Roberto De Zerbi has revealed he fired a foul-mouthed message to summer signing Jan Paul van Hecke, insisting the defender had no choice but to join Tottenham after nearly sending them down to the Championship. The defender helped Georginio Rutter score a 95th-minute equaliser for Brighton against Spurs back in April in a result which sparked fears the north Londoners could really be relegated.
Ultimately, the Italian manager saved them from despair. Since then, Spurs have splashed £237m in the transfer window thus far, with De Zerbi keen to bring in a further two or three players in the coming weeks. At least two of those targets will be forwards, and while some managers dread the transfer window, the Italian relishes the excitement of the chase, describing himself as a "shark" when pursuing a target.
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"I don't know why I love it, maybe because when you make a decision, you take the responsibility, but I think if the coach calls the player, you can build a special connection at the beginning with them," said the 47-year-old.
"The player knows you are the key for this transfer, and maybe this player feels they have to give you back something more than if, for example, Johan Lange calls the player."
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He added: "With Mateus Fernandes, I spoke with his parents. With JP [Van Hecke], after the Everton game, I sent the message 'F*** off, you wanted to send down Tottenham for Brighton when you made the assist to Georginio Rutter, now you have to come to me, yes or yes, you have no choice!'
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"It was straight after the game, right in my dressing room, my office in the Tottenham stadium, I sent a message to my daughter, and then JP."
De Zerbi relishes the moment a transfer plan falls into place, owing to the transformative impact it can have, particularly at a club like Tottenham that has endured a turbulent few years.
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"I am excited when we close the deal, yes, but not for the player, because we can play with JP, without JP, with Tonali, without Tonali, but I think it's a different relationship, it's a different atmosphere," he admitted.
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De Zerbi has been collaborating closely with Spurs CEO Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Lange since mid-March throughout the negotiations to bring him to the north London club.
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"We are working very well, it's my best connection with the board. Also in the players we sold, because for [Luka] Vuskovic it was together," he recalled.
"The request of Vuskovic, we spoke with Vinai, with Johan together, because I consider my job? No, I consider Tottenham, or my club, the money of my club, I consider my money.
"It's like the owner is my father. You don't want to spend money, to ask your father to spend money or to lose money. And if we bring a player, if we sell a player, it's one family."