Roberto De Zerbi to become Tottenham Hotspur manager as surprising contract length revealed: report

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi applauds the fans after the Seagulls' 2-2 draw against Liverpool in October 2023.
Roberto De Zerbi, next Spurs boss? (Image credit: Getty Images)

A contract proposal has been put to Italian head coach Roberto De Zerbi to take the reins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium according to reports in Italy.

The 46-year-old is expected to accept the offer of a five-year deal at Spurs in due course, with the team currently teetering on the brink of the Premier League's relegation places.

Article continues below

Roberto De Zerbi mulling over Spurs' contract offer

Tottenham boss Igor Tudor

Igor Tudor has left Tottenham after just five Premier League matches (Image credit: Getty Images)

Spurs were beaten 3-0 by Nottingham Forest last time out ahead of the March international break, during which time an approach was made to the currently out-of-work De Zerbi.

The Italian was most recently in charge at Olympique de Marseille in France, leading the team to a second place finish and Champions League football in Ligue 1 last season.

Get VIP Spurs tickets HERE with Seat Unique!

Get VIP Spurs tickets HERE with Seat Unique!

Tottenham Hotspur hospitality offers a diverse range of premium experiences, from vibrant social lounges to private boxes. Packages include premium padded seating in prime locations, exclusive lounge access pre- and post-match, gourmet dining, and a complimentary drinks package. Guests may also enjoy live entertainment and Spurs legend appearances.

However, the head coach appeared to publicly fall out with his squad and left the club midway through the 2025/26 campaign, having also bowed out of the Champions League at the first hurdle.

Sean Dyche has also been in the picture to replace Tudor in North London but it now looks set to be De Zerbi who leads Spurs for the final seven games of this season, at least.

As per Gianluca Di Marzio, De Zerbi is mulling over the five-year contract proposal put forward by Spurs and a decision is expected imminently.

In FourFourTwo's opinion, such a lengthy contract is a gamble given the realistic chance Spurs could find themselves in the Championship next season.

The offer presented to De Zerbi is hardly likely to be anything other than lucrative, given the weakened negotiating position Tottenham find themselves in, therefore a five-year commitment represents a considerable financial outlay.

Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi gives instructions to his players during a friendly against Sunderland in August 2024.

Roberto De Zerbi at Marseille (Image credit: Getty Images)

De Zerbi is by no means a survival expert, either, and has been known to be somewhat divisive at previous clubs.

His style of play also has the potential to see Tottenham's weak underbelly exposed, although his fundamentals and principles of play should at least see the team approve in the attacking half of the pitch.

Spurs' remaining fixtures this season are as follows: Sunderland (a), Brighton (h), Wolves (a), Aston Villa (a), Leeds United (h), Chelsea (a) and Everton (h).

Joe Donnohue
Senior Digital Writer

Joe joined FourFourTwo as senior digital writer in July 2025 after five years covering Leeds United in the Championship and Premier League. Joe's 'Mastermind' specialist subject is 2000s-era Newcastle United having had a season ticket at St. James' Park for 10 years before relocating to Leeds and later London. Joe takes a keen interest in youth football, covering PL2, U21 Euros, as well as U20 and U17 World Cups in the past, in addition to hosting the industry-leading football recruitment-focused SCOUTED podcast. He is also one of the lucky few to have 'hit top bins' as a contestant on Soccer AM. It wasn't a shin-roller.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.