Tottenham are in discussions with Roberto De Zerbi to become their next head coach after Igor Tudor left the club by mutual consent on Sunday. With Spurs sitting one point above the relegation zone and seven league matches remaining, the club has offered the former Brighton and Marseille boss a five-year contract and hopes to finalise a permanent appointment this week before players return from international duty.
De Zerbi had previously indicated he would wait until the summer to consider his next move, but sources say he is now open to taking the job and held talks on Monday. Tottenham want a long-term solution after Tudor’s 44-day spell yielded seven matches and disappointing results.
Former Spurs manager and Sky Sports pundit Tim Sherwood praised De Zerbi’s personality and the attractive, expansive football his teams produce, but warned the Italian may not be a conventional safe pair of hands in a relegation battle. Sherwood noted De Zerbi’s tactical approach can leave teams exposed and questioned why Tottenham had not pursued him earlier in the season, suggesting more time might have improved survival prospects.
Sky Sports analyst Adam Bate characterised a De Zerbi appointment as high risk and high reward. He pointed to De Zerbi’s tactical innovation and Premier League experience as reasons for optimism about a longer-term transformation, while also flagging concerns about temperament and man-management. During his time at Marseille there were reports of strained player relations and training-ground tensions, which feed doubts about whether he would provide immediate stability.
De Zerbi’s record when joining clubs mid-season has been mixed. At Brighton in 2022 he did not win any of his first five Premier League matches; earlier in Italy he was unable to prevent Benevento’s relegation after failing to win his first nine games; and his 2016 spell at Palermo lasted under three months with one win in 13 matches. Those examples are often cited when assessing his suitability for a short-term assignment focused on survival.
Some Tottenham fan groups have expressed concern about a potential De Zerbi appointment because of his past public defence of Mason Greenwood while managing at Marseille. Greenwood joined Marseille in 2024 and had previously faced criminal charges in 2022, including attempted rape and assault; those charges were discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service in February 2023 after key witnesses withdrew and prosecutors concluded there was no realistic prospect of conviction. De Zerbi’s remarks last year, in which he described Greenwood as a good person who had paid a heavy price, drew criticism.
Supporter organisations including Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane and Spurs Reach have said De Zerbi’s comments raise questions about the club’s values and leadership. Their statements emphasised the need for accountability and warned that defending or contextualising Greenwood’s past risks normalising harmful attitudes, particularly for survivors of violence.
Tottenham’s hierarchy face a difficult and urgent decision: appoint a tactically progressive coach who could excite supporters and reshape the club over time, or choose a more conventional, stabilising figure to try to secure immediate Premier League survival. With seven games left, the choice could be decisive both for Spurs’ status this season and the club’s direction beyond it.