Roberto De Zerbi Considered for Tottenham Hotspur Manager Position
Roberto De Zerbi is reportedly open to the possibility of taking over as Tottenham Hotspur manager following the sacking of Thomas Frank, according to recent football news. Frank was relieved of his duties on Wednesday morning after a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United on Tuesday extended Tottenham's winless run to eight matches in the Premier League.
Tottenham's Struggles and Managerial Change
Spurs' miserable form has seen them slide into a relegation battle, with the north London club sitting only five points above the bottom three after West Ham United's draw with Manchester United. While Frank had to contend with a slew of injuries that decimated his squad in recent weeks, Tottenham have now decided to dismiss the former Brentford boss and begin searching for his replacement.
With no FA Cup action at the weekend, Tottenham have a 12-day break to install a new manager before their next Premier League fixture against arch-rivals Arsenal. Early reports suggest the club may follow Manchester United's example by appointing an interim boss until the end of the season, with plans for a permanent hire in the summer.
De Zerbi Emerges as Leading Candidate
Regardless of Tottenham's approach, bookmakers have identified a clear early favourite: former Brighton and Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi. The Italian coach helped Brighton qualify for the Europa League for the first time in the club's history and guided Marseille to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 last season.
The combustible 46-year-old has now left his post at Marseille by mutual agreement after a heavy 5-0 loss to rivals Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday. De Zerbi's sudden availability may pique the interest of Tottenham's senior hierarchy, particularly given he was previously considered for the role before the appointment of Ange Postecoglou.
Potential Receptiveness to Tottenham Role
TalkSPORT suggests De Zerbi would be receptive to the Tottenham job, having previously held reservations about working with certain club officials. Journalist Alex Crook commented on Wednesday: "I'm thinking it's not necessarily a coincidence that Roberto De Zerbi has left Marseille overnight. He was someone that Spurs were keen to appoint before, bringing in even Ange Postecoglou."
"At the time, I'm told he wasn't necessarily up for working with Daniel Levy or Fabio Paratici, the former sporting director. Both of those are no longer part of the day-to-day running of the football club, and I'm told De Zerbi would potentially be more open to taking the Tottenham job. So certainly that is going to be one to check."
Mixed Reactions to Potential Appointment
Former Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy expressed reservations about De Zerbi's potential appointment, telling talkSPORT: "He did what all managers do when they get some success is they start believing their own hype. I think De Zerbi might be a problem. Right now, they've just got to get someone in and keep them in the league. Don't think long-term, think short-term."
Next Permanent Tottenham Manager Odds
- Roberto De Zerbi: 1/2
- Mauricio Pochettino: 7/4
- Xavi Hernandez: 8/1
- Robbie Keane: 8/1
- Ruben Amorim: 12/1
- Xabi Alonso: 16/1
- Oliver Glasner: 16/1
- Enzo Maresca: 20/1
- Michael Carrick: 25/1
Tottenham Hotspur now face a critical decision as they seek to stabilize their season and avoid relegation, with Roberto De Zerbi emerging as a prominent candidate in the managerial search following Thomas Frank's departure.
