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Journalist Alasdair Gold has now revealed when Roberto De Zerbi’s first pre-match press conference as Tottenham boss is set to take place.

After a three-week break from Premier League football, gameweek 32 is set to return this Friday when West Ham United take on Wolverhampton Wanderers.

A victory for the relegation-threatened Hammers could see them leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur, who could then fall into the relegation zone before they face Sunderland on Sunday, April 12.

Such an outcome will only pile pressure on new manager Roberto De Zerbi, who has been tasked with helping Tottenham avoid relegation in the final seven games of the season.

Tottenham confirm Roberto De Zerbi press conference time before Sunderland clash

Tottenham fans have already been given a glimpse of what their new boss is like after club media showed behind-the-scenes footage of De Zerbi’s first training session.

The former Brighton manager has also conducted his first interview in Tottenham colours, where he provided an insight into what fans can expect under his guidance.

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Up next for De Zerbi, before he takes to the pitch against Sunderland, is his first pre-match press conference as Spurs boss.

Alasdair Gold has now confirmed that Roberto De Zerbi will hold his first press conference as Tottenham head coach on Friday at 1.30pm, where he will preview the Premier League game against Sunderland.

Spurs must respond as relegation threat grows under Roberto De Zerbi

Securing a win is absolutely crucial for the new Tottenham manager, as it will ease some of the tension around Spurs.

Victory against Sunderland could see Tottenham climb as high as 15th place, but only if Leeds United and Nottingham Forest lose their respective games.

Tottenham Hotspur could be stretched to their limits ahead of a crucial trip to Sunderland, with Roberto De Zerbi facing several key selection concerns.

Premier League football is set to return to our screens this weekend, with the gameweek kicking off as Spurs’ relegation rivals West Ham United take on Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Many Tottenham Hotspur fans will be hoping that the Hammers fail to secure victory in that encounter, as a win for Nuno’s men could see them leapfrog Spurs and move out of the relegation zone.

Regardless, Tottenham’s fate remains in their hands in the fight for survival, and should they win their clash with Sunderland later in the gameweek, they could go as high as 15th if results elsewhere go their way.

Mohammed Kudus remains a doubt for Sunderland clash

But De Zerbi will have to secure a victory without several key players on Sunday afternoon, when his side visits the Stadium of Light.

That is because a whopping eight players remain out of contention ahead of the Premier League fixture. While this is a much-improved number compared to the thirteen in past weeks, Spurs are still short of options.

As it stands, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Wilson Odobert, Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus, Guglielmo Vicario, Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are all out or doubts ahead of this fixture.

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Spurs still have attacking options

However, that number could still be reduced before Sunday. Kudus is currently a doubt, but there is a chance he returns before the Sunderland clash. Tudor hinted at Kudus’ return after the international break.

Vicario is out, but it might not be for an extended period as he continues his recovery from hernia surgery, which he underwent after the Nottingham Forest defeat.

Pape Matar Sarr represents the only Tottenham player to have returned with an injury from the international break, and it remains unclear how long he will be out for.

Regardless of the injuries, we do believe De Zerbi can still put out an attacking, exciting team in his first game as boss.

Tottenham Hotspur will be boosted by the return of key players over the coming weeks, as Roberto De Zerbi looks to get them out of relegation trouble.

The new Tottenham boss needs to get an instant response from the players as he only has seven league games to ensure that the Lilywhites avoid going down to the Championship.

De Zerbi will have had 10 full days to work with the Spurs squad ahead of the club’s trip to Sunderland, and it will be fascinating to see his preferred line-up and game plan at the Stadium of Light

According to reports, the Italian is set to receive a double injury boost ahead of his first game in charge of the North London club.

Two Tottenham stars could return against Sunderland and three more are close

The Standard reveal that even though Pape Sarr and Mathys Tel both pulled out of international duty due to injury, both players are expected to be available for Tottenham’s trip to Sunderland on April 12.

That will be a big boost to De Zerbi, who will undoubtedly be asked about the pair and the club’s other injured players in his first press conference as Spurs boss this week.

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The report claims that De Zerbi could be further boosted by the return of both Mohammed Kudus and Guglielmo Vicario for the Lilywhites’ clash against Brighton on April 18.

The publication predicts that Rodrigo Bentancur could also return to action sometime before the end of this month.

Senior Spurs man may have played his final game for the club

The Standard further explains that James Maddison, who suffered an ACL injury last summer, is only expected to return in June, while Wilson Odobert is not expected to be back until November of this year.

The report also says that Ben Davies is not expected to play again this season after breaking his ankle at West Ham, which means he is likely to have donned the Tottenham shirt for the last time.

Ray Parlour has made a big statement regarding the possibility of Frank Lampard one day ending up as Tottenham Hotspur’s head coach.

Tottenham have handed Roberto De Zerbi a five-year contract, with the Italian becoming the club’s third different head coach this season.

The Lilywhites hierarchy will be hoping that, unlike their two previous appointments, the Italian proves to be the right fit and can get the club back where they belong.

However, a former Arsenal man has now made a very interesting claim about the possibility of a Chelsea legend taking over at Spurs one day.

Ray Parlour claims Frank Lampard would have accepted Tottenham job

It was reported last summer that Frank Lampard was on Tottenham’s managerial shortlist at the time when the Lilywhites were looking for Ange Postecoglou’s successor.

After coming under plenty of criticism during his time in charge of Everton and Chelsea, Lampard has rebuilt his reputation this season at Coventry City, who are on course to win the Championship.

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Ray Parlour believes that the Chelsea legend would have jumped at the chance to leave the Championship table-toppers for Spurs if the North London club had come calling.

The former Arsenal man told Tottenham News: “It’s a job he (Lampard) couldn’t turn down. If someone went up to him and asked him to be the Tottenham manager, he’d have to take it. Even if they’re in a bit of dire straits at the moment.”

Parlour is not the first pundit to have this particular idea. Back in 2021, after a string of rejections and Nuno Espirito Santo’s arrival on the horizon, Trevor Sinclair urged Tottenham to sign Lampard.

At the time, the pundit said (TalkSPORT): “One that I don’t think has been mentioned much – and he does have connections to the club through his family – is Lampard.

“Harry Redknapp [Lampard’s uncle] has been manager of the football club, Jamie Redknapp [his cousin] has played there, he’s a London lad.

“He didn’t do much wrong at Chelsea. I think it’s a good fit. He did a good job, especially in the first season at Chelsea when they had the embargo, they just lost their best player.

“He went in there and steadied the ship, gave a lot of young players an opportunity. Tottenham have this unbelievable academy, surely you want to bring young players through like that?”

Sinclair added: “He still loves Chelsea, but he’ll be disappointed with the way that ended. He’ll want to go to a big club and prove his worth.”

Mauricio Pochettino is gutted that Spurs appointed Roberto De Zerbi

There have not been any suggestions in the media that Lampard was ever in consideration for the Tottenham job, but one man undoubtedly was – Mauricio Pochettino.

Reports suggest that Pochettino is ‘gutted’ that Spurs have decided to appoint De Zerbi, having eyed a return to N17 after the World Cup this summer.

One Tottenham player could be on course to replicate the rare feat achieved by Lucas Bergvall in the Europa League-winning 2024/25 campaign.

It certainly has become a season to forget for Tottenham Hotspur, who find themselves right in the thick of a relegation battle.

The north London club have failed to build on their Europa League triumph from last term, but they will be hoping to salvage something from this season in the remaining seven games under Roberto De Zerbi.

Several players will have to pull their weight in this battle for survival, and we do believe that one who could be vital under De Zerbi is Archie Gray.

Archie Gray could match Lucas Bergvall award feat at Tottenham

Gray has quickly become one of the more important players for Tottenham this season. His teammates are well aware of his quality, and Dominic Solanke even described Gray as phenomenal.

Such has been the talent of the youngster, who could well be on course to repeat a rare Lucas Bergvall phenomenon this season.

Bergvall, in the last campaign, managed a clean sweep of all three individual awards at Tottenham Hotspur.

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The talented young Swedish midfielder scooped the club’s Official Supporters’ Clubs (OSC) Player of the Season and both Player of the Season awards from One Hotspur Members and One Hotspur Juniors, becoming the first teenager since Glenn Hoddle (also 19 years old) to be awarded such an accolade.

Archie Gray could reach a similar feat this season if he maintains his outstanding performances, and while he will not be 19 by the time he achieves it – having already turned 20 – it would still represent an exceptional accomplishment he can be proud of.

Spurs midfielder Archie Gray eyes England breakthrough after standout form

Gray will not just be looking to impress at club level, but instead he will be hoping that his standout displays actually earn him a spot in the England first team.

Archie Gray was outstanding last time out with the England U21 in their clash with Moldova, where he grabbed a goal and was named player of the match.

The midfielder’s long-term ambition will be to eventually break into the England squad, and if his standout displays from this season can earn him a World Cup spot, that no doubt will be a great achievement for Gray, who has played just two full seasons in the Premier League.

Spurs clearly have a world-class talent on their hands, and Gray could well become a future captain for Tottenham, having already shown leadership skills this season.

Roberto De Zerbi could look to dip back into familiar territory this summer, with Tottenham Hotspur weighing up a move for a Serie A forward with fewer goals than Richarlison as part of their rebuild.

The Premier League is often tagged as one of the toughest leagues in Europe, as we have often seen players from other leagues struggle to adapt to English football.

Still, some foreign players who move to England go on to impress, and Tottenham Hotspur have had several such players within their ranks.

In the last few years, when Fabio Paratici was Sporting Director, we saw several players move from Serie A to Spurs, and they form the spine of the current team.

Tottenham target Moise Kean as De Zerbi eyes Serie A transfer

Calciomercato is now reporting that Spurs are again showing interest in a forward from Serie A this summer – Moise Kean.

The 26-year-old has put in a decent showing this season with Fiorentina, having scored nine goals and provided four assists in all competitions.

Richarlison, Tottenham’s leading goalscorer, has managed ten goals and provided four assists in four more games than Kean.

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It is explained that the new Spurs boss, Roberto De Zerbi, is interested in bringing the former Everton striker back to the Premier League.

When Kean was last in the English league, he struggled to adapt to the demands, managing just two goals and two assists in 32 appearances.

However, Tottenham remain interested and are expected to face competition from AC Milan, who are also keen on the Fiorentina man.

Spurs could complete Moise Kean transfer for £43m

Kean, whose contract is set to expire in 2029, includes a release clause of around €62m (£53m), but the forward could be available for less. In fact, £43 million could well be enough for Tottenham to begin talks with Fiorentina for the 26-year-old forward.

AC Milan are aware of this, but it is explained that they are not willing to meet the £43m fee requested by La Viola.

Kean himself is potentially thinking about a new destination, and De Zerbi can open his side’s door in the summer. However, a move will be possible if the north London club were to continue in the Premier League.

Liverpool’s search for a long-term attacking option could reopen questions around Tottenham Hotspur’s recent transfer miss, with one former target now rapidly rising in value.

Tottenham Hotspur have missed out on plenty of high-profile transfer targets in the past. Sometimes they flop, sometimes they leave the Lilywhites kicking themselves down the Tottenham High Road.

The winter window presented yet another case of missed chances for Spurs. Despite selling Brennan Johnson for £35m, Tottenham let an up-and-coming star slip through their fingers.

Rayan Viktor had been linked with Spurs for months after making waves with Vasco da Gama, and Tottenham scouted him on several occasions while he was starring in Brazil.

Tottenham miss out on a big Rayan Viktor bargain

Bournemouth were the club that eventually secured the services of Rayan, who has since replaced Antoine Semenyo following his move to Manchester City.

Since moving to the Premier League, the 19-year-old has impressed, registering two goals and one assist in 627 minutes. For a youngster moving from Brazil, it is quite an impressive feat – one he will surely build on as he adapts to life in England.

To make matters even better for Bournemouth and worse for Tottenham, the Cherries paid just £24.7m plus another £5.6m in add-ons to land the starlet. That works out as a Brennan Johnson and change.

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Spurs rue missed Rayan transfer opportunity amid Liverpool interest

Following his €28.50 million (£24.7 million) move in the winter window, Rayan is now attracting interest from Liverpool (Fichajes), who are looking to secure a replacement for Mohammed Salah, who is set to depart this summer.

Manchester United is also in the race for the wide forward, as they look to bolster their attacking ranks.

The teenager’s price tag has shot up in less than six months. TransferMarkt had him listed at €25m (£21.8m) in December, but that figure is now sitting at €40m (£34.9m). Rayan even has a €100 million (£86 million) release clause included in his contract, which runs until 2031.

Spurs have clearly missed out on another player with immense potential, and one that, if they were to make a move for in the future, will cost them a fortune.

To rub salt in the wounds, Tottenham didn’t even move for another winger to replace Johnson’s place in the squad in January – a nightmare considering the ensuing injury crisis.

Roberto De Zerbi’s first game in charge of Tottenham Hotspur is fast approaching, and all eyes will be on his team selection as Spurs head into a high-stakes clash at Sunderland. We have now put together our ideal Tottenham starting XI for the clash against the Black Cats.

Roberto De Zerbi’s first game as Tottenham Hotspur boss is not too far away now, as Spurs prepare to take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

It is a big encounter for Tottenham, who will be desperate to secure a victory, especially when a loss could see them drop into the relegation places if West Ham United beats Wolves on Friday.

A victory, though, could see Spurs go as high as 15th if results elsewhere go their way. De Zerbi will be well aware of the stakes coming into that fixture, and he will be keen to get his team selection right.

We have now put together the XI we want to see on Sunday when Spurs face Sunderland in the Premier League.

Tottenham XI vs Sunderland as Roberto De Zerbi prepares debut

We already know that in goal, Antonin Kinsky is perhaps pretty much nailed on for Sunday, as Guglielmo Vicario continues to recover from his hernia surgery.

Vicario has been playing through pain for months now before going under the knife after Spurs’ 3-0 loss against Nottingham Forest.

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Kinsky, who is great with the ball at his feet, could well elevate Tottenham’s in-possession setup as they look to adapt to life under De Zerbi.

In front of the Czech international, we expect that there will be a shift from the back three we have seen several times this season under both Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor.

De Zerbi is more likely to go with a four at the back, and the centre-backs we would rather see are Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.

The Spurs captain was impressive when on international duty with Argentina, and many Tottenham fans will be hoping he brings such form back to north London.

At full-back, we have both Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro as our preferred picks. Udogie offers a better balance in attack, given that he is left-footed.

He is also capable of inverting, should De Zerbi choose to set up that way. On the other side, Porro can also be deployed similarly, offering Spurs some tactical flexibility against the Black Cats.

Spurs midfield and attack selection to shape De Zerbi debut

In the middle of the park, we would love to see some energy, and we believe that Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall can bring exactly that.

De Zerbi is reported to be keen on bringing Manuel Locatelli to north London, but we do think that, in the meantime, Gray can bring a similar quality to the midfield.

This season, the youngster has only gone from strength to strength and has added much variety to his play in the middle of the park.

He is capable of starting off attacks, spraying long balls, pushing forward, while also dropping in between the two centre-backs.

Bergvall can serve as a box crasher, although De Zerbi might look for more solidity in the middle, and Palhinha could well be fielded.

In front of the pivot, it would be nice to see Xavi Simons dictate play and offer some creativity. Jamie O’Hara has already called for De Zerbi to look to get the most out of Simons, and many fans will get behind that.

If the Dutchman can find some rhythm in this side, then he offers a solution to breaking down stubborn defences for Tottenham.

Out wide, Mathys Tel has looked really bright on the left for Tottenham. His directness and his ability to take players on will surely give Spurs a different dimension in attack.

We already know De Zerbi encourages such creativity from wide areas, as we saw with Mitoma when he was at Brighton. If Tel can add an end product to his game, he will be a top player for the Italian.

On the right side should be Mohammed Kudus. However, it remains to be seen if Kudus is fit enough, since he was not spotted in training.

Tudor, though, revealed a few weeks back that Kudus will return after the break, and if that is the case, then we want to see him line up on the right against Sunderland.

Richarlison might not be the most technical of the players in the Tottenham front line, but what you get with the Brazilian is much-needed fight.

He has been in a relegation scrap in the past at his former clubs and is one of the few who understand what is needed in this battle.

De Zerbi has already hinted that all his principles might not be passed across now, and that could well work for Richarlison, who should bag more goals in a fluid attacking system.

A senior Tottenham star has reportedly decided that he will not be staying at the club beyond the summer after concerns over his treatment.

One would expect big changes at Spurs this summer, even if the club stay in the Premier League, with the Lilywhites now at the start of yet another rebuild after turning to Roberto De Zerbi.

De Zerbi has reportedly been given a lot of power in Tottenham’s squad building, and he will be keen to make the changes necessary to implement his favoured possession-based approach.

However, it turns out that one senior Spurs star has already decided that he will not be staying at the club under the Italian next season.

Yves Bissouma makes a Tottenham decision after being unhappy with the treatment

Football Fancast have now alleged that Yves Bissouma is not happy with how he has been treated at Tottenham over the last couple of years.

The midfielder, who is one of the club’s lowest earners at £55,000-a-week, did not like the fact that both Thomas Frank and Ange Postecoglou dropped him from the squad on multiple occasions.

Although Bissouma’s Spurs contract has a one-year extension option, the midfielder has no intention of staying at the club beyond the end of this term.

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The 29-year-old is set to avoid the one-year extension to facilitate a move away from North London this summer. It has previously been reported that Tottenham are also in favour of ignoring Bissouma’s one-year extension option.

Bissouma’s agent is in talks with a European club

Football Fancast reveal that the former Brighton man’s representatives have already started working on finalising a move away from Spurs for their client.

It is asserted that Bissouma’s agent is currently in talks with Fenerbahce over a switch to the Turkish club in the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur have entered the race to sign a highly-rated young defender, who is quickly making a name for himself with his performances in Germany.

With both Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven being linked with moves away from Tottenham, the Lilywhites potentially face the prospect of rebuilding their defence in the summer.

The good news for the club is that Luka Vuskovic has made it clear that he will be a Spurs player next season, and Tottenham fans will be hoping the Croat is ready to make the jump after impressing in the Bundesliga.

It has now emerged that another teenager who is thriving in the German top-flight is also on the Lilywhites’ radar.

Tottenham plotting summer move for Karim Coulibaly

Football Fancast have now claimed that Tottenham have now entered the race to sign Werder Bremen centre-back Karim Coulibaly.

The 18-year-old has shown maturity beyond his years in what has been a breakthrough campaign for him, making 22 league appearances so far.

Coulibaly is said to be open to a move away from Bremen this summer, and Tottenham Hotspur have now added him to their shortlist ahead of De Zerbi’s first transfer window this summer.

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The outlet claims that with the youngster contracted to Werder until 2029, the Bundesliga club could demand up to €50m (£43.6m) for his services.

Spurs face competition from Premier League rivals for Coulibaly

Tottenham are not the only English side chasing the German U21 international, with Fabrizio Romano revealing that Newcastle United are also involved in the race.

The journalist asserted that the Magpies are one of six clubs that are’ very keen’ on securing Coulibaly’s signature this summer.

A couple of days ago, Romano wrote on X: “Big race started to sign Werder Bremen 18-year-old centre back Karim Coulibaly in the summer. Newcastle are involved, as BILD reported, with 5 more clubs around Europe also very keen. German youth international, prepared for a new chapter in the summer.”