Tottenham ‘Consider’ Incredibly Risky Offer to Convince Roberto De Zerbi

In a desperate attempt to lure the divisive figure of Roberto De Zerbi to north London, Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly considering offering the outspoken Italian coach a contract which includes a release clause in the event of relegation.

Igor Tudor’s disastrous interim reign had not yet been brought to a merciful conclusion by the time De Zerbi’s name was first floated as a potential alternative. Now that the Croatian boss has officially parted ways with the club, thoughts are even more keenly focused on his successor.

There is understood to have been a reluctance from De Zerbi to take over a team perched perilously above the relegation zone. To dissuade those concerns, there have even been discussions about including a release clause in the former Brighton and Marseille boss’s contract which would allow another club to extract him from his Spurs deal were they to get relegated under his watch, according to The Times.

De Zerbi is thought to be “amenable” to the idea of taking over Tottenham but only if another incumbent has successfully avoided relegation, BBC Sport report in the aftermath of Tudor’s exit. It remains to be seen whether this release clause option will be offered and if it will be accepted.

Tottenham are not in action again until April 12, when they travel to Sunderland for the first of their seven remaining Premier League matches. The club reportedly want to give their new coach—the club’s third of the season—at least 10 days to prepare for that match.

Even without taking into consideration this incredibly risky release clause proposal, talk of De Zerbi’s potential appointment has inspired widespread backlash from the Spurs fanbase.

Why Tottenham Fans Are Protesting Against Potential De Zerbi Appointment

Multiple Tottenham fan groups have joined forces to warn the club against appointing De Zerbi following his public defense of the controversial forward Mason Greenwood during their shared time at Marseille.

The former Manchester United winger did not play for the Premier League club again after being arrested in January 2022. He was subsequently accused of attempted rape, engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Greenwood denied all accusations.

The U.K. Crown Prosecution Service dropped all charges in February 2023 after “a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction,” a spokesperson told the BBC.

Manchester United then conducted an in-house investigation which lasted until August 2023. At that point, the club claimed: “Mason did not commit the offences in respect of which he was originally charged.” However, it was decided that he would not play for United again. “As Mason publicly acknowledges today,” a statement at the time read, “he has made mistakes which he is taking responsibility for.”

Greenwood spent the 2023–24 season on loan at Spanish side Getafe before signing for De Zerbi’s Marseille in July 2024.

The ’No to De Zerbi’ Campaign

Before Greenwood had officially signed for Marseille, De Zerbi promised to publicly defend all his players “like [they were] my sons.” Earlier this season, the Italian coach described the forward as “a good person,” adding: “It saddens me what happened to him because I know a very different person from the one portrayed in England.”

These comments are among those to have inspired the ‘No to De Zerbi’ campaign launched by some Spurs supporters.

The Proud Lilywhites group, Women of the Lane and Spurs Reach all released statements criticizing De Zerbi’s defense of Greenwood.

“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,” The Proud Lilywhites group wrote.

Women of the Lane accused De Zerbi of statements which “downplays the seriousness of male violence against women and girls. That raises serious questions about judgement and leadership.” Spurs Reach argue: “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.”

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