Tottenham are expected to confirm a deal to make Roberto De Zerbi their new permanent head coach on a five-year contract in the coming days.
De Zerbi will become Spurs' third head coach of the 2025/26 season, having started the campaign with Thomas Frank - who only replaced Ange Postecoglou in the summer, before an Igor Tudor interim reign ended in ignominious disaster after just 44 days.
The Italian, who left his role as Marseille boss just hours before Frank left Tottenham, had been waiting until the summer to make a decision on his next move, but following a breakthrough in talks with Spurs, looks set to take over on a permanent basis before the season ends.
Roberto De Zerbi Needs Immediate Buy-In From Tottenham Players
His first task is clear - keeping Tottenham in the Premier League, with the Lilywhites just one point and one place above the relegation zone with seven games to go.
But to do that he will need buy-in from a group of players who have shown little in the way of fight in the battle to avoid the drop in recent weeks and months.
There were reports that Frank alienated certain members of the squad, leading to his departure, while Tudor's brash approach rubbed some stars up the wrong way too, particularly on that fateful night in Madrid when he substituted young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky after just 17 minutes and refused to acknowledge the stricken keeper as he walked off.
De Zerbi, himself, is a volatile character and will take no prisoners. He will demand things to be done his way or players risk being dropped.
Tottenham Players Discuss De Zerbi Appointment
But according to the Times, the players are already on board with the decision to hand De Zerbi the reins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Some of the Tottenham players who have remained at home during the international break, went out for dinner over the weekend, according to the report in the Times, and the 'mood was said to be one of “excitement” about the idea of De Zerbi’s arrival'.
De Zerbi will need the players on board from minute one once he arrives, there is simply no time to waste given Spurs' perilous position at the bottom of the Premier League table.
Frank was an underwhelming choice to take over from Postecoglou - although De Zerbi was asked about the role back then too but rejected the approach. Tudor was an unmitigated disaster. Tottenham have to get it right now with De Zerbi.
Anyone looking back at his early record with Brighton will be worried - they did not win any of his first five games in charge - but if the players are on board from the get-go, Spurs will have every chance of staying up and then rebuilding under the fiery Italian next season.