Tottenham have moved decisively to appoint Roberto De Zerbi, offering the former Brighton & Hove Albion coach a reported five-year deal as the club seeks to preserve its Premier League status. The immediate task is stark: De Zerbi must prepare a squad that sees itself capable of European nights to avoid a slide that could leave trips to Portsmouth and Preston North End next season on the agenda.

He has until April 12 to ready the group for the slog ahead, with Spurs next visiting Sunderland in the Premier League. Tactical flexibility is likely, but a return to the 4-2-3-1 that has been his default across much of his career is a realistic baseline. That shape would place Xavi Simons in a No. 10 role to maximise the Dutchman’s creative influence between the lines.

De Zerbi’s football emphasises artificial transitions and progression through depth. Players must be comfortable on the ball and able to execute efficient passing sequences to escape pressure and create space for forwards. That places a premium on Tottenham’s most technically secure performers. Captain Cristian Romero and Pedro Porro, alongside Destiny Udogie when he advances, will be central to building from the back, with Micky van de Ven capable of covering when full backs push high.

Midfield options include Archie Gray as a current form pick, with Rodrigo Bentancur likely to be relied upon when fit. Bentancur performed well under Antonio Conte in a structure built on automatisms. Yves Bissouma offers bravery in the build-up and Lucas Bergvall provides carrying ability.

De Zerbi has varied his approach recently at Marseille and used a back three more often there than previously. A 3-4-2-1 is an option if three fit centre backs are available, with Kevin Danso as a useful third choice.

In attack De Zerbi must lean on Mohammed Kudus for the coming fixtures, pairing him with Xavi Simons between the lines and using Dominic Solanke as a reliable focal point. Randal Kolo Muani offers rotation but Solanke’s ability to retain possession and press is highlighted in this context.

De Zerbi’s admiration for Pep Guardiola is well known, and influences from narrow central combinations championed by others may also inform his set-up at Tottenham.

Tottenham leave Igor Tudor’s brief spell with a single Premier League point and a situation that has become perilous. Tudor replaced Thomas Frank when the club were five points clear of the drop, but a 3–0 defeat to Nottingham Forest made his position untenable and he has now left. One point separates the Europa League holders from relegation and the incoming plan must be urgent and pragmatic.

1) Appoint the right short-term coach. The club trusted a recommendation from Fabio Paratici when they brought Tudor to N17, but that decision has not worked. Given the circumstances, appointing someone with a close understanding of the club or its predicament would be sensible. The article argues against Adi Hütter at this moment and suggests running it back with Ryan Mason, trying to tempt Robbie Keane from Ferencváros, or “swallowing your pride and trusting Sean Dyche, who got Everton out of the mire in 2022–23.”

2) Restore belief and change the tone. The team arrived at 2025/26 riding momentum from that Europa League final night, but Thomas Frank’s tenure left them low on bravery and fluidity. Tudor repeatedly hinted his players needed to shed their “bad habits” but could not complete the repair job. The next manager must empower the squad rather than institute a long-term project.

3) Discipline selection and reward effort. There is a perception among some fans that certain players regard themselves as above the crisis, and reports suggest some squad members “explicitly expressed as much in the dressing room.” Those who have underperformed should not be guaranteed places; those who have offered real commitment, like Archie Gray and Mathys Tel, must be prioritised.

4) Fix the attacking shortfall. Tottenham have not won a Premier League game since Mohammed Kudus suffered a thigh injury. The absence of Kudus has been stark, and the decision not to recruit an attacker after selling Brennan Johnson contributed to the problem. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski have yet to play a single minute this season, leaving a creativity deficit that must be addressed urgently.

Tottenham Hotspur are reported to be considering an unusual contractual incentive as they pursue Roberto De Zerbi. Discussions have focused on a release clause that would apply in the event of relegation, allowing another club to remove the coach from his Spurs deal if the team were to go down, according to The Times.

De Zerbi has been reluctant to take charge of a squad “perched perilously above the relegation zone,” and sources say the clause is one option intended to ease those concerns. The Italian is thought to be “amenable” to the idea of taking over Tottenham but only if another incumbent has successfully avoided relegation, BBC Sport report in the aftermath of Tudor’s exit. It remains unclear whether the release clause will ultimately be offered or accepted.

Tottenham are out of action until April 12, when they travel to Sunderland for the first of seven remaining Premier League matches. The club have indicated they want to give their new coach—the club’s third of the season—at least 10 days to prepare for that fixture.

Talk of De Zerbi’s potential appointment has sparked strong opposition among sections of the Spurs support. Several fan groups have combined to warn the club against appointing De Zerbi following his public defence of Mason Greenwood during their time together at Marseille.

Greenwood did not play for Manchester United again after being arrested in January 2022. He was subsequently accused of attempted rape, engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Greenwood denied all accusations. The U.K. Crown Prosecution Service dropped all charges in February 2023 after “a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction,” a spokesperson told the BBC.

Manchester United carried out an internal investigation that concluded in August 2023. At that point, the club claimed: “Mason did not commit the offences in respect of which he was originally charged.” However, it was decided that he would not play for United again. “As Mason publicly acknowledges today,” a statement at the time read, “he has made mistakes which he is taking responsibility for.”

Greenwood spent the 2023–24 season on loan at Getafe before signing for De Zerbi’s Marseille in July 2024. Before Greenwood had officially signed for Marseille, De Zerbi promised to publicly defend all his players “like [they were] my sons.” Earlier this season, the Italian coach described the forward as “a good person,” adding: “It saddens me what happened to him because I know a very different person from the one portrayed in England.”

Those comments have helped fuel the ‘No to De Zerbi’ campaign. The Proud Lilywhites group, Women of the Lane and Spurs Reach all released statements criticising De Zerbi’s defence of Greenwood.