Inside Spurs’ move for Roberto De Zerbi and how near Marco Silva came | OneFootball

Tottenham have appointed Roberto De Zerbi as head coach on a five-year deal, announced on Tuesday evening. He steps in less than two months after leaving Marseille.

According to NY Times, Igor Tudor was sacked one week after the 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest on 22 March, ending a 44-day, seven-game spell. Spurs were one point above relegation with seven matches remaining and opted to seek an elite permanent hire rather than another interim.

Tudor lost his first four games. The slide included a 3-1 home loss to Crystal Palace, conceding three in 12 minutes, then being 4-0 down inside 22 minutes at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Alarm grew and Tottenham restarted their search.

Spurs had admired De Zerbi since 2023 and tried again in mid March so he, not Tudor, would face Forest, but he initially chose to wait. They also explored Marco Silva via intermediaries, with his camp interested and his Fulham deal expiring this season. Fulham would not allow a mid-season departure to a rival without significant compensation, and Premier League Rule J.3 requires the club’s consent.

With Silva off the table, Spurs returned to De Zerbi and, over last week, shifted his stance. Three Tottenham fan groups opposed his appointment on Friday because of comments he made at Marseille in defence of Mason Greenwood. Tottenham offered terms making him one of the league’s best-paid managers, aiming to halt the slide and build.

Source: NY Times