Tottenham are in advanced talks with Roberto De Zerbi and appear close to appointing him as their new head coach (possibly on an immediate or short-term-to-permanent basis), but nothing is confirmed yet. Numerous sources have jumped on the bandwagon.
De Zerbi (ex-Brighton, ex-Marseille) has long been Tottenham’s top long-term target for the summer. Following Tudor’s exit, Spurs have accelerated and are pushing hard for an immediate appointment rather than waiting.
Roberto was reportedly reluctant to take over mid-season and wanted to assess options in the summer (especially depending on whether Spurs stay in the Premier League). A big financial package (potentially making him one of the highest-paid managers) seems to have shifted his position.
Several Tottenham fan groups (including women’s fan groups) have publicly urged the club not to appoint him, mainly due to his past support for/work with Mason Greenwood at Marseille. They cited concerns around club culture.
Now, speaking on Sky Sports, former interim gaffer Tim Sherwood is raising his own concerns, based on the needs of the football team.
Tim is a huge fan of De Zerbi’s personality, style of play, and has previously said (months ago) that he would be a good long-term fit for Tottenham. However, he has significant reservations about appointing him now as a short-term fix. Sherwood called De Zerbi “far from a safe pair of hands” for the current situation, warning that his teams can be open and “get hammered” in games—which is risky when Spurs need to grind out points to avoid relegation. Tim noted De Zerbi “would not be that firefighter-type manager.”
Sherwood suggested De Zerbi could be ideal long-term (and even better than someone like Mauricio Pochettino in that context), but not for the immediate survival fight. Tim emphasised that the next manager must prioritise pragmatism and results over expansive play right now.
