Tottenham Hotspur are now dreaming of hiring a replacement for Igor Tudor, whose job will be under serious threat if he does not get a result against Liverpool.
Tottenham "actively working" on Tudor replacements
Sat one point above the dropzone and yet to win a game after four attempts under Tudor, Tottenham are now "actively working" on finding their next manager, according to the Athletic's David Ornstein.
Just who that next manager will be remains the big question. The likes of Harry Redknapp have made sure that those in North London know exactly where they stand just in case they receive a shock call, whilst Robbie Keane has also been a prominent name among recent rumours.
Whether Keane would step away from Ferencvaros for an interim spell could be the sticking point for all parties. Tottenham, in such a precarious situation, may not be quick to make a permanent decision until the end of the season.
Whoever does arrive could turn up with the club inside the bottom three with just eight games to go. Should the Lilywhites fail to beat Liverpool and other results do not go their way, then they will be staring down the barrel of relegation.
It would spell the ultimate disaster for a club that ended their trophy drought by winning the Europa League less than a year ago. But Tudor's arrival could prove to be one poor decision too many unless those in North London manage to land their dream replacement in the coming weeks.
Tottenham dreaming of hiring Roberto De Zerbi
As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham would "love" to hire Roberto De Zerbi to replace Tudor and the former Marseille manage remains their dream, long-term target.
"If there is a dream candidate for Tottenham now, it’s Roberto De Zerbi. He’s seen as the ideal candidate for the Tottenham job.
"Tottenham would love to hire De Zerbi, but at the moment, this depends on several things and it’s not easy. But the name of De Zerbi is a name we should always keep in the dream targets for Tottenham as manager." (Romano)
Of course, if Spurs were at least pushing towards mid-table comfort, then De Zerbi could jump at the chance to join. Now that they're fighting relegation, however, it could be a different story.
Dubbed "one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years" by Pep Guardiola, it's easy to see why Spurs want to hire De Zerbi. The 4-2-3-1 manager transformed Brighton & Hove Albion into a European club for a brief moment and would take the Lilywhites back to similar heights.
Whilst convincing him to join right now may be a hefty task, it should be top of Tottenham's priority list if they survive this summer.