Spurs injuries mount as De Zerbi outlines survival focus before Leeds clash | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Roberto De Zerbi with seven games left, but the injuries troubling Leeds United’s relegation rivals continue. Igor Tudor departed after 44 days following a 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest that left Spurs one point above the drop zone.

The club confirmed the appointment on Tuesday evening. According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, De Zerbi is believed to have signed a five-year contract with no relegation clause, and one of his remaining fixtures is an early-May home meeting with Leeds, the third-to-last for both.

De Zerbi spoke of joining a major club and of clear ambition to build a team that excites supporters. He said he has committed long term, and that the short-term priority is to climb the table with full focus until the final whistle of the season.

His first game is at Sunderland, and he may already be without Pape Sarr, who missed Senegal’s 3-1 win over Gambia, reportedly with a shoulder issue. Any absence would lengthen an already heavy injury list.

Sarr has over a week to recover before the Stadium of Light trip, though time out of training could still hurt given De Zerbi’s complex style and the limited window to take points.

The midfielder has played 22 Premier League games, with two goals and three assists, and has been among Spurs’ most consistent this season. Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario, Mathys Tel, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, Ben Davies and Yves Bissouma are already sidelined.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk