to have more time before starting. The club had made checks on De Zerbi at the end of the 2022-23 season when they finished eighth, and multiple reports indicate they persuaded him to join immediately by offering a five-year deal and a huge salary only topped by Pep Guardiola in the Premier League.
I would turn down the Tottenham job if I were De Zerbi due to the club's lack of ambition and spending.
De Zerbi's managerial history includes notable conflicts, such as a falling-out with Leandro Trossard at Brighton that led to Trossard's transfer to Arsenal, according to multiple reports. The specific reasons for that falling-out remain unclear. On the squad front, defenders Cristian Romero and Pedro Porro were given extra days off after international duty and returned on Monday, according to multiple reports. Winger Mohammed Kudus is set to return from injury later this month, which could boost Tottenham's survival chances, though the exact timeline for his return is uncertain as reports conflict between 'later this month' and 'end of April'. Meanwhile, Dejan Kulusevski cried after Sweden qualified for the World Cup, amid his injury struggles this season, according to multiple reports.
De Zerbi’s first match in charge is a crucial Premier League fixture against Sunderland on Sunday week. According to other sources, the match starts at 15:00. His immediate task is to evade relegation, with Tottenham in 17th place, a point ahead of West Ham United and two points behind Nottingham Forest, with seven games to go.
De Zerbi was our number one target for the summer and is a creative, forward-thinking coach with high-level experience.
For that match, De Zerbi's first starting lineup includes Swedish player Lucas Bergvall, according to other sources. The reported Tottenham lineup is: Kinsky - Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie - Bergvall, Gallagher, Gray - Kolo Muani, Solanke, Richarlison. Sunderland's reported starting lineup is: Roefs - Mukiele, O'Nien, Alderete, Reinildo - Xhaka, Sadiki, Diarra - Rigg, Brobbey, Le Fee.
Beyond the immediate crisis, De Zerbi's broader reputation remains high, as multiple reports indicate he is still on Manchester United's shortlist for the upcoming summer if they decide not to hire Michael Carrick long-term. Several unknowns persist, including whether De Zerbi's contract includes a relegation clause, as one source mentions 'no relegation clause' while others do not specify. The full details of his comments about Mason Greenwood that sparked fan concerns also remain unclear beyond the quoted 'good guy' remark, and the specific mechanisms of how Tottenham persuaded him to join immediately are not fully detailed beyond the reported offer.