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Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has to wait until next Sunday to be in the dugout for the first time in the Premier League against Sunderland.

The Italian tactician joined during the international break to replace Igor Tudor in North London, but the Lilywhites were not in action this weekend because of their FA Cup exit.

That is set to give the former Brighton & Hove Albion head coach even more time on the training pitch to prepare the squad for his first game in charge, though, which is a positive outlook on the situation.

Spurs lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest before the international break and need to bounce back with a strong performance to move away from the relegation spots.

De Zerbi could make a host of changes to the XI that Tudor selected against the Tricky Trees, and Dominic Solanke is one of the players who should be dropped.

Why De Zerbi must drop Solanke for Spurs

The England international should be dropped from the starting line-up by the Italian boss because he has failed to deliver consistent performances in front of goal this season, and throughout his time at the club.

Since signing from Bournemouth for a club-record fee of £65m, Solanke has scored 12 goals in 39 appearances in the Premier League for the Lilywhites, including one goal in his last seven matches.

In the 2024/25 campaign, the English marksman scored nine goals from 10.97 xG in the top-flight, which speaks to how wasteful he has been in front of goal during his Spurs career so far.

Whilst there have been moments of magic, such as his scorpion kick goal against Manchester City, the lack of consistency from the club-record signing is a concern moving forward.

That is why De Zerbi should be looking at alternatives within the squad to play for the rest of the season, before potentially using the summer transfer window to bolster the firepower in the team.

The Spurs teen who could be their next Harry Kane

There is a young player in the academy set-up at Spurs who could be unleashed as De Zerbi's own version of Harry Kane to come in and instantly replace Solanke.

Kane, of course, came through the academy system with the Lilywhites before going on to score 280 goals in 435 appearances for the club before his move to Bayern Munich, leaving Tottenham as their record goalscorer.

Now, 18-year-old centre-forward Mason Melia could follow in his footsteps if De Zerbi decides to bring him into the first-team fold to replace Solanke in the coming weeks.

The Ireland U21 international officially joined from St. Patrick's in the January transfer window and scored three minutes into his U21 debut on Saturday against West Ham United.

Melia was in the right place at the right time to find the back of the net, a trait that all good centre-forwards have, and his senior goal record to date is further evidence of his ability to position himself well.

The 18-year-old marksman scored 25 goals in 98 games for St. Patrick's at senior level, despite only turning 18 in September 2025, and he scored 13 goals in 29 league starts in the 2025 campaign.

For context, Kane had scored five goals in 18 games on loan at Leyton Orient at first-team level by the time that he turned 18, which means that Melia is more experienced and has scored more goals than the England captain had at the same age.

A return of 13 goals in 35 league games for St. Patrick's last season for Melia was an incredible achievement because he was 17 for the majority of that campaign.

The teenage star was described as being "on fire" by talent scout Jacek Kulig and his statistics for club and country back that up, as he has also scored 16 goals in 38 caps for Ireland at various youth levels.

Melia's form for Ireland, St. Patrick's, and, now, Tottenham's U21s suggests that he is ready to make the step up to be given a chance to shine in the Premier League, particularly with Solanke's lack of consistency.

The 18-year-old marksman has the potential to emerge as De Zerbi's own version of Kane, as an academy player who could become a prolific senior scorer, and that is why the Italian should unleash him in the coming weeks.

New Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has reportedly identified one of his first transfer targets for the summer window, should they stay up.

De Zerbi jetting to London as Spurs confirm appointment

The official confirmation, when it came, brought a sense of resolution to one of the most chaotic managerial sagas in recent Premier League memory.

De Zerbi is Tottenham's new boss, a five-year contract signed and the Italian's name finally above the door at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The appointment had been preceded by weeks of talks, a dramatic U-turn from De Zerbi himself — who had previously insisted on waiting until the summer — and ultimately a financial package significant enough to change his mind, with Spurs understood to have offered him one of the highest managerial salaries in the top flight.

The timing of the announcement is both exciting and daunting.

Spurs sit 17th in the Premier League with seven games remainin and a single point separating them from the relegation places.

De Zerbi's first assignment is a trip to Sunderland on April 12, giving him precious little time to implement the intensive, possession-based system that made his name at Brighton.

The fanbase is also divided on whether that style is suited to a survival scrap.

What is beyond doubt is the long-term thinking on both sides — this is not a firefighting appointment but a potential project, and De Zerbi is already thinking well beyond May.

According to CalcioMercato.it, one name from Serie A has been flagged as a summer transfer priority.

Roberto De Zerbi identifies Manuel Locatelli as Tottenham target

Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli is that man.

The 27-year-old is understood to be a concrete target for next season, with Juventus also potentially open to a sale given that his contract runs until the summer of 2028 — a window in which they might prefer to maximise his value rather than allow him to enter the final year of his deal.

De Zerbi, in his opening discussions with the Tottenham board, immediately identified Locatelli as one of his top summer transfer targets, as per Calcio.

The connection between De Zerbi and the type of midfielder Locatelli represents is clear.

The Italian demands central midfielders who are technically fluent, positionally intelligent and capable of controlling the tempo of a game under pressure.

Locatelli — who has made 39 appearances for Juventus this season under Luciano Spalletti, establishing himself as the heartbeat of their midfield with three goals and two assists — fits that profile.

His experience as Italy's primary midfield anchor only adds to his suitability, with De Zerbi also helping to mould Locatelli into the player he is today during their time together at Sassuolo.

Locatelli's character may appeal to De Zerbi as much as his football.

Those who worked with him at Juventus speak in the highest terms of his leadership.

Igor Tudor, who managed him before his ill-fated stint at Spurs, made Locatelli his captain from day one and never regretted it.

When Locatelli stood aside to allow the returning Dušan Vlahović — just back from a serious thigh injury — to take a late penalty rather than claim the spot-kick himself, Tudor's verdict was unequivocal:

"Locatelli's gesture of letting him take the penalty was a true leader's gesture."

The irony is that this would not be Locatelli's first flirtation with a move to England

In the summer of 2021, fresh from starring as Italy won the Euros, he turned down a concrete and lucrative approach from Arsenal.

Sassuolo's CEO Giovanni Carnevali confirmed the Gunners bid around £34m — more than what Juventus ultimately paid — and offered a considerably better salary, but none of it mattered.

Locatelli, a lifelong Juve supporter, could not be persuaded. Asked years later if he had any regrets about snubbing Arsenal, his response was a diplomatic but a definitive 'no'.

Whether a move to Spurs under a manager who speaks his language and plays his style of football represents a different proposition entirely remains to be seen.

Tottenham Hotspur’s future in the Premier League could all depend on the decision the hierarchy makes before the end of the ongoing international break.

Igor Tudor, the club’s temporary manager, is under increasing pressure at present after struggling to produce the goods after his appointment following Thomas Frank’s departure.

The Croatian has now failed to win any of his first five league games since taking the reins, including a humbling 3-0 defeat to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest.

As a result, the manager’s future has been hugely up in the air over recent days, with many high-profile journalists expecting the 47-year-old to depart in the coming days.

Even though Tudor remains in charge of the Lilywhites at present, numerous managers have been identified as possible replacements for the under-pressure boss.

Spurs’ potential move to appoint Sean Dyche

Given the current scenario at Spurs, if the club are to part ways with Tudor, they will need a manager to make an immediate impact to drag the club clear of the relegation zone.

In recent days, former Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche has been mentioned as one option the hierarchy are considering on a deal until the end of the season.

The 54-year-old was sacked by the Reds back in February after a run of three games without a win - with the players even said to be discontent with his coaching methods.

However, it’s been reported that the Englishman would be extremely keen on taking the reins in North London if offered the opportunity to lead the Lilywhites forward.

Despite the interest, Dyche is said to be wanting a longer contract than just seven games, which could lead to a stumbling block over any possible agreement.

Given his defensive-minded approach to games, there’s no doubt he won’t be the most popular appointment - but it remains to be seen what direction the board go in.

The manager who could be perfect for Simons at Spurs

Spurs’ current situation in the Premier League is becoming ever-more alarming week after week, with the Lilywhites edging ever closer to the relegation zone.

Dropping into the second tier would be a catastrophe for a club of Spurs’ stature, not to mention the financial implications that could rear their head.

As a result, the risk of appointing a new manager at this stage of the season is huge, with the board desperately needing to make the correct decision with any call.

As previously mentioned, various managers have been in their sights, with talks even being held with multiple options - including former Monaco boss Adi Hutter.

The 56-year-old has been without a job since leaving the French side back in October, subsequently leading the side to back-to-back top three finishes.

The Austrian has become known for his 4-2-3-1 system in recent years, evidently a formation that has brought about great success - as seen by the recent league finishes.

His time at Monaco allowed attacking midfielder Magnhes Akliouche to thrive, with the Frenchman registering 31 combined goals and assists under his guidance.

The 24-year-old was a target for the Lilywhites in the summer before completing a move for Xavi Simons - with the Dutchman struggling to meet expectations this term.

Despite costing a fee in the region of £52m during the summer, he’s only registered nine combined goals and assists, with Hutter arguably the man to unlock his potential.

Should he be able to do so upon any potential appointment, it could well prove to be enough to help keep Spurs in the Premier League beyond the end of May.

Whilst Dyche appears to be the club’s main target, the former Monaco boss should be the priority at present, with his ability to get the best out of his attacking players a huge positive.

However, he’s also achieved a better win rate than the Englishman during his recent managerial spell - subsequently achieving a 12.5% greater win percentage despite managing for a greater period.

Hutter has also achieved a better point per game record in the last few years, which could be vital for the Lilywhites in their hunt to stay in England’s top-flight.

Tudor’s future in North London still remains a huge talking point at present, but his potential successor is also gaining just as much of discussion ahead of the return to club action.

Dyche and Hutter appear to be two managers firmly in with a chance of replacing the Croatian, with the hierarchy desperately needing to focus on a move for the latter.