Tottenham Hotspur may have just been given the green light to move for a top manager target after an update from GIVEMESPORT senior reporter Fabrizio Romano on Tuesday night.
Just hours after Spurs' defeat to Newcastle left them in 16th position and five points above the relegation zone, Romano confirmed the news on X that Marseille had parted ways with manager Roberto De Zerbi.
The Italian's future had been in doubt ever since the 5-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday, with reports late on Tuesday suggesting the 46-year-old was leaving having been left unconvinced following talks with his players.
The former Brighton boss decided it was the right to leave, with Marseille bosses agreeing with him.
De Zerbi is a Top Tottenham Target
According to reports last month, Tottenham have made De Zerbi one of their top manager targets should they decide to sack Frank at the end of the season, with the board keen to keep the faith in him until then. Of course, results will change this stance and they aren't going in his favour right now.
Spurs - and other interested clubs - may have felt that any potential move for the Italian would have had to wait until the summer, but they have the opportunity to move for him now as the pressure grows on Frank.
The Dane was booed off by Spurs supporters following another home defeat against Eddie Howe's side, which means they are still yet to record a Premier League win in 2026.
Next up they face arch-rivals Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the Gunners top of the table and aiming to win their first Premier League title since 2004.
De Zerbi Would be World-Class Tottenham Appointment
Despite his exit from Marseille, De Zerbi is likely to be a wanted man in the next weeks and months as he considers where to go next.
The respect the Italian has from his peers shows just how highly rated he is in the European management game, with Pep Guardiola previously calling him the 'one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years' with a unique playing style when he was in charge of Brighton.
In recent weeks, he has been labelled as 'one of the best managers in the world' by Liverpool's Arne Slot, who revealed the 46-year-old would be high on his list to appoint as a manager if he was responsible for doing so at a football club.
Tottenham need a reset and a manager to bring fresh ideas and excitement for the supporters, and De Zerbi could be just the man with the north Londoners having also tried to appoint him before they got Thomas Frank, according to GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Ben Jacobs.