Fabrizio Romano has suggested that a new attempt from Tottenham to appoint a very highly-rated manager isn't out of the question.
Spurs identify managerial targets as Igor Tudor faces imminent axe
Everything at Tottenham is in a real state of flux right now.
Igor Tudor is reportedly heading for the exit after one of the most calamitous interim spells in the club's recent history — overseeing just one win in all competitions since taking charge.
A 3-0 battering at home to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest was the final straw, and reports suggest that a departure by mutual consent looks the most likely conclusion, allowing the Croatian to step away with dignity while the club prepares for what comes next.
The question of who that is has rarely been murkier.
L'Equipe in France reported earlier this week that talks with Adi Hutter have begun, the Austrian coach who has been out of work since leaving Monaco in October, and he is now a frontrunner for a short-term appointment.
TEAMtalk also claimed that formal contact has been made, and Hutter himself is keen to take the job.
Further up the managerial food chain, Mauricio Pochettino remains an emotional and obvious long-term fit — but he will be managing the United States at the World Cup until at least July, making any immediate appointment essentially impossible.
Marco Silva has also been discussed internally, Romano confirmed via social media.
Andoni Iraola, who leaves Bournemouth at the end of his contract this summer, could be an option too, but none of them solve today's problem.
Which brings everything back to an Italian who is at the centre of this entire saga.
Roberto De Zerbi — the man Arne Slot has called one of the best managers in the world, the man Chelsea star Joao Pedro dubbed a "top three" manager on the planet, and a coach who turned Brighton into a force and guided Marseille to second in Ligue 1 — remains a dream target for the Lilywhites.
Fabrizio Romano suggests Tottenham could make new Roberto De Zerbi attempt
Transfer insider Romano, speaking on his YouTube channel and transcribed by GiveMeSport, has provided the latest on Spurs and De Zerbi.
He has maintained his position throughout, insisting the focus has always been on the summer.
De Zerbi would consider the Tottenham role from June — but only if the club preserve their Premier League status.
"If Tottenham stay in the Premier League, to get the job at the end of the season is something that Roberto De Zerbi would consider," Romano said.
"That remains the focus."
But the crucial addition in Romano's latest update is the door he has left ajar.
Over the last four to five weeks, De Zerbi has not opened the doors to an immediate mid-season appointment. As things stand, nothing has changed. Yet, Romano added:
"Let's see if Tottenham decide to make one more attempt for De Zerbi now."
That single line changes the dynamic.
It suggests that while De Zerbi's position has been consistent — summer, not now — Spurs have not entirely given up on convincing him to act sooner.
The possibility of a relegation break clause deal was floated by The Times earlier in the week, though reservations existed on the Tottenham side.
Whether a further, more compelling approach might shift De Zerbi's thinking remains an open question.
For a club one point above the drop zone with seven games to play, the answer cannot wait much longer.