Tottenham are closing in on Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager, with The Athletic and Talksport reporting that talks have progressed significantly — including a lucrative long-term contract offer designed to get the Italian through the door now, not at the start of next season.
That last part matters. De Zerbi had been hesitant about taking the job without knowing which division Spurs would be playing in. The fact that he appears to be moving past that concern tells you something about the money on the table — and possibly about his own confidence that they can stay up.
How Spurs got here
The situation is genuinely dire. One point above the relegation zone. Seven games left. No league win in 2026. Interim boss Igor Tudor lasted 44 days and seven games before being shown the door on Sunday.
This is a club with a 63,000-seat stadium, a state-of-the-art training ground, and revenues that place them among the ten wealthiest clubs on the planet. They won the Europa League last season. Two years before that, they were finishing 17th in the Premier League while lifting a European trophy — a contradiction so sharp it tells you everything about the structural dysfunction running through this club right now.
Ange Postecoglou was sacked despite winning in Bilbao. Thomas Frank replaced him and lasted until February after two wins in 17 league games. Now De Zerbi is being asked to walk into a burning building with seven matches to go.
What De Zerbi brings — and what the odds reflect
His track record in England is genuinely interesting. Two years at Brighton from 2022 to 2024, playing aggressive, high-tempo football that punched well above Brighton's weight. He's not a survival specialist — he's a coach who builds things. Hiring him for a relegation fight is an awkward fit, and anyone backing Spurs to stay up should factor in the transition time a new manager always needs.
Tottenham haven't been outside the top flight since 1977-78. That streak is now in serious jeopardy regardless of who takes the dugout. The appointment needs to happen fast — Spurs are aiming to have their man in place before the trip to Sunderland on April 12.
Seven games. One point of breathing room. De Zerbi will earn whatever they're paying him just by showing up.
