Roberto De Zerbi is set to embrace the challenge of coaching Tottenham in the Premier League, with negotiations between the two parties reaching an advanced stage.
Tottenham shifted their focus to De Zerbi after Igor Tudor’s exit on Sunday.
Although the former Brighton manager had initially intended to put off his decision until the summer, he seems likely to change course and take over immediately.
Reports from De Zerbi’s home country of Italy on Monday revealed that he is considering Tottenham’s offer, which reportedly includes a five-year contract.
If he accepts the position, the 46-year-old would be the club’s fourth head coach in just 10 months.
De Zerbi has been frequently mentioned in connection with the Spurs job, first in 2023 and again recently following the departure of Thomas Frank on February 11.
A break until the end of the season had been expected for him after leaving Marseille, but Spurs opted for Tudor as an interim coach. Unfortunately, his dismal 44-day tenure resulted in five losses out of seven games, raising fears of relegation for the first time since 1977.
Spurs have offered De Zerbi a five-year deal (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
With fans’ favorite Mauricio Pochettino committed to leading the United States at the upcoming World Cup, De Zerbi has emerged as the most qualified candidate available.
When asked on Monday if he had been approached by Tottenham or Real Madrid, Pochettino responded, “We are fully focused on the World Cup. I believe everyone knows I am dedicated to the national team. I don’t think there’s any need to discuss the future as, at the moment, I haven’t been contacted by any team.”
With Spurs moving on from Tudor, first-team coach Bruno Saltor is currently responsible for training the players not on international duty.
However, Tottenham anticipates naming a new head coach by midweek to provide adequate preparation time before their match against Sunderland on April 12, and that individual is likely to be De Zerbi.
This expected appointment is not without controversy, as three supporter groups—Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane, and Spurs Reach—have publicly opposed the hiring of De Zerbi due to past remarks concerning Marseille forward Mason Greenwood.
In October 2022, Greenwood faced charges related to attempted rape and other offenses, although these were dropped in February 2023 due to a lack of evidence. He has since returned to professional play and joined Marseille in 2024.
While managing Marseille, De Zerbi referred to Greenwood as a “good guy,” expressing sadness over his troubled circumstances because he knew a different side of him than what had been portrayed.