De Zerbi open to Tottenham job but wants guarantee of Premier League survival first
Tottenham's search for a permanent manager appears to be zeroing in on Roberto De Zerbi, the former Brighton and Marseille head coach who has been out of work since leaving the French club by mutual consent in February. Multiple reports on March 25 indicate that De Zerbi is open to taking the job, but only if Spurs can guarantee their top-flight status.
Spurs sit one point above the drop zone
Tottenham are 17th in the Premier League with 30 points from 31 matches, one point above West Ham in 18th. They have not won a league match in 2026 and lost six of their last seven, a run that has dragged them into a genuine relegation fight for the first time since 1977, when they were last sent down from the top flight.
The 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on March 22 was particularly damaging. Forest, themselves fighting to stay up, leapfrogged Spurs in the table and left the north London club staring at the Championship. Igor Tudor, brought in as interim boss after Thomas Frank was sacked in February, has lost five of his seven matches in charge across all competitions. Tottenham also exited the Champions League on his watch.
De Zerbi's conditions
De Zerbi guided Marseille to second in Ligue 1 last season before things fell apart in 2025-26. A 5-0 defeat to PSG and Champions League elimination prompted his departure. At Brighton before that, he became one of the most-discussed coaches in European football for his aggressive, possession-based style.
He is said to favour a long-term project over a rescue mission, which is why the relegation question matters so much. If Tottenham go down, the job becomes a completely different proposition. Player sales, financial constraints and the psychological damage of dropping out of the Premier League would strip the squad bare. De Zerbi reportedly wants assurances about the playing budget and transfer plans before committing.
Seven games to save a season
Tottenham have seven league matches remaining. Their schedule includes games against Wolves and Leeds, two clubs also scrapping near the bottom, which could prove decisive. The Opta supercomputer gives Spurs a 23% chance of going down. Burnley (20 points) and Wolves (17 points) look more likely to fill two of the three relegation spots, but West Ham are right behind Tottenham and nothing is settled.
Tudor's assistant Saltor has called for unity behind the scenes. Whether that is enough to drag results out of a squad that looks shot of confidence is another question entirely. If Spurs survive, De Zerbi could be in the dugout by June. If they do not, the next manager will inherit a mess that goes far beyond tactics.
