Roberto De Zerbi’s five-year deal at Tottenham Hotspur means he will look beyond just avoiding relegation, although that will be the primary focus.
After leaving his role at Marseille last month, he has quickly returned to the touchline to breathe new life into a club that hasn’t won a Premier League game in 2026.
De Zerbi’s Tottenham contract doesn’t have a relegation clause, so he is well and truly here for the long haul.
Talks will have happened behind-the-scenes in terms of incomings and outgoings as the forthcoming summer promises to be an important one for the Lilywhites.
And now, if reports are to be believed, De Zerbi is all set to raid his former club Brighton for one of their key players.
Tottenham’s Bart Verbruggen pursuit to intensify after De Zerbi arrival
The goalkeeping situation at the club will surely be addressed in the summer. Guglielmo Vicario has been linked with Inter Milan and Juventus, with Tottenham not against a sale if they receive a suitable offer.
Antonin Kinsky, meanwhile, is set to start as De Zerbi’s first-choice goalkeeper to begin with, as Vicario is out after undergoing hernia surgery.
However, the Czech goalkeeper hasn’t shown enough quality to take over as the first-choice goalkeeper, so a new shot-stopper is likely to arrive this summer.
We reported in February that Tottenham are keeping tabs on Bart Verbruggen, who is a key player for the Seagulls and the Netherlands national team.
And now, talkSPORT have doubled down on those claims after De Zerbi’s arrival, with Tottenham expected to make a move for him if they manage to avoid relegation.
The Dutchman is a wanted man, with Bayern Munich also credited with an interest.
However, Brighton are relaxed about the situation as he has a contract until 2028, while the emergence of Carl Rushworth – who is enjoying a fantastic loan spell at Coventry City – means they already have a ready-made replacement.
De Zerbi clearly a big fan of Verbruggen
De Zerbi was at the helm at Brighton when they signed Verbruggen in 2023 as he joined the club after a fantastic spell with Belgian Pro League side Anderlecht.
Speaking after the Dutchman’s arrival, the Italian referred to the young player as someone who could be ‘important’ to his style of play at the Amex Stadium.
“He is used to playing a type of football similar to ours and he will have no problem fitting into our group,” De Zerbi said via Reuters.
“He has the potential to become a very important player for the club in the coming years.”
The Italian likes his teams to play on the front foot and his keepers are heavily involved in his game play, so links with Verbruggen make complete sense.
Additionally, he was already on the club’s radar before De Zerbi’s arrival, so Tottenham might just decide to press ahead with a move for the Dutchman after they sort out Vicario’s future.
