LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – In the end, Tottenham convinced him: on April 12, for the match against Sunderland, Roberto De Zerbi will be on the Spurs’ bench. The appointment of the 46-year-old coach from Brescia is now official; he replaces Tudor, who had in turn taken over from the dismissed Thomas Frank last February 14.
The London club describes it as a “long-term” agreement without specifying the duration, but English media report that De Zerbi has signed a five-year deal, with no exit clause in case of relegation. With seven matches remaining, Tottenham are currently fourth from bottom, just one point above the relegation zone.
“I am happy to join this fantastic club, one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world,” De Zerbi said in his first remarks. “In all my discussions with the management, the ambition for the future was clear: to build a team capable of achieving great results while playing football that excites and inspires our fans. I am here because I believe in this ambition, and I have signed a long-term contract to give everything I have to make it happen. Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be our only objective until the final whistle of the last match of the season. I can’t wait to get on the pitch and work with these players to achieve it.”
De Zerbi, who left Marseille last February, had long been linked with Spurs but seemed willing to wait until June to see whether Tottenham would remain in the Premier League. It will now be up to him to ensure the club avoids relegation to the Championship.
“Roberto was our number one target for the summer and we are very happy to have brought him here already now,” admitted sporting director Johan Lange. “He is one of the most creative and innovative coaches in world football and brings with him great experience at the highest level, including in the Premier League.”
Indeed, De Zerbi managed Brighton from September 2022 to May 2024, leading the Seagulls to a historic qualification for the Europa League. Abroad, in addition to Marseille—where he finished second in Ligue 1 2024–25, securing a Champions League spot—he coached Shakhtar Donetsk, with whom he won his first and, so far, only trophy: the Ukrainian Super Cup.
With De Zerbi’s appointment, the number of managerial changes in the Premier League this season rises to nine: it started with Nottingham Forest (Postecoglou replacing Espírito Santo), then West Ham (Espírito Santo for Potter), again Nottingham Forest (Dyche for Postecoglou), Wolverhampton (Edwards for Pereira), Chelsea (Rosenior for Maresca), Manchester United (Carrick for Amorim), Tottenham (Tudor for Frank), again Nottingham Forest (Pereira for Dyche), and now Spurs once more.
– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
