Spurs could have a new manager by the time they face Sunderland in April, write PA.
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Roberto De Zerbi is set to take on the sizeable task of keeping Tottenham in the Premier League after talks between the parties reached an advanced stage, the Press Association understands.
Spurs - who face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light when the Premier League returns next month - turned attention back to De Zerbi after Igor Tudor’s departure on Sunday and, although PA understands the former Brighton boss initially preferred to wait until the summer to assess his options, he looks set to perform a U-turn and take over immediately.
Reports in De Zerbi’s homeland of Italy on Monday morning stated he was now willing to listen to Tottenham’s advances and had a five-year contract offer on the table, which would make the 46-year-old the club’s fourth head coach in the last 10 months.
De Zerbi has been linked with the Spurs vacancy for a number of years, firstly in 2023 and more recently over the last month after Thomas Frank left on February 11, but a break until the end of the season had been expected after he left Marseille in the same week.
Tottenham therefore turned to Tudor as interim head coach, but his shambolic 44-day reign produced five defeats in seven matches alongside a catalogue of questionable tactical choices and only increased the realistic threat of a first relegation since 1977.
It forced Spurs into one final roll of the dice and, with fans’ favourite Mauricio Pochettino contracted to lead the United States at this summer’s World Cup, De Zerbi has profited from being the best and most viable candidate currently on the market.
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Pochettino was asked on Monday if he had received any contact from Tottenham or Real Madrid, and told a press conference: “We have our full focus here on the World Cup.
“I think everyone knows that I am committed with the national team. I think there’s no a point to talk about the future. At the moment no (team) has approached.”
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First-team coach Bruno Saltor was tasked with taking training for the players not on international duty after Spurs moved on from Tudor on Sunday. However, PA understands Tottenham expected a new head coach would be hired by the middle of this week to give them 10 days to prepare for the April 12 trip to Sunderland – and that is set to be De Zerbi.