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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.

Tottenham Hotspur moved to within five points of the Premier League relegation zone following Tuesday night's 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle United, and time is surely up for Thomas Frank.

The loss was Spurs' 11th in 26 league matches this term, and leaves them within striking distance of 18th-placed West Ham United with Leeds United also leapfrogging them in the table following their 2-2 draw at Chelsea.

The North Londoners still haven't won a Premier League match in 2026, with their last win coming against Sunderland on December 28, with Frank and his players booed off against Eddie Howe's men.

As things stand, Tottenham are only going one way without a change and that is being involved in a full relegation battle.

Time is Up for Thomas Frank

While recent results against Manchester City in the Premier League and Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League have been impressive, so many of Tottenham's other performances - especially in 2026 - have been way off the required level.

Spurs only took one point from matches against two of the teams in the relegation zone - West Ham and Burnley - while they also had a big opportunity against a Newcastle side who have been struggling themselves of late.

Once again, Tottenham look short of confidence and attacking ideas on the pitch across the 90 minutes, and it's difficult to see that changing in the immediate future under the leadership of Frank.

While Spurs' owners would ideally like to give the Dane until the summer at least, it is getting harder to justify keeping him when the club is so close to seriously being involved in a relegation battle.

It gets no easier either for Tottenham and Frank, with a north London derby against leaders Arsenal to come in less than a fortnight.

Tottenham Have Immediate Replacement Lined Up

According to reports last month, Tottenham chiefs see first-team assistant coach John Heitinga as a candidate to immediately replace Frank should the axe fall on the Dane.

Frank had a big say in the appointment of the Dutchman last month, calling his profile 'perfect' for his coaching team.

While Tottenham's board will know now is not the easiest time to secure their preferred manager candidate, with likely targets such as Mauricio Pochettino not available until after the World Cup this summer, having Heitinga to steady the ship until that point seems like the ideal scenario.

Frank seems to think he will be staying at Tottenham immediately after the Newcastle defeat, but the next hours and days will determine whether that is the case.

Tottenham Hotspur find themselves in the very unusual position where they have a realistic chance of being relegated to the EFL Championship, while also being in contention to win the Champions League.

Should the north Londoners do the impossible and be dragged into the second tier of English football and lift the biggest European trophy this term, it would be the first time it's ever happened. Admittedly, it's extremely unlikely, but still a possibility.

Thomas Frank was relieved of his duties following a 2-1 home defeat against Newcastle United, with Spurs sitting just five points above the danger zone. Meanwhile, they put their poor league form behind them to reach the last 16 of the Champions League. Bizarre.

Spurs Face Chaos by Winning UCL and Suffering Relegation

Spurs are massive outsiders to lift European silverware at the end of the campaign. Last season's Europa League winners have been given a 2.29% chance of going one step further than they did in 2019.

It's concerning for the club that it's probably more likely that they drop into the Championship for the first time ever. Tottenham haven't been relegated from the top-flight since 1977.

However, in the extremely unlikely event that both of these scenarios play out in the same campaign, the already jam-packed calendar will get even busier. Spurs would face 46 Championship matches, Carabao Cup and FA Cup fixtures, as well as the league phase of the Champions League, all in the same term.

UEFA rules state that the winner of Europe's elite competition will automatically qualify for the next year. That would make the scheduling of Spurs' fixtures a nightmare for organisers.

This has never happened in English football, although both Wigan Athletic and Birmingham City have dropped into the second-tier competition while qualifying for European competition through FA Cup and EFL Cup wins. That's the closest we've been to this never-before-seen scenario.

Tottenham's Route to Champions League Glory

In the round of 16, the Premier League giants will face Juventus, Galatasaray, Club Brugge or Atletico Madrid but will have to wait until the play-off round has concluded. The most likely quarter-final opponents they'd come up against are PSG, Chelsea or Barcelona.

Cristian Romero has been making headlines on and off the pitch at Tottenham in the last few weeks. And it feels like his future at the club could come to a head this summer.

The Argentine World Cup winner signed a new contract with the club last summer, tying him down in north London until the summer of 2029. That means Spurs hold all the cards when it comes to negotiations with any clubs over his future.

Both Madrid clubs - Real and Atletico - have been linked with signing the 27-year-old in the past, with Romero himself not shy in stating that he would love to play in Spain in the future.

Cristian Romero Constantly Speaks Out Against The Club

Speaking last year, the Spurs captain said: "La Liga is the one [league] left to play in. I would love to, to tell you the truth. I would love to play there because it's the league I'm missing."

Romero has endeared himself to the supporters in recent weeks by speaking out publicly against the club and its hierarchy. He deleted a post which suggested the board "tell a few lies" after the defeat to Bournemouth and then criticised the lack of squad depth in N17 following the 2-2 draw with Manchester City, saying that Thomas Frank only having 11 players available was "disgraceful".

He is a hot-headed character on and off the pitch and in that "disgraceful" post he said that the players would "keep showing up and taking responsibility". However, he failed to do just that in the very next game, sent off for a reckless challenge on Casemiro in the 2-0 defeat to Manchester United.

He will now miss four games through suspension, leaving his teammates to take responsibility on the pitch without their captain in a crucial period of the season.

Mauricio Pochettino Opens Up On Special Spurs

Despite his outbursts and his disciplinary record, Romero is well-loved by the fanbase. But keeping him at the club beyond the summer could prove difficult for Frank, or whoever else it is in charge come the summer, with the Dane under huge pressure.

One man that could get Romero back on board and channel his aggression in the right manner is Mauricio Pochettino.

The Argentine has regularly been linked with a return to Tottenham and has reportedly already said yes to coming back to Tottenham. He spoke glowingly and openly about the club in an appearance on the High Performance Podcast at the weekend.

Pochettino said: "Still today, I think it's unbelievable, fans on the street really show their love and appreciation and I think that's why Spurs is so special [to me].

"It's a little unfair to compare this period to now. Now it's a club that needs to think about winning the Champions League and the Premier League. It's about winning the Champions League and the Premier League.

"To win a Europa League is good, but it's not enough. It's not enough for a club like Tottenham. It's a club that should be, needs to be in the Champions League, fighting and believing you can win the Champions League and believing that you can win the Premier League."

Mauricio Pochettino Could Be Great For Tottenham

Pochettino was himself a fiery Argentina defender and could not only convince his countryman to stay in north London, but also help to channel his aggression in the right way and keep him on the pitch for longer.

If Pochettino were to be the new head coach, he would not arrive until after the World Cup with the USA and would therefore need as much stability as possible. If Romero stays, Pochettino could be the perfect figure to get the best out of him and Tottenham as a whole.

Tottenham will host Newcastle United on Tuesday evening in the Premier League at St James' Park, with both managers under pressure to turn things around.

Spurs recently suffered a 2-0 defeat away at Manchester United, with Cristian Romero's first-half red card giving them a mountain to climb. Frank's side have struggled under the former Brentford manager, and they currently sit in 15th position in the Premier League table, with the pressure surely ramping up.

Howe doesn't appear to be under as much pressure as Frank, but there's no doubt he will be desperate to steer them back in the right direction. The Magpies also find themselves in the bottom half of the Premier League, and their recent defeat at home to Brentford was noticeably disappointing for supporters, with boos heard ringing around St James' Park.

Tottenham Team News

Tottenham are set to be without a host of players for this game, but that's nothing new for Frank at the moment.

Randal Kolo Muani, Yves Bissouma, and Radu Dragusin were the only substitutes over the age of 22 against United at the weekend, with Frank being forced to call upon plenty of academy players at the moment.

Richarlison, Djed Spence, and Pedro Porro are the most likely to return this month, while Romero will now be suspended for four matches after his red card at the weekend.

Speaking to the media, Frank provided a crucial blow on Destiny Udogie, suggesting that he is set to be out for at least a month.

"Unfortunately Destiny has a hamstring injury, he will be out for 4-5 weeks. Djed Spence is back. Kevin Danso will be weeks.

Kevin [Danso] is with a medical consultant. It is going forward but still weeks before he is available. Deki has got another appointment at end of this week where we’ll know more, but of course out of Champions League, is a sign it’s not tomorrow.

(Will he play again this season?) I don’t know."

Tottenham Predicted XI

Tottenham Predicted XI: Vicario; Gray, Dragusin, Van de Ven, Souza; Sarr, Palhinha, Gallagher; Odobert, Solanke, Simons.

Tottenham Predicted Substitutes: Kinsky (GK), Byfield (DEF), Spence (DEF), Bissouma (MID), Olusesi (MID), Williams-Barnett (MID), Kolo Muani (FWD), Tel (FWD).

After Romero's antics at the weekend, Frank now has a decision to make in the heart of his defence. Dragusin will likely have to come in, and that could be the only change, considering Frank's lack of options in the squad at the moment.

Souza could be in line for his full Premier League debut, due to the injury for Udogie.

Newcastle Team News

Anthony Gordon and Lewis Miley both missed Newcastle's game against Brentford at the weekend in the Premier League, so they'll be in a race against time to be fit enough for this one.

The Magpies do have other injury concerns, with Joelinton, Valentino Livramento, and Fabian Schar among those also unavailable for this game. Howe will certainly have a decision to make when it comes to play in the centre-forward position, with both Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa coming under criticism in recent weeks.

Speaking to the media ahead of Newcastle's game against Spurs, Howe has confirmed that both Miley and Gordon will be checked on in the build-up to the match. The Newcastle boss also adds that the game comes too soon for Brazilian midfielder Joelinton.

"Miley, I need to see today - we'll get another update on his progress. He got a nasty bang to his leg so it's like a sort of dead leg that's dragged on a little bit longer than we thought, so we'll see how he is.

"Gordon, we'll make a check on today and see how he's progressing. Hopefully a big improvement in him. Joelinton won't make this game."

Newcastle Predicted XI

Newcastle Predicted XI: Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Ramsey; Barnes, Woltemade, Elanga.

Newcastle Predicted Substitutes: Ramsdale (GK), Murphy (DEF), Shahar (DEF), Burn (DEF), Willock (MID), Murphy (FWD), Wissa (FWD), Gordon (FWD), Osula (FWD).

With such a quick turnaround and Howe already having to contend with some important injuries, we could see the Newcastle boss make some changes for this one. Wissa and Jacob Murphy both flattered to deceive against Brentford last time out, so Woltemade and Elanga could come into the side.

Joe Willock was also substituted at half-time at the weekend, so we might see Ramsey earn himself a place in the starting XI.

As Tottenham Hotspur suffered another defeat this weekend, it has become clear that Spurs need to find a Cristian Romero replacement for next season.

Saturday's 2-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford left Spurs in 15th position, just six points above West Ham United in the Premier League relegation zone.

Red Devils and England legend Wayne Rooney says Tottenham are in a relegation battle this term, with two big matches against Newcastle United and Arsenal coming at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this week.

Thomas Frank knows he needs results, but he will be without his captain Romero for both games.

Romero is a Liability Tottenham Don't Need

While there is no doubting Romero's quality when he is at the top of his game, Tottenham simply cannot afford to rely on him when they are struggling so much.

His red card against United at the weekend was his second of the season - and his sixth since he joined Spurs in 2021 - and means he will now miss their next four games.

In fact, the Argentina international won't be available for selection again until mid-March, when the north London club face Liverpool with Romero's other red card coming in the reverse fixture against Arne Slot's side.

In a further damning statistic, the 27-year-old actually should have been dismissed on two more occasions - both against Brentford - according to the Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel.

The latest red also followed hot on the heels of more public criticism of the Tottenham board in a scathing Instagram post following the draw with Manchester City previously.

Tottenham Make Bid for Ideal Romero Replacement

It was reported on deadline day that Spurs had made an offer worth £30m to sign Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo.

While a move obviously failed to materialise, it is clear that Tottenham are beginning to look at how they can strengthen their central defence after Romero, with a reliable Argentine journalist reporting last week that he will leave the club at the end of the season.

In addition, there will be further worries over the future of Micky van de Ven, who is attracting interest from elite clubs such as Liverpool ahead of the summer, as per GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Ben Jacobs.

Araujo meanwhile, has been described as 'one of the best defenders in the world' by Barca legend Carles Puyol and praised for his 'cheat code' recovery pace, although his game time has been limited this season because of issues off the pitch as well as injury problems.

Nevertheless, you don't make 200 appearances for a club the size of Barcelona unless you are a good player.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank needs to unleash 17-year-old youngster Luca Williams-Barnett to try to save his job.

Spurs are on a dismal run of form in the Premier League, and Frank is under increasing pressure to turn things around as they sit just six points above the relegation zone. Tottenham's recent disappointment certainly isn't all down to Frank, with Spurs finishing in 17th position in the Premier League table last campaign under Ange Postecoglou.

Frank was tasked with turning things around this term, and although they are in a higher position than they were last season, it's not the kind of improvement that the board would have been expecting. Their recent injuries certainly haven't helped the situation, with their squad seriously depleted, but that's why it's the ideal opportunity for the manager to call on some of his youth players.

Frank Could be Saved by Tottenham Youth Star

With Tottenham's squad depth incredibly low, it's time for Frank to try something a little different. The Tottenham boss has been relying on the senior stars that he has remaining, but there are players in the youth academy who will be chomping at the bit to be given a chance in the senior squad.

Williams-Barnett, described as an 'elite talent', is a player that many supporters who follow the Tottenham academy are talking about at the moment. The 17-year-old has scored 16 goals and provided seven assists in just 18 appearances for the youth sides, regularly contributing at U21 level despite his age.

The youngster was named on the bench against Manchester United, but failed to come on, and it's time for Frank to bite the bullet and take a risk on the talent who has been described as one of the most exciting in England.

The youngster is one of the best young talents in England, and there's little reason for Frank not to give him a chance now.

Tottenham Should Take Leaf Out of Wolves and Brighton's Book

Plenty of managers in the Premier League are willing to take risks on some of their youngsters. Rob Edwards has recently unleashed Wolves star Mateus Mane, and the young midfielder has emerged as one of the brightest talents in England.

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler also started 17-year-old Harry Howell in a huge game against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Both Brighton and Wolves have been struggling, and their respective managers opted to take risks in order to try and turn things around. Frank needs to do the same to try to save his job.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will go head-to-head in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon at Old Trafford in a huge game for both teams.

Michael Carrick's side have won their last three in a row since he took over as manager, claiming a late 3-2 win over Fulham at Old Trafford last weekend. Thomas Frank's side, on the other hand, have struggled for results in recent weeks, but came from 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 draw with Man City last time out.

Both sides have some injury concerns heading into the game too, and this is how GIVEMESPORT expects both teams to line up.

Man Utd Team News

Man Utd's squad will remain unchanged from last week's win over Fulham according to Carrick, with Matthij De Ligt, Mason Mount and Patrick Dorgu all ruled out by the manager.

Striker Benjamin Sesko is pushing to start after his winning goal as a substitute last time out.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Carrick shared an update on his squad ahead of the game.

"Probably, Mason [will be available] sooner. He's not too far away really. We're hopeful it won't be too long.

"Matta [De Ligt], he's working his way back, taking good steps and improving. It's a little bit too soon at the moment but, hopefully, it won't be too long [before De Ligt is back].

"The boys have worked well this week, they've got their feet on the ground and are not getting carried away with what's going on. It's a big challenge ahead."

Man Utd Predicted XI

Man Utd Predicted XI: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo.

Man Utd Predicted Substitutes: Bayindir (GK), Mazraoui (DEF), Yoro (DEF), Heaven (DEF), Malacia (DEF), Ugarte (MID), Lacey (FWD), Zirkzee (FWD), Sesko (FWD).

Tottenham Team News

Tottenham are able to welcome back first-choice centre-back pairing Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven for this game, after the skipper went off ill at half-time against Man City, while the Dutchman missed the game with a knock.

Djed Spence is 'touch and go' with a calf problem, but James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall, Richarlison, Pedro Porro, and Kevin Danso are all ruled out.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Frank shared an update on his squad ahead of the game.

"Everyone, mostly, is okay. Micky [Van de Ven] trained today and is available for selection for Saturday, so that’s good.

"Djed [Spence] is getting closer, it will be touch and go and there's a good chance he'll be ready.

"Yes, I do [expect Romero to be available]."

Tottenham Predicted XI

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero has regularly shown that he's a liability to the club, and with Spurs now eyeing Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva, he could be the ideal replacement.

Romero was recently sent off in the first half against Manchester United, giving them a mountain to climb for the rest of the game against Old Trafford. Spurs went on to lose 2-0, which was no surprise considering they were down to 10 men and already going through a tricky spell in terms of form and confidence.

The Argentinian defender is their captain, and his recent social media activity has also been controversial. Romero seemingly made a dig at the board, labelling the fact that they have a lack of options in their squad as 'disgraceful'.

Tottenham Eyeing Antonio Silva

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Tottenham are eyeing Benfica defender Silva, which is interesting timing after Romero's recent antics. The future of Romero has been a topic of conversation over the last few weeks, and news emerged about Spurs' interest in Silva shortly after his red card against United.

Romero's comments about the board and his recent, needless red card against the Red Devils show he's someone that you simply can't trust to be relied upon. The Argentine defender has been a reliable performer since his arrival overall, but it's time for Spurs to move on to avoid any of this controversy going forward.

Benfica defender Silva could be the ideal replacement for Romero, a young, up-and-coming centre-back for the future who is already making a significant impact at senior level. In the future, Silva could potentially be an upgrade on Romero, and he's unlikely to come with the controversy that the current Tottenham skipper brings.

Tottenham Need a Reset

Realistically, Tottenham need a huge reset after two dreadful seasons on the bounce, and their supporters shouldn't be too against a host of their current squad leaving. Something is clearly not right, regardless of who the manager is, and offloading some of their current players shouldn't be frowned upon as they look to head back in the right direction.

Many supporters have questioned the suitability of the manager in charge at the moment, and although a change in the dugout could improve things, questions have to be asked of the set of players.

Southampton made a strange move to sign Tottenham Hotspur winger Manor Solomon during the January transfer window, according to the player's agent.

It was a largely uneventful window for Saints until deadline day, when top scorer Adam Armstrong departed for Wolverhampton Wanderers and was replaced by the loan addition of Cyle Larin from Real Mallorca.

Prior to that, the only arrival at St Mary's had been Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz on loan from Bayern Munich, although there were plenty of other Southampton exits during the month-long window.

Gavin Bazunu, Damion Downs, Joe Aribo and Juan Larios were among the first-team players to leave on loan, while Ryan Fraser, Ronnie Edwards and Armel Bella-Kotchap left on permanent deals as Saints finally reduced their squad size.

Solomon Rejected Chance to Join Southampton

Following an impressive loan spell with Fulham that brought the Israeli winger to Spurs' attention, it's fair to say that his move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hasn't worked out.

The 26-year-old only has six Tottenham appearances to his name after joining them in 2023 from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Solomon had joined La Liga side Villarreal on loan last summer following a fruitful season in the Championship with Leeds United as they gained promotion, but after one goal and four assists in 11 appearances, he was recalled by Spurs in January.

According to his agent, Shlomi Ben Ezra, the forward had the opportunity to join Southampton, but the player wasn't keen to play in England's second tier again despite his fruitful spell there with Leeds.

Instead, Solomon has moved to Florence with Fiorentina alongside former Spurs chief Fabio Paratici, where he is already playing significant minutes for the Serie A relegation battlers.

Southampton Move for Solomon Strange

While you can see the rationale of a move for Solomon given his record and the fact that Southampton are lacking depth in wide areas, the addition of the 26-year-old would have brought its own issues too.

The Israeli wide man often plays from the left-hand side, which would have seen him competing for a spot in the starting XI with Leo Scienza.

Most would agree that the 27-year-old is Southampton's best player and while we've seen that he can't play 90 minutes every game, he will be expected to start most of their matches if fit and available.

Given Solomon's stature and his refusal to play in the second tier, if he had been convinced to drop down to the Championship again, there is no doubt he would have wanted to be a starter.

Even if you considered switching Solomon or Scienza to the right, there is then the strong competition from Tom Fellows, leaving Eckert with selection headaches to deal with.

While there is no doubting the Spurs man's quality, it would have been a strange move.