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.<\/p>\n
De Zerbi has been reluctant to take charge of a squad \u201cperched perilously above the relegation zone,\u201d and sources say the clause is one option intended to ease those concerns. The Italian is thought to be \u201camenable\u201d to the idea of taking over Tottenham but only if another incumbent has successfully avoided relegation, BBC Sport report in the aftermath of Tudor\u2019s exit. It remains unclear whether the release clause will ultimately be offered or accepted.<\/p>\n
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\u2014the club\u2019s third of the season\u2014at least 10 days to prepare for that fixture.<\/p>\n
Talk of De Zerbi\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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 \u201ca combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction,\u201d a spokesperson told the BBC.<\/p>\n
Manchester United carried out an internal investigation that concluded in August 2023. At that point, the club claimed: \u201cMason did not commit the offences in respect of which he was originally charged.\u201d However, it was decided that he would not play for United again. \u201cAs Mason publicly acknowledges today,\u201d a statement at the time read, \u201che has made mistakes which he is taking responsibility for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Greenwood spent the 2023\u201324 season on loan at Getafe before signing for De Zerbi\u2019s Marseille in July 2024. Before Greenwood had officially signed for Marseille, De Zerbi promised to publicly defend all his players \u201clike [they were] my sons.\u201d Earlier this season, the Italian coach described the forward as \u201ca good person,\u201d adding: \u201cIt saddens me what happened to him because I know a very different person from the one portrayed in England.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those comments have helped fuel the \u2018No to De Zerbi\u2019 campaign. The Proud Lilywhites group, Women of the Lane and Spurs Reach all released statements criticising De Zerbi\u2019s defence of Greenwood.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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