Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has revealed the one factor that would force him to leave the club, claiming relegation is "not the problem".
De Zerbi handed big boost before Brighton
Tottenham have been handed a rare fitness boost after Rodrigo Bentancur returned to training.
The Uruguay midfielder had been on Spurs’ lengthy casualty list since suffering a hamstring injury in January.
Spurs slipped into the drop zone after the 1-0 defeat at Sunderland in De Zerbi’s first game in charge and now have six matches left to save themselves.
They also lost captain Cristian Romero to a season-ending knee injury at the Stadium of Light, while Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert, Ben Davies, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski remain long-term absentees.
De Zerbi will be hoping Bentancur will be fit for Saturday’s visit of the manager’s former club Brighton. The 28-year-old was a regular starter under previous boss Thomas Frank, making 28 appearances in all competitions this season before injury struck.
De Zerbi will quit Spurs if board do not agree on his 'project'
De Zerbi was widely reported to prefer a move to North London in the summer once relegation has been avoided, but was eventually brought in during the international break on a five-year deal.
That deal is not believed to include any sort of relegation clause, making it quite the gamble from Spurs' owners to hand the former Brighton boss such a lengthy contract.
And, speaking ahead of the clash with his old club, the 46 year-old confirmed he will stay at Spurs regardless of which league they find themselves in next season.
The "problem" that could cause an early exit, he says, is a potential fallout with the board if they do not agree on how to run his "project".
“The problem is not the league. The problem is to keep the relationship with the board and to have the same ideas in the project.”
That will sound all too familiar to Spurs fans, who have long-standing disputes with the ownership, even since Daniel Levy's departure.
Earlier this season, Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust called for “emergency action” following the 5-2 loss at Atletico Madrid, claiming the result was "symptomatic of the abysmal state of things at Spurs right now".
“From the January transfer window to the management appointments, the lack of leadership and the total absence of anyone with a Spurs pedigree informing these decisions," a statement said. "Where is the Daring to Do? Where are the Echoes of Glory?"
Fans also protested ahead of their clash with London rivals West Ham earlier this year.
The Lilywhites have spent nearly £1bn on signings since Mauricio Pochettino's departure in 2019, yet the same problems persist, and one has to imagine De Zerbi demanded a serious level of influence over any potential signings to come in earlier than planned last month.