Tottenham are set to appoint Roberto De Zerbi as their new permanent manager. He will sign a massive five-year deal and become one of the highest-paid managers in the Premier League.
His contract will also include a bonus if he manages to avoid relegation this season. According to talkSPORT, the North London outfit have agreed a deal in principle with De Zerbi, with the deal expected to be confirmed this week.
Tottenham are 17th in the Premier League standings after 31 games. They have yet to win a domestic game in 2026 and are just a point above the relegation zone. De Zerbi is the club’s last throw of the dice to avoid the drop.
The Italian replaces interim manager Igor Tudor, who mutually parted ways with the club after just 43 days. He managed one draw and four defeats in five Premier League games. His tenure ended with a 3-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest at home.
A look at Roberto De Zerbi’s stats ahead of his Tottenham appointment
De Zerbi has experience of English football with Brighton & Hove Albion, with whom he managed a PPM (points per match) of 1.39 in 70 Premier League games. If he replicates a similar PPM with Tottenham, they might end up being safe.
However, he notably lost his first five games at Brighton. Overall, he had a 1.51 PPM with the Seagulls in 89 games across competitions. He had an even better PPM at Marseille of 1.81 in 69 games across competitions.
However, it’s important to note that he parted ways with both clubs after falling out with the hierarchy. In the case of Marseille, he also had a public falling out with some of the players, like Ismael Kone. De Zerbi has also managed the likes of Shakhtar Donetsk and Sassuolo.
De Zerbi is known for playing a 4-2-3-1 formation, which largely revolves around baiting the opposition press and playing through the middle.
De Zerbi divides Tottenham fanbase
De Zerbi’s appointment as a Tottenham manager has not gone down well with a big part of the fanbase. Multiple Tottenham fan groups have released statements against his appointment.
Part of the reason for this is his controversial handling of Mason Greenwood, who has previously been accused of assault. He signed the English forward at Marseille and also defended him in the media.
Also Read: Roberto De Zerbi to Tottenham is truly a terrible idea from a moral and footballing standpoint
Moreover, De Zerbi is known to be a volatile character, having fallen out with the hierarchy and players at his two previous clubs. Hence, with Tottenham in a tumultuous situation, many fans are hesitant about the Italian’s appointment.
