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Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven would prefer a move to Liverpool ahead of Manchester United, according to reports.

Van de Ven, who joined Tottenham in a £43 million deal from Wolfsburg in 2023, is currently involved in a relegation battle with Spurs fighting to stay in the Premier League.

The Netherlands international is on United’s summer shortlist with the club looking to strengthen their options in central defence in the upcoming window.

Liverpool are also in the market for a new centre-back and have been keeping tabs on Van de Ven’s situation at Spurs, who are currently two points adrift of safety with five Premier League games remaining.

But according to talkSPORT’s Ben Jacobs, Van de Ven would turn down a move to United if the opportunity to join Liverpool was on the table.

‘If Spurs go down, Van de Ven will almost certainly leave, if Tottenham stay up, it’s a slightly different situation because Cristian Romero is still likely to leave and Van de Ven may be harder to get,’ Jacobs told The United Stand.

‘I’m told by Tottenham sources, if Spurs stay up Romero is still likely to leave and better chance now of Van de Ven extending at Tottenham than going after the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi.

‘He is someone Man United are keeping an eye on. There has been no approach to Spurs and as of now there has been zero approach to the player side from Manchester United.

‘Liverpool are also in the market for another defender as well. Liverpool, like Man United, it’s more an internal conversation but the bad news for Man United on Micky van de Ven is if, and it is an ‘if’, Liverpool enter the race, Van de Ven is only making one decision between Liverpool and Manchester United, and he is picking Liverpool. And I say that with absolute confidence, if both clubs were to enter the race, Van de Ven’s preference would be Liverpool over Manchester United.

‘He would be linking up with Virgil van Dijk, Van Dijk will be going in a season because his contract expires, he knows Van Dijk, he has the opportunity to partner Van Dijk and then move over to the left side and he is also a Liverpool fan in terms of him and his family.

‘If Liverpool enter the race, it would be bad news for all suitors.’

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Tottenham defender Kevin Danso has issued a defiant statement after suffering racist abuse following Saturday’s draw with Brighton.

The Austria international was in the starting XI for Spurs against the Seagulls, playing at centre-back alongside Micky van de Ven.

Despite twice taking the lead, the game finished 2-2, with Brighton scoring an injury time equaliser through Georginio Rutter.

Danso lost possession in the build-up to that late goal and revealed on social media that he was sent racist abuse online after the match.

The 27-year-old wrote on Instagram: ‘Not the result we needed yesterday. We gave everything, we learn and we move.

‘I’ve also seen the comments. The racist abuse has no place in this game or anywhere. But it doesn’t define me, and it won’t distract me from what is important. I know who I am, what I stand for, and why I play.

‘Now it’s about staying focused, working harder, and coming back stronger for the next games. We keep pushing, we keep believing, and we give our all every single time we step on that pitch.

‘Stronger. Together. On to the next.’

Tottenham have also issued a statement in support of the player they signed from Lens last year.

A club statement read: ‘Since yesterday’s fixture against Brighton, which took place during the Premier League’s No Room For Racism weekend, Kevin Danso has been, and continues to be, subject to significant and abhorrent racist abuse on social media.

‘We have heard and seen vile, dehumanising racism. Behaviour that is without doubt a criminal offence. It will not be tolerated.

‘The club is taking immediate action. We are reporting all identified content to the Metropolitan Police and to the appropriate authorities in the country where perpetrators reside, as well as to relevant social media platforms. We will push for the strongest possible action against each and every person we identify.

‘Kevin has our complete and unconditional support as a player and as a person. No one at this club will ever stand alone in the face of this.

‘Nothing about form or league position can ever excuse or explain racist abuse. There is no connection between performance on the pitch and the right to target a player with discrimination. Criticism of performances is part of the game. Racism is not.

‘We work with specialist third parties dedicated to monitoring online abuse, investigating incidents and identifying perpetrators.

‘Abusers could face custodial sentences, football banning orders, criminal records, fines, community orders or police-mandated educational programmes. We have successfully secured criminal convictions following abuse of our staff and players, including individuals based overseas, and we have also issued indefinite Club bans.

‘We call on X, Instagram and all platforms to act quickly and decisively when racist abuse is reported. We also encourage anyone who sees abuse of this kind to report it directly to us at report@tottenhamhotspur.com so we can take the strongest possible action.

‘There is no place for racism at Tottenham Hotspur. There is no place for racism in football.’

The draw on Saturday left Spurs in the relegation zone, one point adrift of West Ham in 17th.

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Rio Ferdinand has suggested Manchester United should consider signing two Tottenham stars in the event of the north Londoners getting relegated from the Premier League.

Spurs have parachuted Roberto De Zerbi in but defeat in his first match in charge away to Sunderland last weekend, coupled with victory for West Ham United, has left them in the bottom three.

Tottenham head into the weekend two points away from safety with relegation to the Championship a very real threat with six games of the season left.

Dropping out of the Premier League would inevitably leave the futures of a number of their players uncertain.

Despite wretched campaigns, many of their first-team stars will likely have offers to stay in the Premier League, including defender Micky van de Ven.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for the Netherlands international with former United star Ferdinand believing he is an option for his old club to consider.

Ferdinand also named Djed Spence as another Spurs player United could be in for.

Asked which Spurs players he would like United to sign if they become available, the former England international told Rio Ferdinand Presents: ‘None right now, no. Can’t think of any that I’d take, especially the way they’re playing now.

‘Van de Ven, maybe. Van de Ven and Djed Spence, actually. Djed Spence.’

Ferdinand’s former teammate Louis Saha has also backed a move for van de Ven, believing his presence will serve United well next season when they hope to be competing in the Champions League once again.

‘We have players in attacking areas and on the wings, defensively we have a lot of options, but Micky van de Ven would be an exciting addition if he is available,’ Saha said.

‘He is the calibre of player that can help United to the next level.’

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I was a believer. Bored by daily debates around obviously wrong offside calls and refereeing mistakes Row Z could see, when the Premier League started looking into VAR in 2018 I’ll admit to being a fan.

Before its debut in 2019-20, I was invited to spend an afternoon with other broadcasters trying out the system. We overturned on-field decisions using the video evidence they’d use in an eerily quiet Stockley Park. The referees working with us were earnest, the task was hard, it was all quite fun – and seemingly a logical step.

All of which meant when the Video Assistant Referee played his first Premier League game on Friday, August 9, 2019 I was on board.

No longer. I’m not quite sure when the tipping point was, and I recognise that the partiality of football fans means that bad decisions against Spurs loom largest in this house.

Last weekend Brian Brobbey’s excessively forceful and cynical push on Cristian Romero led to no second yellow, let alone a straight red, and I exploded. Already they had missed a potential straight red for his elbow on Pedro Porro and what in God’s name was the point of it all.

But I wasn’t in the stadium, or indeed the country, so I could sigh, walk away for a lovely Greek Mamos beer and WhatsApp everyone my complaints. To really experience the failure of VAR you have to be in a ground, where only the sighing part is definitely available.

Remember Spurs’ defeat to Palace last month? That might have been the moment I gave up on VAR.

We all sat in our seats at the stadium and asked our neighbour and waited and railed and felt like the game was happening somewhere else, away from us – until we learned Palace attacker Ismaila Sarr’s nose was offside.

That was also the game where the on-field ref’s talkback to VAR failed, adding a few extra minutes of faff none of us needed.

We know that referees are people and people make mistakes.

VAR was supposed to give on-field referees an extra pair of eyes to sense-check their calls. Instead, we seem to have doubled up on errors and time-wasting.

No week in football is complete without another grandee opining on the need to fundamentally change the game. This time it’s Aurelio De Laurentiis the Napoli owner, who wants halves to be cut to 25 minutes lest the youngsters lose focus over a traditional 90-minute game.

Cool idea, good to bandy about what you’d do if you were Football God. But back on planet Earth, perhaps the world’s biggest sports success story – the most widespread cultural phenomenon there is in modern history –doesn’t actually need much tinkering.

The very best thing in football is the feeling of the goal. The breath before and after the shot, the chaos of a switch in fortunes, the swish of the net, the wide eyes, the impudent celebration. That must be protected at all costs. For that reason alone, VAR must end.

Before this point in my VAR journey, I also quite liked the captain’s review approach to video-assisted decisions. It’d be a little like in tennis or cricket, where participants get a say on when refereeing is rechecked.

Perhaps one review a game works? It could be theatre, toying with the opposition at apposite moments. But it still affects the flow of the game.

The bits I would save are automated or semi-automated. We should only use video assistance for yes/no decisions.

Goalline technology is good (when switched on…), that stays.

Semi-automated offside: in – but it has to be faster. And, on offside, there will always be a point at which a player becomes offside, so if we don’t like that a toenail ahead counts, fine, let’s set it further back, but it is an absolute. It’s like being pregnant – you either are or you aren’t. No point arguing.

Many things within football need fixing – corruption, mismanagement, sexism, racism, abuse – but the game itself is perfect. What it doesn’t need is more creative ways of refereeing.

Let’s fix the fixables, starting with stripping out VAR, and let the sport speak for itself.

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Paul Merson has revealed his prediction for the crucial Premier League clash between Chelsea and Manchester United and urged Michael Carrick to bench striker Benjamin Sesko.

Chelsea welcome Man United to Stamford Bridge on Saturday night hoping to boost their Champions League hopes following a difficult run.

Liam Rosenior’s side have won just one of their last six games in all competitions, slipping to sixth in the Premier League and crashing out of the Champions League.

Manchester United, in contrast, have climbed to third in the table since Michael Carrick was appointed caretaker manager in replace of Ruben Amorim.

The Red Devils have dropped points in each of their last two games, however, drawing 2-2 at Bournemouth before the international break before suffering a shock defeat at home to Leeds United on Monday night.

Merson believes United’s winless run to continue at Stamford Bridge, backing Chelsea to clinch a crucial 2-1 win to boost their hopes of Champions League qualification.

The Arsenal legend expects Enzo Fernandez to come back into the Chelsea team following his recent absence but says Sesko should be dropped and allowed to ‘make an impact from the bench’ as he has does effectively in the second-half of the season.

‘Chelsea were atrocious of the highest level in the second half against Manchester City,’ Merson told Sportskeeda.

‘Luckily for them, they now face Manchester United, who were also terrible in the loss to Leeds!

‘This is a must-not-lose game for United and a must-win game for Chelsea. After this, Chelsea face Brighton away, Nottingham Forest at home, Liverpool away, Spurs at home and Sunderland away.

‘If they lose this game, I don’t see them playing Champions League football next season.

‘As long as Manchester United avoid defeat, they are at an advantage for Champions League qualification because Chelsea will play Liverpool.

‘I would be shocked if Enzo Fernandez is not back in the line-up for this game.

‘I still can’t get my head around the fact that Chelsea banned him for two matches! They were crying out for someone like him to get on the ball and pass to break lines during the defeat to City.

‘Manchester United were poor against Leeds and have a few injuries to deal with.

‘I don’t know why Bryan Mbeumo did not start that game though. And Casemiro is nowhere near the same player without Kobbie Mainoo next to him!

‘I would probably leave Benjamin Sesko out of the line-up against Chelsea. He’s someone who they can bring on to make an impact off the bench.

‘The other day against Leeds, they had no one who could do that as a substitute because Sesko was in the starting XI.

‘Chelsea could be ninth in the league by the end of the week, if they don’t win this game. But I actually think they can trouble United. I’m backing Chelsea to get a 2-1 win.’

Manchester United beat ten-man Chelsea 2-1 the last time these two sides met back in September, taking advantage of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez’s early red card.

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Tottenham are expected to be without Cristian Romero for the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury in defeat to Sunderland on Sunday.

The trip to the Stadium of Light was Roberto De Zerbi’s first match in charge of Spurs and it did not bring about an improvement in their fortunes.

The 1-0 defeat left the north London club 18th in the table, two points adrift of safety with just six games to play.

It has been a nightmare season for Tottenham and one that has not been helped by a string of serious injuries, with Romero the latest fitness woe for the manager.

ESPN report that the Argentina defender has damaged a knee ligament and will likely be out for between five and eight weeks as a result.

The injury occurred in a collision with his own goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky, having been pushed in the back by Sunderland forward Brian Brobbey.

The Premier League season comes to an end on May 24, with Spurs hosting Everton, so Romero is very unlikely to be back in time for that.

Instead he will hope to return in time for the World Cup, which starts in just under two months.

Romero joins the likes of James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert, Guglielmo Vicario, Ben Davies and Yves Bissouma in the treatment room.

Spurs are back in action on Saturday evening when De Zerbi takes charge of his first home game against former club Brighton.

While the manager and the club as a whole are keenly focussed on avoiding their first ever relegation from the Premier League, there are talks ongoing over a major summer signing.

The BBC report that there are advanced talks between Spurs and Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson, who is leaving Anfield this summer at the end of his contract.

Tottenham were linked with a move for the Scot in January but it did not materialise, however, a free transfer this summer is now on the cards.

The 32-year-old will only move to north London if Spurs are still in the Premier League, though.

Robertson has made 374 appearances for Liverpool since moving from Hull City in 2017, winning two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, an FA Cup and two League Cups.

‘This club means everything to me, the fans mean everything to me, the people connected to the club mean everything to me,’ said Robertson.

‘I think I owe it to them still to, until my very last day, I’ll give everything to this football club, which I’ve done over the last nine years and I’m very proud of that.

‘The time to have the emotional farewell and tell the fans and the people connected to this club what they mean to me, that will come closer to the end. I don’t think I’m quite ready for that yet.’

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With the end-of-season run-in well and truly upon us, Metro has assembled its finest minds to predict how the final few weeks of the season will unfold.

In the Premier League, Arsenal appear to be sitting pretty with a nine-point advantage over Manchester City. But should recent results have Gunners fans concerned ahead of the final seven matches?

Manchester United’s good form has seen Michael Carrick’s side vault into the top five, but who will secure the remaining places in the top five and a precious spot in next season’s Champions League?

Elsewhere, City still hold out hope of a cup double after progressing to the FA Cup semi-finals, while Arsenal remain the only English side left in Europe’s premier cup competition.

And at the other end of the table, Tottenham have recruited their third manager of the season, but have it all to do to avoid an embarrassing relegation one year after triumphing in the Europa League.

How will it all pan out? Read on to see our predictions…

Premier League title race: Relax, Arsenal fans…

A sobering Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City and FA Cup exit at Championship Southampton have seen the usual demons occupy the waking thoughts of every Arsenal fan – fears that have not been dispelled by a 1-0 win at Sporting, where their goalkeeper was man of the match.

It’s a stark contrast to the wildly cathartic scenes sparked by Max Dowman’s clinching goal in their last Premier League outing, a 2-0 win over Everton way back on March 14.

A lot has happened since and yet, in terms of the title race, nothing has changed. Arsenal remain nine (9!) points clear of City with seven games to go.

Yes, they could lose at the Etihad and Guardiola’s men can win their game in hand against Crystal Palace. But if Arsenal beat five of Bournemouth, Newcastle, Fulham, West Ham, Burnley and Palace – and draw the other game – they will be champions. And trust me, they will be champions. Demons, be gone!

Gavin Brown, Assistant Sports Editor

Race for the top five: Liverpool miss out as Slot axe

Arne Slot’s Liverpool tenure has unravelled at a remarkable rate, with a limp 2-0 away defeat to Paris Saint-Germain the latest sign that the Dutchman is running out of ideas.

Just two wins in the Reds’ last eight games in all competitions means they enter the final stretch of games bang out of form. And with a Merseyside derby, as well as games against United, Chelsea and Aston Villa in their final seven, it’s hard to make a case for Liverpool remaining in the final Champions League spot.

Chelsea, or even Brentford and Everton lurking below, could be the beneficiaries, but it’s clear that missing out on the Champions League would represent a major step back for Liverpool and one that may ultimately force a managerial change over the summer.

Ben Fleming, Sports Reporter

Relegation battle: More misery for Tottenham

After calling Thomas Frank’s sacking in Metro’s pre-season predictions, I’ll continue on a similar trend and forecast yet more misery for Tottenham.

Igor Tudor’s wretched 44-day reign felt doomed from the outset and change was needed… I’m just not convinced Roberto De Zerbi is the right appointment for this do-or-die moment, with tough contests against Sunderland, Villa, Chelsea and Everton still to come.

De Zerbi’s philosophy is well established: a possession-heavy, high-press brand of football, reliant on intricate build-up play under pressure. But it takes time to learn and hone this craft – time Spurs do not have.

With James Maddison out injured, it’s become glaringly obvious that Tottenham lack players capable of progressing the ball through tight spaces, a fundamental requirement in order for De Zerbi’s style to function.

The Italian failed to win any of his first five games during his first Premier League stint with Brighton. For Tottenham, I fear history could repeat itself here.

Wolves and Burnley are toast, Forest *should* be fine, and while West Ham currently occupy the relegation zone, I’ve seen enough fight in their recent matches with Fulham, Brentford, Manchester City and Leeds to persuade me they’ll be okay, just.

Tom Olver, Assistant Sports Editor

Player of the season: Bruno Fernandes to get his flowers

According to the bookies, all bets are off when it comes to crowning the 2025/26 player of the year, with Declan Rice 4/7 with Paddy Power to take top honours.

He has been a brilliant driving force for Arsenal and England fans will keep everything crossed that he carries his fine form and deadly dead-ball deliveries into the World Cup.

But the question is, is he the right man for it? Team-mate Gabriel has a real case as an absolute titan for the league’s meanest defence and a menace in both boxes. If opponents hate facing you, you’re doing something right.

The other outstanding candidate is Bruno Fernandes, who, in my opinion, would be a worthy winner. He’s carried Manchester United, both when they were struggling under Ruben Amorim and in the brighter days under Michael Carrick.

Yeah, he likes a good moan, but who doesn’t? United’s leader, creator-in-chief and biggest threat. Insane stats, with 16 assists – twice as many as anyone else – despite Amorim playing him too deep for too long.

Shining in a well-oiled machine is one thing. Operating like a Rolls-Royce in a misfiring one takes something special.

Dave Filmer, Deputy Sports Editor

FA Cup: Lift-off for Liam’s Blues

It would be typical of Chelsea to finish a disappointing and turbulent season on and off the pitch by casually winning the FA Cup. Winning trophies is in that club’s DNA.

They failed to beat Leeds twice in the league, but it will be third time unlucky for Daniel Farke’s side, whose priority, as disheartening as it may be, is not a Wembley semi-final but Premier League survival.

Chelsea’s massive – and if we’re being fair, talented – squad makes them an ideal cup team and their reward for ending Leeds’ cup run will likely be a final against Manchester City (no offence intended to in-form Championship side and Arsenal’s conquerors Southampton).

That would be tough, clearly, but if U21 boss Callum McFarlane can frustrate Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium in the first game since Enzo Maresca’s exit in January, it shouldn’t be beyond Liam Rosenior to do the same, presuming he’s still in the job by then.

Like Leeds, Man City may also have bigger fish to fry by then as they chase the title. It won’t be as magical as Crystal Palace’s exploits last season, but the FA Cup could well be heading to chaos merchants Chelsea.

Louis Sealey, Deputy Sports Editor

Champions League: PSG to run it back in Budapest

Given the Champions League’s propensity to throw up dramatic second-leg comebacks, it feels slightly premature to be making any cast-iron predictions, even with just eight teams remaining.

The draw has been neatly divided in half, with teams who are on a crusade to save football on one side, and those who are steadfastly committed to the dark arts on the other, meaning whatever the makeup of the final, we’re going to get what will almost certainly be described as a clash of contrasting style.

Should they survive next week’s second leg at Anfield and overcome their likely semi-final opponents in Bayern Munich, then I’d be pretty confident in backing PSG to overcome whoever they take on in Budapest and claim ultra-rare back-to-back successes.

Luis Enrique’s men are coming to the boil at just the right and with their Ligue 1 rivals doing all they can to afford them the rest and recuperation their rivals can dream of, they look primed to go all the way again.

James Goldman, Sports Editor

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William Gallas has advised Mikel Arteta to replace two Arsenal players this summer and believes new additions could help get the best out of Viktor Gyokeres.

Gyokeres has endured a mixed first season at the Emirates Stadium following last summer’s £64m move from Sporting, scoring 17 goals but receiving criticism for his general play.

A number of pundits have questioned if Gyokeres is good enough to lead the line for title-chasing Arsenal, with Jamie Carragher recently claiming Arsenal needed to sign an upgrade in the summer.

Gallas believes Gyokeres can be a success at his former club but only if Arsenal ‘change their style’ and start providing him with better and more regular service.

Arteta has Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke at his disposal on the right wing but Gallas fears both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard on the left are stagnating.

Gallas is surprised by Martinelli’s subdued season – the Brazilian has scored just once in the Premier League – and has described Trossard as a ‘squad player’.

‘Who would I sign for Arsenal? To be honest, I think they’ve got a good squad and they can do the same performance for next season,’ Gallas told BoyleSports.

‘Even up front they’ve got the wingers but the only thing is maybe they still need one world class striker or to change the style of the team.

‘When Arsenal play on the counter-attack, I think sometimes the midfielders have to look for Viktor Gyokeres to give him the ball at the first opportunity.

‘Gyokeres always asks for the ball in front, in the space, but he doesn’t get the ball, because the midfielder wants to keep the ball. That is the style of Arsenal.

‘Gyokeres has scored goals but he hasn’t scored enough goals so he has to reach a minimum 20 goals next season and it will be difficult for him if Arsenal are going to play the same way because he doesn’t really dominate the league physically like he did in Portugal.

‘Maybe you need a left winger because I don’t know what has happened to Gabriel Martinelli, he’s just not what he was, and Leandro Trossard is a good squad player but you need something else.

‘Would I prefer Khvicha Kvaratskhelia or Bradley Barcola for Arsenal? Barcola.

‘When you’ve got a striker like Gyokeres, you need players to give him the ball to score the goals, and that’s why maybe some of Arsenal’s style has to change, or Arsenal need to change their striker.’

Gyokeres failed to boost his goals tally in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City before the international break.

The Sweden international was on target in their FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton on Saturday but could not prevent Arsenal from slipping to a shock 2-1 defeat.

Arsenal face Gyokeres’ former club Sporting in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Tuesday night.

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Let’s start with the positives. It may be better to commit a head coach to Spurs for more than just the seven remaining games of the season. The players could benefit from having a plan to buy into, and confidence arising from knowing that the future has been considered. It is worth almost any managerial price to stay in the Premier League, given relegation costs £350million. Employing a manager with Premier League experience is vital.

But, for Tottenham, making Roberto De Zerbi reportedly the third-highest paid manager in the league – on a deal with no relegation clause – means the rubbernecking only intensifies. What is it about his career at Brighton and Marseille that tells you he is worth such an investment?

All I can glean from the announcement is that either he or his agent is a good negotiator, willing to strike at a time of peak vulnerability for his prospective employer. How do you get paid more? You either propose a larger salary, or you secure a longer deal. Or, if the client is really desperate, you do both. The Tottenham board can spin the decision as an investment in the club’s future. It does not convince.

And let’s not forget the discomfort with which some fans view the appointment of De Zerbi in the first place. Three fan groups issued joint statements reminding the board that ‘De Zerbi has publicly defended Mason Greenwood in a way that downplays the seriousness of male violence against women and girls. That raises serious questions about judgement and leadership.’

Greenwood was charged in 2022 with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault. The charges were dropped in 2023. In November when De Zerbi was Marseille boss, he described Greenwood as a ‘good guy’.

The point these fans are making is this doesn’t just raise questions about De Zerbi’s judgement, but also of the senior figures at Tottenham who have made the decision.

Executives at the club have been understandably praised for very little this season, but conversations about improving the ‘culture’ of the organisation, led by former Arsenal exec Vinai Venkatesham, have been greeted with optimism internally. De Zerbi’s appointment seems only to undermine them.

His combustible personal style is also a cause for concern. Before we even get into how the ragged collection of players available to the club might play anything approaching De Zerbi ball. Key to which will be crushed second-choice keeper Antonin Kinsky, who needs to start in the first game of the Italian’s reign against Sunderland in less than a fortnight.

Talking seriously about a first relegation since 1977 has been new experience for many Spurs fans, including me. The angst around the board’s recalcitrant sacking of Thomas Frank, the misguided – and brief – appointment of Igor Tudor, the continued slide towards serious trouble. These were all struggles we could deal with as a unit.

And so we did: the Cup Final atmosphere ahead of the recent Nottingham Forest game showed what a motivated, unified crowd could be. Feel free to continue to mock, but I will always feel proud of what we showed in Tottenham that day.

As the need for Tudor’s departure crystallised, the prospective candidate list was understandably sparse. Most fans at that stage considered a connection with the club to be key, the built-in respect that would flow in both directions vital.

De Zerbi has no connection. There is also no evidence from his career to indicate that he is the master of a quick turnaround. He’s been appointed in-season three times – from his first five games at Palermo, Benevento and Brighton in total he secured only a single win.

When Tudor was originally appointed, many hoped he would secure survival and keep Mauricio Pochettino’s seat warm until after the World Cup. Though De Zerbi’s track record means that his lasting more than a few months in north London seems unlikely, his five-year deal effectively kills that dream. The guardians of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club have therefore traded the ultimate fan unity candidate for… this guy. They’d better have seen something I haven’t.

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Tottenham fans have been eager for the relegation-threatened club to bring in a replacement as quickly as possible after Igor Tudor was axed just 44 days into his spell as head coach.

But Spurs’ decision to narrow down their search to Roberto De Zerbi has not been well received by some corners of the fanbase – and it’s the Italian’s previous comments about Mason Greenwood which have caused such friction.

Official confirmation of De Zerbi’s appointment arrived this evening, with the ex-Brighton boss putting pen to paper on a five-year deal in north London – his first job since leaving Marseille by mutual consent last month.

Throughout his near two-year-long spell in charge of Marseille, De Zerbi threw his support behind Greenwood, a player once lauded as a potential superstar of English football.

However, Greenwood’s move to Marseille was filled with controversy given it came two-and-a-half years after he had been arrested on suspicion of rape and assault (on January 31, 2022) while still a Manchester United player. He was further arrested on February 1, 2022 on suspicion of sexual assault and making threats to kill.

The young forward was subsequently charged on October 2022 with one count of attempted rape, one count of controlling and coercive behaviour and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Greenwood denied the charges.

The Manchester United academy product had been due to stand trial in November 2023, only for the charges to be dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service [CPS] in February 2023.

‘A combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction,’ the CPS said in a statement.

What comments did Roberto De Zerbi make about Mason Greenwood?

Marseille received heavy criticism over their decision to sign Greenwood back in 2024, with the city’s mayor, Benoit Payan, even urging the club not to bring in the player at the time.

But De Zerbi, who was appointed just 19 days before the transfer was agreed, suggested he was supportive of the idea as Marseille closed in on a deal for the England international.

‘Mason is a world-class player, but we have not recruited him yet,’ De Zerbi told reporters when asked about a proposed agreement for Greenwood.

‘I don’t know what happened, but I am not used to get involved in my players’ private life.

‘But if he comes here, you have to know that I treat all my players like my sons. I can tell them off in private, but I would never attack them in public.’

Once Greenwood was through the doors, De Zerbi insisted the former Manchester United attacker – who has been capped once by the England national team – was a ‘good guy’.

He also suggested he was ‘saddened’ by how Greenwood had been represented by the press in his native England.

‘He’s a good guy, he paid a heavy price for what happened, a very heavy price,’ De Zerbi said in the media when asked about Greenwood last November.

‘He has found the right environment for him. We have lent him a hand and given him affection. He’s a little bit introverted but I know him and his family.

‘It saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a totally different person than the one who was described in England.’

Several supporter groups – and high-profile fans such as Rachel Riley – pushed for Manchester United to terminate Greenwood’s contract after the allegations came to light in 2022.

And there have been several groups opposed to the appointment of De Zerbi on the basis of his past remarks about Greenwood.

THFC Flags, a fan-led group ‘committed to promoting and amplifying this culture’ at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, were among those to join the ‘No to De Zerbi’ campaign before the Italian touched down in the capital.

A statement from the group read: ‘Tottenham Hotspur claims to be a club that prides itself on being inclusive, supportive and safe.

‘As a group committed to promoting and amplifying this culture, in the belief this will create the best environment and atmosphere to enjoy football, we’re extremely disappointed and dismayed by the publicised pursuit of Roberto De Zerbi…

‘De Zerbi is not the kind of person we want associated with our club or representing us. No to De Zerbi.’

Proud Lilywhites, Spurs’ official LGBTQ+ fans’ group, said: ‘When someone in that position publicly defends a player like Mason Greenwood, it matters, not just in isolation but in what it signals.’

Meanwhile, Women of the Lane, whose aim is to remove sexism and misogyny in football, argued that De Zerbi’s comments raised ‘serious questions about judgement and leadership’ within the club.

Shortly after De Zerbi’s appointment, a statement from the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust read: ‘We note the club’s announcement of the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi to the manager role.

‘While we recognise the limited pool of managers with recent Premier League experience, and the need to act with urgency as Spurs face the prospect of relegation, this appointment raises serious and far-reaching concerns, and many fans have been in touch with us to urge us to communicate the strength of feeling. We raised these concerns directly with the club prior to its announcement.

‘The club has previously committed to challenging instances of violence against women and girls and acting with integrity and upholding its values when faced with any incidents.

‘De Zerbi’s comments about Mason Greenwood were unnecessary, ill-judged, and deeply offensive to a significant number of supporters and, without doubt, will have left victims of male violence alarmed.

‘We believe these statements, left unchecked, will create a divide among supporters at a time when we all need to be pulling together to back the team.

‘It is concerning that the club would put us in this position right when the team needs fans the most. Fans are rallying behind the “All Together, Always” initiative, and this appointment places heavy strain on that unity. If those remarks reflect his genuine views, they cast a troubling shadow over the values of the club we love.

‘The club must reassert its commitment to the values that fans hold dear – chief among them equality, respect, and integrity. Any perceived sympathy toward alleged perpetrators of physical or sexual violence against women fundamentally undermines trust in the custodianship of this club.

‘With this appointment, communications from the club and from Mr De Zerbi must clearly and unequivocally reaffirm these values. Furthermore, those words must be backed by meaningful action, including visible and sustained support for women’s charities and organisations working to combat violence against women.

‘Our preference would have been for a short-term appointment of an individual or individuals who understand the club and can lead the players in the seven battles to come. There would then have been an opportunity in the summer to attract a wide range of potential applicants with a track record of success in inspiring fans and players: candidates who could lead and develop sustained success for the team, for seasons to come.

‘The club has chosen otherwise. We will continue to support efforts to get behind the team and play our part in preserving the club’s Premier League status but it is understandable that many fans will do so with a heavy heart.’

Roberto De Zerbi’s first words as Tottenham boss

In his opening statement as Tottenham head coach, a ‘delighted’ De Zerbi said he was committed to steering the club back towards the right end of the table again.

The north Londoners are currently hovering just one point above the relegation zone after slumping to a wretched 3-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest in Tudor’s final match at the helm.

‘I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world,’ De Zerbi told Spurs’ official website.

‘In all my discussions with the club’s leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear – to build a team capable of reaching great achievements, and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters.

‘I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it.

‘Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season.

‘I’m looking forward to getting out on the training pitch and working with these players to achieve that.’

Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange added: ‘Roberto was our number one target for the summer and we are very pleased to be able to bring him in now.

‘He is one of the most creative and forward-thinking coaches in world football, and brings with him a wealth of experience at the highest level, including in the Premier League.’

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