Roberto De Zerbi is the new manager of Tottenham Hotspur, arriving with the immediate challenge of securing Premier League survival. The club are in 17th place, one point above West Ham United and two points behind Nottingham Forest, leaving De Zerbi with seven games to save Tottenham from relegation. This precarious position follows a 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest prior to the international break, intensifying the pressure on the new appointment. The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust has raised concerns about De Zerbi's past comments on Mason Greenwood, adding an off-field dimension to his daunting task.
De Zerbi's contract details reveal a significant investment by the club to secure his services. According to multiple reports, his annual salary is £12 million, a figure only topped by Pep Guardiola in the Premier League. Spurs persuaded De Zerbi to join immediately by offering a five-year deal and this huge salary, overcoming his reported reluctance to take the job before the summer. De Zerbi said he is delighted to join Tottenham, believes in the club's ambition, and signed a long-term contract to deliver it.
De Zerbi is not a safe pair of hands for Tottenham's relegation battle.
De Zerbi's football philosophy centers on an attacking, possession-based style that he aims to implement quickly. He wants to bring back the attacking style of play seen under Ange Postecoglou, often referred to as 'Ange-ball'. De Zerbi told The Athletic that his footballing philosophy prioritizes enjoyment and being a protagonist on the pitch through ball possession. He believes in building up play to reach attacking players (No.7, No.9, No.10, No.11) in good situations. Research indicates he is one of football's maverick managers who prefers playing with a swagger over set pieces and fine margins, with most players who have worked under him saying he changed the way they perceived football.
His managerial history, however, includes volatility that has concerned some observers. De Zerbi left Marseille due to 'a different view of football', according to his own statement, and no 'big club' had previously hired him due to his volatility and the risk of his teams collapsing. Research shows De Zerbi frequently and publicly threatens to walk away from jobs if he feels he's not the right person, and his teams are almost as likely to blow teams away as they are to get walked all over. At Brighton, he had a falling-out with Leandro Trossard, leading to Trossard's departure, though Trossard's agent disputed De Zerbi's account of the training session incident.
I have concerns about De Zerbi's ability to keep Tottenham up.
In his first week, De Zerbi has focused on squad management and building relationships. He has held many meetings with players to transfer his ideas and 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, showing a pragmatic approach to inherited arrangements. De Zerbi claimed he was pleasantly surprised by the spirit inside Tottenham's camp after his first week, suggesting a positive initial reception from the squad.
Controversy has emerged over De Zerbi's past comments about Mason Greenwood, who moved to Marseille in 2024, two years after being arrested on suspicion of rape, assault, and coercive and controlling behaviour. De Zerbi previously called Mason Greenwood a 'good guy' who paid a 'heavy price', though the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges against Greenwood the following year, citing the withdrawal of key evidence. De Zerbi has apologized, saying he never wanted to downplay violence against women. The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust has raised concerns about these remarks, though the extent of fan backlash and its potential impact on De Zerbi's tenure remains uncertain.
I back De Zerbi to save Tottenham from relegation.
Pundit reactions to the appointment are divided, reflecting the high-stakes nature of the relegation battle. According to Daily Mail - Sport, Tim Sherwood described De Zerbi as not 'a safe pair of hands' for Tottenham's relegation battle, while Danny Murphy expressed concerns about De Zerbi's ability to keep Tottenham up. In contrast, Victor Wanyama backs De Zerbi to save Tottenham from relegation, according to Daily Mail - Sport. Rio Ferdinand offered a broader critique, with Metro - Main reporting he described how he would turn down the Tottenham job if he were De Zerbi, citing the club's lack of ambition.
Injury updates provide some hope for squad reinforcement, though timelines are unclear. Mohammed Kudus is set to return from injury later this month, which could boost Tottenham, according to multiple reports, but interim manager Igor Tudor previously indicated Kudus would not be fit until the end of April. Meanwhile, Dejan Kulusevski cried after Sweden qualified for the World Cup, amid his injury struggles, as reported by multiple sources.
If I were De Zerbi, I would turn down the Tottenham job due to the club's lack of ambition.
Tottenham's recent struggles have led to managerial instability, with De Zerbi becoming the latest appointment. The club have not won a Premier League game in the first 100 days of 2026, according to multiple reports, and Spurs sacked Igor Tudor on Sunday just 44 days after the interim manager arrived. This defeat to Nottingham Forest prior to the international break exacerbated the crisis, leaving the team one point above the relegation zone. De Zerbi's appointment follows checks made by Spurs at the end of the 2022-23 season, indicating long-term interest.
De Zerbi's background includes notable success at Brighton, where he led the club to their highest-ever Premier League finish of sixth in 2022-23, according to research. This achievement made him a sought-after manager, with Spurs making checks on him at the end of that season. His availability since his exit from Marseille in February, as research indicates, allowed for a swift appointment, though his long-term commitment to Tottenham is questioned given his history of volatility and reported reluctance to join immediately.
De Zerbi was Tottenham's number one target for the summer and is a creative, forward-thinking coach with high-level experience.
Long-term considerations for De Zerbi and Tottenham involve both immediate survival and future prospects. De Zerbi stated that the short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, and he will work under the title of head coach and promised fans he would strive to deliver exciting football. Johan Lange, Tottenham's technical director, added that De Zerbi was Tottenham's number one target for the summer and is a creative, forward-thinking coach with high-level experience. However, De Zerbi remains high on Manchester United's shortlist for the upcoming summer, according to research, and the specific details of his contract, such as whether it includes a relegation clause, are not fully confirmed across all sources.
De Zerbi’s first job is to evade relegation from the Premier League, with his first game against Sunderland on Sunday week, as research notes. The effectiveness of De Zerbi's tactics in the short-term relegation battle is unknown, with mixed opinions from pundits and former players. He faces a squad that has struggled for form, with Tottenham not winning a Premier League game in the first 100 days of 2026, and the challenge of quickly implementing his philosophy under intense pressure. His immediate focus will be on securing points to climb away from the relegation zone, starting with the Sunderland match.