And so, the somewhat controversial appointment of Roberto De Zerbi has been made by the Tottenham Hotspur hierarchy, with the focus in the immediate future on securing Premier League survival across the next seven games.
The Italian - who had initially been keen to wait until the summer before taking charge - has agreed a long-term deal despite Spurs' precarious position, deemed the man to finally lift the club from rock bottom.
The 46-year-old will inherit an injury-hit and rather wounded squad at N17, albeit one that will also need significant overhaul this summer, with compatriot Guglielmo Vicario among those expected to depart.
At the top end of the pitch, meanwhile, the woes of Dominic Solanke - who has scored just six goals this season - should ensure that a new centre-forward is also a priority for De Zerbi and co this summer.
Spurs could strike £55m deal for first De Zerbi signing
While the north London side were languishing even before his exit, Harry Kane's departure in 2023 still feels like a landmark moment for the club, not least considering they waited a year to sign a direct replacement, in the form of Solanke.
The latter man has just 12 league goals since then, while on-loan Frenchman, Randal Kolo Muani, has scored just one top-flight goal all season, that coming in the north London derby defeat last month.
Richarlison, meanwhile, remains the top scorer this term for the Lilywhites, yet a return of just 25 league goals across the last four seasons makes for grim reading for the Brazilian.
De Zerbi and co could now be looking to Richarlison's compatriot, Marcos Leonardo, as a potential upgrade, with SportsBoom reporting that the 22-year-old is a 'number one target' for both Tottenham and Liverpool this summer.
The young marksman is said to be considering an exit from Saudi side Al Hilal, having spent almost two years in the Middle East after signing from Benfica.
The report does suggest that the Pro League outfit are under no pressure to sell, although it would be seen as foolish to turn down a statement offer, with a fee of around £55m likely to be the demand.
Why Leonardo could be De Zerbi's new Pedro
For a manager who seeks to implement an attack-minded set-up wherever he goes, it's no surprise that De Zerbi tends to get the best out of the centre-forwards at his disposal.
At Marseille this season, for instance, an ageing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang enjoyed something of a renaissance with ten goals in 28 games, while back at Brighton, the new Spurs boss oversaw the rise of young Evan Ferguson, who netted 15 times in 60 games during their time together.
That stint with Seagulls also saw De Zerbi get the best out of another rising Brazilian sensation, Joao Pedro, having signed the ex-Watford striker in the summer of 2023.
Pedro, now at rivals Chelsea, scored 20 goals in just 40 games in all competitions during that 2023/24 campaign, alongside registering a further nine assists, having operated both as a centre-forward but also as a second striker in De Zerbi's 4-2-3-1 set-up.
The aforementioned Leonardo could then be De Zerbi's latest, exciting centre-forward project, if Spurs can agree a deal this summer, with the youngster another player who fits the mould as a 'mobile' forward, as the report noted.
Indeed, at just 5 foot 9, Leonardo isn't exactly an old-fashioned number nine in the mould of Ferguson, yet more of a fluid striker like Pedro, while boasting the finishing prowess to match.
Like Chelsea's new number 20 - who started his career at Fluminense - Leonardo first emerged back in his homeland at Santos, scoring 54 goals in 168 games despite his relative youth.
A move to Lisbon followed, yet after scoring eight times in just 24 games for Benfica, he was on his way to Saudi Arabia, since netting 44 times in just 72 outings at Al-Hilal.
The £55m man proved particularly impressive in last summer's Club World Cup, scoring four times in just five games, including a brace against Manchester City in the last-16.
A return to European football, after scoring 15 times this season, potentially seems on the cards, with Leonardo likely to be a perfect fit for De Zerbi, considering Brighton were plotting his signing in 2023, before pivoting to Joao Pedro.
That's not to say the Brazilian will be the second coming of Kane or anything close, but after such mixed fortunes in the striking department, something needs to change at N17 this summer.