Roberto De Zerbi is the new head coach of Tottenham Hotspur, taking charge with the club in 17th place, one point above West Ham United and two points behind Nottingham Forest. He has seven games to save Tottenham from relegation, with his first match against Sunderland scheduled for the coming weekend. The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust raised concerns about De Zerbi's comments on Greenwood, calling them 'unnecessary, ill-judged, and deeply offensive' in a public statement.
De Zerbi's annual salary is £12 million, according to multiple reports. His contract does not include a break clause if Tottenham are relegated, securing his position regardless of the season's outcome. De Zerbi had been available since his exit from Marseille in February and was reluctant to take the Spurs job immediately, preferring to join in the summer, but Tottenham persuaded him by offering a five-year deal and a huge salary only topped by Pep Guardiola in the Premier League, according to research from two sources. De Zerbi will work under the title of head coach and stated he is delighted to join Tottenham, believes in the club's ambition, and signed a long-term contract to deliver it. He added that the short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table.
He is a good guy who paid a heavy price.
De Zerbi wants to bring back the attacking style of play seen under Ange Postecoglou, often referred to as 'Ange-ball,' according to his own statements. He is one of football's maverick managers who prefers playing with a swagger over set pieces and fine margins, based on research from two sources. According to www.goal.com, De Zerbi described his philosophy as aiming to enjoy football and be a protagonist by keeping possession and building up play through creative players. Most players who have worked under De Zerbi can vouch that he changed the way they perceived football, research from two sources indicates. He led Brighton to their highest-ever Premier League finish of sixth in 2022-23 and took them to the Europa League last 16 a season later, according to the same research.
Tottenham have not won a Premier League game in the first 100 days of 2026, multiple reports confirm. The club made checks on De Zerbi at the end of the 2022-23 season when they finished eighth, research from two sources shows. Spurs sacked Igor Tudor on Sunday just 44 days after the interim manager arrived, according to that research. De Zerbi’s first job is to evade relegation from the Premier League, with his first game against Sunderland on Sunday week, as noted in research from two sources.
I never wanted to downplay the issue of violence against women and I apologize if I offended anyone.
Since arriving, De Zerbi has had many individual meetings with players and team meetings, he said. He is living in on-site accommodation at Tottenham's training ground, according to multiple reports. Cristian Romero and Pedro Porro were given extra days off by interim boss Igor Tudor, which De Zerbi honored, those reports indicate. Mohammed Kudus is set to return from injury later in April, potentially for the Wolves game on April 25, according to multiple reports, though the exact timeline for his recovery remains uncertain.
De Zerbi previously managed Mason Greenwood at Marseille and called him a 'good guy' who paid a 'heavy price,' according to his own statements. Mason Greenwood moved to Marseille in 2024 after being arrested in 2022 on suspicion of rape, assault, and coercive behaviour, with charges dropped in 2023, research from two sources confirms. De Zerbi responded to the backlash, saying he never wanted to downplay the issue of violence against women and apologizing if he offended anyone, according to his statements. How this fan backlash will affect his relationship with supporters is unclear.
He is not a safe pair of hands for Tottenham's relegation battle.
Tim Sherwood said De Zerbi is not 'a safe pair of hands' for Tottenham's relegation battle, according to his comments. Danny Murphy expressed concerns about De Zerbi's ability to keep Tottenham up, comparing it to Graham Potter's move from Brighton to Chelsea, based on his statements. Rio Ferdinand said he would not take the Tottenham job if he were De Zerbi, citing the club's lack of ambition and spending, according to his remarks. Victor Wanyama backs De Zerbi to save Tottenham from relegation and turn them into a competitive force, he stated.
De Zerbi had a falling-out with Leandro Trossard at Brighton, leading to Trossard's transfer to Arsenal, according to multiple reports. De Zerbi left Marseille due to 'a different view of football,' he said. No 'big club' had previously hired De Zerbi due to his volatility and the risk of his teams collapsing, research from two sources indicates. De Zerbi's teams are almost as likely to blow teams away as they are to get walked all over, that research shows. How this volatility will impact Tottenham's relegation battle is an open question.
I have concerns about De Zerbi's ability to keep Tottenham up, similar to Graham Potter's move from Brighton to Chelsea.
Johan Lange said De Zerbi was Tottenham's number one target for the summer and is a creative, forward-thinking coach with high-level experience, according to his statements. De Zerbi remains high on Manchester United's shortlist for the upcoming summer if they do not hire Michael Carrick long-term, according to research from two sources.
Dejan Kulusevski cried after Sweden qualified for the World Cup on the same day De Zerbi was appointed, multiple reports indicate. The emotional context of his appointment adds another layer to the high-stakes environment at Tottenham.
I would not take the Tottenham job if I were De Zerbi, due to the club's lack of ambition and spending.
De Zerbi's volatility and the risk of his teams collapsing pose significant factors for Tottenham's survival, with his maverick style potentially leading to unpredictable results in the critical final games. The lack of a relegation clause in his contract means Tottenham are committed to his long-term project regardless of this season's outcome, but immediate success is paramount to avoid the drop.
The specific actions De Zerbi will take to implement his attacking philosophy at Tottenham are not yet detailed, leaving his tactical approach in the coming matches uncertain. Beyond the five-year length and lack of relegation clause, the detailed terms of De Zerbi's contract have not been disclosed, adding to the unknowns surrounding his appointment.
My philosophy is to enjoy football and be a protagonist by keeping possession and building up play through creative players.
I am delighted to join Tottenham, believe in the club's ambition, and signed a long-term contract to deliver it.
The short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table.
De Zerbi was Tottenham's number one target for the summer and is a creative, forward-thinking coach with high-level experience.