Fabrizio Romano has shared a late night Roberto De Zerbi update out of Tottenham.
It has been one of the most dramatic managerial merry-go-rounds of the Premier League season, barring Nottingham Forest, and it appears to be approaching its latest — and perhaps final — turn.
Tottenham confirmed Igor Tudor's departure by mutual consent on Sunday after just 44 days, one win and a harrowing 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest that left the club stranded one point above the relegation zone with seven games remaining.
The Croatian was the second manager to depart the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season, following Thomas Frank before him.
Spurs have not won a Premier League game in 2026, so the clock is ticking with enormous urgency.
Into that chaos has stepped De Zerbi, the Italian who transformed Brighton into a European qualifier, took Marseille back to the Champions League — albeit with a turbulent 18 months that ended in his departure earlier this year — and has since spent his time weighing his options from a position of considerable demand.
For weeks, he was understood to prefer waiting until the summer, reluctant to parachute into a relegation battle with ten days' preparation and a squad short of confidence.
However, Tottenham pushed and offered a significant financial package and the promise of building something substantial at one of England's most supported clubs.
And now, according to Romano tonight, they are on the brink of getting their man.
Tottenham on the verge of Roberto De Zerbi appointment
The transfer insider, speaking on his YouTube channel, delivered a characteristically decisive update on the situation.
"De Zerbi is really, really, really close to becoming the next Tottenham Hotspur manager," Romano said.
"Here we go, expected soon.
"Tottenham decided to go all in for De Zerbi with a big financial proposal, a big contract proposal, five-year contract for De Zerbi, a really important salary, one of the best salaries for a manager in the Premier League.
"Advanced discussions."
That final phrase — "advanced discussions" — combined with Romano's trademark "here we go" signal tells the story.
This is no longer a question of whether De Zerbi will become the Spurs manager but when the announcement arrives.
Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange have been handling negotiations, and the club's desire to have De Zerbi in place before players return from international duty — giving him around 10 days to prepare for Sunderland away on April 12 — may have driven the urgency on both sides.
The complications that were present earlier today have not disappeared entirely.
The question of whether a relegation release clause has been built into the deal remains unclear, and fan opposition from three supporter groups — Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane and Spurs Reach — continues over De Zerbi's public defence of Mason Greenwood during their time together at Marseille.
Those concerns are genuine and will not evaporate with an announcement.
But the football decision appears made. Tim Sherwood, who raised doubts earlier today about whether De Zerbi's expansive style is suited to a survival fight, acknowledged he would be a perfect long-term appointment if the immediate task of staying up can be navigated.
For a club that has lurched from crisis to crisis this season, some clarity is overdue. If Romano's confidence is justified — and it invariably is — De Zerbi will be the man charged with delivering it.