Ex-Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi is open to joining Tottenham as their new head coach immediately, according to Sky in Italy.
Spurs are looking for a third managerial appointment of the season following Igor Tudor’s exit on Sunday after just seven games in charge.
De Zerbi, who is available after leaving Marseille in February, could succeed Tudor with the Italian now open to joining the relegation-threatened club.
Sky in Italy reported last week that De Zerbi was not expected to join Tottenham – or any other club – before the end of the season as he intended to avoid an immediate return to football so he could evaluate his options this summer.
But it seems the 46-year-old has changed his mind and could now join the lowly north London club.
Spurs sit just one place and one point above the relegation zone with just seven Premier League games remaining.
Tottenham aim to avoid relegation to the second tier for the first time since 1977, with their next game at Sunderland on April 12, live on Sky Sports.
Sunday, April 12 at 1 p.m
Kick off at 14:00
Why Spurs fan groups oppose De Zerbi appointment
Three Tottenham fan groups have previously called on the club to reconsider any potential appointment of De Zerbi due to his previous backing of Marseille striker Mason Greenwood.
Fan groups Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane and Spurs Reach all expressed their concerns about the Italian after he worked with Greenwood in Marseille.
Former Manchester United striker Greenwood was charged in October 2022 with one count of attempted rape, one count of controlling and coercive behavior and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm over allegations made about a young woman after pictures and videos were posted online.
The Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges in February 2023 due to a “combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses” and due to “no realistic prospect of conviction”. Greenwood has since resumed his career and joined Marseille in 2024.
In November, De Zerbi described Greenwood as a “good guy” who had paid a “heavy price” and added: “It saddens me what happened in his life because I know a completely different person to the one described.”
Spurs’ LGBTQI+ fan group Proud Lilywhites said: “We’ve seen the reports linking Roberto De Zerbi with the Tottenham job and frankly it doesn’t sit right.
“As Proud Lilywhites we care deeply about this club, not just what happens on the pitch but what Tottenham stand for off it. This is not just about results or style of football. It is about values, identity and the kind of people we choose to represent us.
“We all want Spurs to move on, but it matters how we do it. When someone in that position publicly defends a player like Mason Greenwood, framing it in a way that downplays the seriousness of what happened, it matters, not just in isolation, but in what it signals.
“We are proud of the progress made in making football more inclusive and welcoming.
“That progress matters and it cannot be compromised or treated as secondary.
“We’re not asking for perfection. We’re asking for accountability, transparency and leadership that reflects the values ​​this club claims to stand for. All of them, always. It has to matter. No to De Zerbi.”
Women of the Lane added: “We want to be clear about how this is happening [speculation] lands with many women and allies in our community.
“De Zerbi has publicly defended Mason Greenwood in a way that downplays the seriousness of male violence against women and girls. It raises serious questions about judgment and leadership.
“This is not a deal that Tottenham Hotspur should do.”
A Spurs Reach statement read: “Comments previously attributed to Roberto De Zerbi, including public remarks defending and contextualising Mason Greenwood following serious allegations, have been widely criticized for appearing to minimize the seriousness of violence against women.
“Regardless of intent, framing of this kind risks normalizing harmful attitudes, diminishing survivors’ experiences, and sending a deeply troubling message about what is tolerated in the game.
“We all want the club to develop, but it must do so in a way that reflects its values. No to De Zerbi.”