Roberto de Zerbi has been confirmed as Tottenham’s new boss, signing a five-year deal with no relegation clause.
Spurs, who are perilously floating just a point above the relegation zone with seven games to go, sacked Igor Tudor on Sunday just 44 days after the interim manager arrived in north London.
Former Brighton boss De Zerbi had been available since his exit from Marseille in February and was understood to have been reluctant to take the Spurs job immediately, preferring to join the club in the summer.
However, Spurs have been successful in persuading the Italian to join the relegation-threatened club immediately, offering both a five-year deal and a huge salary only topped by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola in the Premier League.
De Zerbi will work under the title of head coach and promised fans he would strive to deliver football to excite them.
As part of Tottenham’s official announcement on the club website, the 46-year-old Italian said: ‘I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world.
‘In all my discussions with the club’s leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear – to build a team capable of reaching great achievements, and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters.
‘I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it.
‘Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season.
‘I’m looking forward to getting out on the training pitch and working with these players to achieve that.’
Johan Lange, Tottenham’s sporting director, added: ‘Roberto was our number one target for the summer and we are very pleased to be able to bring him in now.
‘He is one of the most creative and forward-thinking coaches in world football, and brings with him a wealth of experience at the highest level, including in the Premier League.’
De Zerbi’s first job is to evade relegation from the Premier League, and his first game is against Sunderland on Sunday week.
Spurs head into the final seven games of the season in 17th place, a mere point ahead of West Ham United and two points behind Nottingham Forest, who comprehensively beat them 3-0 prior to the international break.
Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood was among those with concerns over the appointment on Monday, sharing his doubts on whether the combustible Italian is the ‘safe pair of hands’ needed to swerve relegation.
‘For anyone going in now, you have to put a question mark on it because you’ve only got seven games left,’ Sherwood told Sky Sports.
‘I like him, I really do. I like his personality. I said many months ago that he would be the man to come into Tottenham.
‘I would’ve picked him over Mauricio Pochettino for the long term because he plays that style that Tottenham fans want to play. He opens up the pitch, but not now. That style is not needed now, what they need now is a safe pair of hands. This is far from a safe pair of hands.’
Shortly after the appointment was confirmed, Sherwood reacted to the news on social media platform Peek, wishing luck to the Italian.
He said: ‘I’ve seen head coach mentioned and I’ve seen manager. He has to be the manager. You have to control the footballing side.
‘You cannot trust the people who are there at the moment to do the recruitment or anything regarding the footballing side. You have to do it yourself. Good luck mate.’
More to follow.
