Tottenham are in discussions with Roberto De Zerbi about becoming their next head coach after Igor Tudor left the club by mutual consent on Sunday. Spurs, who sit one point above the relegation zone with seven games remaining, have offered the former Brighton and Marseille boss a five-year contract and are pressing to complete a permanent appointment this week before players return from international duty.
De Zerbi had indicated he would wait until the summer to consider his future, but sources say he is now open to taking the job and talks took place on Monday. Tottenham’s preference is for a long-term appointment after Tudor’s 44-day spell in charge produced seven matches and poor results.
Tim Sherwood, a former Spurs manager and Sky Sports pundit, praised De Zerbi’s personality and the attractive, expansive football his teams play, but warned that the Italian is not necessarily a “safe pair of hands” for a relegation scrap. Sherwood said De Zerbi’s style can leave teams exposed and questioned why Tottenham did not approach him earlier in the season, suggesting that giving him more time might have increased the chances of keeping the club up.
Sky Sports’ Adam Bate described a De Zerbi appointment as a high-risk, high-reward move. He argued the Italian’s tactical innovation and Premier League experience bring hope and the prospect of a longer-term transformation, but also pointed to concerns about De Zerbi’s temperament and man-management. At Marseille his tenure included reports of strained relations with players and training ground tensions, which have fuelled doubts about whether he is the stabilising figure needed immediately.
De Zerbi’s record when taking over mid-season is mixed. At Brighton in 2022 he did not win any of his first five Premier League matches. Earlier in Italy he could not prevent relegation with Benevento after failing to win his first nine games, and his Palermo stint in 2016 lasted under three months with just one win in 13 matches. Those examples are frequently cited when assessing his suitability as a short-term appointment aimed at securing survival.
Some Spurs fan groups have urged the club to rethink any potential De Zerbi appointment because of his past public defence of Mason Greenwood while managing at Marseille. Greenwood, who joined Marseille in 2024, had previously faced criminal charges in 2022 — including attempted rape and assault — but those charges were discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service in February 2023 due to the withdrawal of key witnesses and no realistic prospect of conviction. In remarks last year, De Zerbi described Greenwood as a “good guy” who had paid a “heavy price,” comments that prompted criticism.
Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane and Spurs Reach have all said De Zerbi’s comments give cause for concern about the club’s values and leadership. Their statements stressed the importance of accountability and the message any appointment sends to supporters, particularly survivors of violence, arguing that defending or contextualising Greenwood’s past risked normalising harmful attitudes.
Tottenham’s hierarchy face a difficult calculation: appointing a tactically progressive coach who could excite fans and reshape the club long term, or opting for a more conventional, stabilising figure to try to secure immediate survival. With seven league games left, the choice is urgent — and potentially decisive for both Spurs’ Premier League status this season and the club’s direction beyond it.