Three Tottenham Hotspur supporters’ groups have urged the club against pursuing Roberto De Zerbi as head coach, citing the Italian’s public backing for Mason Greenwood.
In statements released simultaneously on Friday, Proud Lilywhites, Tottenham’s official LGBTQ+ supporters’ association, Women of the Lane, their supporters’ association for women, and Spurs Reach – Spurs’ race, ethnicity and cultural heritage supporters’ association – urged the club to consider its “values”.
People with knowledge of the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity, have confirmed that Spurs are pursuing De Zerbi, who is out of work after leaving Marseille, as they consider alternatives to Igor Tudor as head coach.
De Zerbi was Marseille coach when Greenwood joined the club from Manchester United in July 2024, and frequently backed the forward in public during their time together in the south of France.
Greenwood did not represent United again after he was arrested in January 2022. It was then decided that Greenwood would resume his career away from Old Trafford after the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) discontinued the case against him for attempted rape, assault, and coercive control. The CPS said that “a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction”. Greenwood denied all the allegations against him.
In spite of Spurs’ pursuit, the indications are that De Zerbi, the former Brighton & Hove Albion head coach, would prefer to wait until the summer until returning to football, having left the Ligue 1 club by mutual consent on February 11.
In its statement, Proud Lilywhites reminded Tottenham that the club is responsible for setting standards which “shape how people feel, who feels welcome, and what behaviour is seen as acceptable” and added: “The manager plays a huge role in that.”
The group’s statement continued: “When someone in that position publicly defends a player like Mason Greenwood, and frames it in a way that downplays the seriousness of what happened, it matters, not just in isolation but in what it signals.
“We are proud of the progress that’s been made in making football more inclusive and welcoming. That progress matters, and it cannot be compromised or treated as secondary.
“We are not asking for perfection. We are aking for accountability, transparency, and leadership that reflects the values this club claims to stand for.
“All together, always. That has to mean something. No to De Zerbi.”
Women of the Lane’s statement contained similar sentiments. It read: “De Zerbi has publicly defended Mason Greenwood in a way that downplays the seriousness of male violence against women and girls. That raises serious questions about judgement and leadership.
“Clubs signal their values through the decisions they make. Who they appoint matters. The manager sets the tone, every day, for what is expected, what is tolerated, and how people are treated.
“At a time when Spurs needs to rebuild, that culture matters as much as anything on the pitch.
“For many in our community, this is difficult to reconcile with the club’s stated commitments to respect, safety and inclusion.
“This is not an appointment Tottenham Hotspur should make. It introduces unnecessary cultural risk without a clear, proven track record to justify it.”
Spurs Reach said: “Comments previously attributed to Roberto De Zerbi, including public remarks defending and contextualising Mason Greenwood following serious allegations have been widely criticised for appearing to minimise the gravity of violence against women.
“Regardless of intent, framing of this nature risks normalising harmful attitudes, diminishing the experiences of survivors, and sending a deeply concerning message about what is tolerated within the game.”
Tudor has taken one point from five league games since succeeding Thomas Frank as head coach, leaving Spurs one point above the relegation zone with seven matches to play.
What’s Greenwood’s history?
While playing for Manchester United, Greenwood, who came through the academy at the Premier League club, was arrested on January 31, 2022 on suspicion of rape and assault, and further arrested on February 1, 2022 on suspicion of sexual assault and making threats to kill.
He was charged in the October with one count of attempted rape, one count of controlling and coercive behaviour and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. All three charges related to the same woman.
He had been due to stand trial in November 2023, but the charges were discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in early February 2023. Upon the discontinuation of the charges, the CPS said “a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction”.
Greenwood was suspended by United following his first arrest, and in August 2023, the club adandoned their plan to bring him back to the first team set up following a public backlash and reporting by The Athletic.
On September 1, 2023, Greenwood joined Spanish side Getafe on a season-long loan deal. The following summer, he joined Marseille on a permanent transfer from United in a deal worth up to €31.6million (£26.6m), signing a five-year deal with the French club.
What has De Zerbi said and done?
De Zerbi was Marseille coach when Greenwood joined the Ligue 1 club and pushed for the deal to sign the forward.
Before Greenwood’s arrival was made official, De Zerbi insisted “I don’t know his background”, and said he would defend all his players publicly “like (they were) my sons”.
De Zerbi was true to his word, often talking up Greenwood in public during the 18 months working together, as a player and a person.
“He is a player of an extraordinary level,” De Zerbi was cited by La Provence as saying, after Greenwood scored twice on his debut. “I am happy that he scored, as that way he will be less of a target for controversy.”
In November, 2025, De Zerbi said Greenwood was a “good person” and added: “It saddens me what happened to him because I know a very different person from the one portrayed in England.”