Tottenham Target De Zerbi as New Permanent Manager, Fans Raise Concerns

Roberto De Zerbi is Tottenham's top managerial target. He will only accept the job if Spurs remain in the Premier League. With the club sitting 18th and having failed to win a top-flight match since last year, that outcome is far from certain.

Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported that De Zerbi is the frontrunner to become Tottenham's permanent head coach following his departure from Olympique de Marseille, with Spurs identifying the 46-year-old Italian as their main candidate for the role once interim manager Igor Tudor's tenure concludes. But the relegation fight now shapes every dimension of the appointment.

Tottenham are one point above West Ham United with seven Premier League matches remaining. Their 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest last Sunday was their seventh loss in eight league matches, extending a wait for a first Premier League win in 2026 that has stretched across the entire calendar year. Tudor, who replaced Thomas Frank earlier in the season, has not secured a top-flight victory and is not expected to be considered for the permanent position regardless of Tottenham's final standing. The club offered its support after Tudor's father Mario passed away recently, but the search for a long-term head coach has moved forward regardless.

Reports conflict on how far discussions with De Zerbi have progressed. Goal, citing the Telegraph, reported that Tottenham have already held talks over the permanent head coach position. The Times reported that conversations about an immediate takeover had occurred and that a contractual clause allowing De Zerbi to exit in the summer if Spurs were relegated was discussed, though Tottenham reportedly have reservations about that structure. GFFN, also citing Romano, and the Press Association offered a later timeline: all talks scheduled for June once Tottenham's league status is confirmed, with De Zerbi unlikely to accept a mid-season role.

De Zerbi left the Stade Vélodrome in February after Marseille were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League, despite having guided the club to a second-place Ligue 1 finish last term. He has been unemployed since and is described as wanting to manage a leading Premier League club. That profile has attracted attention beyond north London, with both Sportsmole and Goal noting De Zerbi as a potential candidate for Manchester United next season and for Liverpool if Arne Slot were to leave Anfield.

The appointment has already drawn opposition from within Tottenham's own fanbase. Three supporter groups, Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane and Spurs Reach, have publicly urged the club to reconsider, pointing to remarks De Zerbi made while working with Mason Greenwood at Marseille. Greenwood was charged in October 2022 with one count of attempted rape, one count of controlling and coercive behaviour and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following allegations related to a young woman, after images and videos were posted online.

A Spurs Reach statement read: "Comments previously attributed to Roberto De Zerbi, including public remarks defending and contextualising Mason Greenwood following serious allegations have been widely criticised for appearing to minimise the gravity of violence against women. Regardless of intent, framing of this nature risks normalising harmful attitudes, diminishing the experiences of survivors and sending a deeply concerning message about what is tolerated within the game. We all want the club to progress but it must do so in a way that reflects its values. No to De Zerbi."

Whether any formal offer materialises depends first on results. With seven matches to negotiate a path away from the drop, Tottenham's ability to attract a manager of De Zerbi's profile rests entirely on what happens between now and the final day of the season.