Tottenham still have some hurdles to navigate in talks with ex-Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, despite some reports a breakthrough has been made.
De Zerbi favourite for Spurs job after Igor Tudor exit
The day Tottenham fans had been expecting arrived on Sunday.
Igor Tudor left the club by mutual consent after just 44 days and seven games in charge — a tenure so brief and so bleak it felt less like a managerial appointment and more like an extended audition that nobody passed.
One win, one point from his five Premier League outings, and the backdrop of a deeply personal tragedy with the passing of his father Mario adding a layer of dignity to what was otherwise a mercifully swift end.
Spurs now have their third manager of the season to appoint, still perched one precarious point above the relegation zone, with seven games left and a trip to Sunderland on April 12 looming as the first acid test.
And with the clock ticking, the man they have wanted for months has finally blinked.
De Zerbi — who had spent the best part of a week saying no to Tottenham — is now genuinely considering their approach to manage them right now.
Reliable Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reported this morning that De Zerbi is open to evaluating a five-year contract proposal from Spurs, describing the coming hours as decisive.
Sky Sports confirmed talks are underway today, while The Independent's Miguel Delaney added that negotiations have progressed to the point where De Zerbi's backroom staff are now being discussed — a significant detail that suggests this is no longer a tentative conversation.
GiveMeSport even reported that a breakthrough has been made in talks with De Zerbi already and his appointment is beckoning, but while these claims are exciting to some, The Athletic state there are still potential roadblocks in the way.
Tottenham dealt De Zerbi hurdles despite lucrative contract offer
Indeed, the reliable news outlet reports that Spurs have submitted a long-term, lucrative financial offer that would make De Zerbi among the best-paid managers in the Premier League.
Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange have taken personal charge of negotiations, and the club's desire is to have him in place before players return from international duty — giving him approximately 10 days to prepare for Sunderland.
Bruno Saltor is leading training in the meantime.
However, "complications" apparently remain.
The Athletic's report makes those clear, with De Zerbi's fundamental reservation — the one that has seen him say no repeatedly since leaving Marseille in February — is the prospect of walking into a mid-season survival scrap with a team that has not won a league game in 2026.
His style of football, expansive and possession-driven, requires time to implement.
Tim Sherwood articulated the concern well on Sky Sports today: De Zerbi is "not that firefighter-type manager," and his teams can be opened up on the counter when things go wrong.
The question of whether his contract includes a relegation release clause adds another layer of complexity.
The Times reported that such a clause has been discussed as a mechanism to protect De Zerbi should the worst happen, but it remains unclear whether that proposal has been accepted or even formally tabled in the latest round of talks.
There is also the added hurdle of significant fan opposition, as per The Athletic again.
Three Tottenham supporter groups — Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane and Spurs Reach — have issued a joint statement opposing the appointment, citing De Zerbi's public defence of Mason Greenwood during their time together at Marseille.
The 'No to De Zerbi' campaign has gathered momentum across supporter platforms.
None of that appears to be stopping ENIC as things stand, though.
The offer is on the table, the talks are advanced, and a decision could well be made before the day is out.