Tottenham Told To Get Transfer Policy Aligned With Roberto De Zerbi By Ex-Boss | OneFootball

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Former Premier League manager Tony Pulis has warned that Tottenham Hotspur must ensure their recruitment strategy is aligned with Roberto De Zerbi if the club are to find success under the Italian.

Spurs recently announced De Zerbi as their new manager, with the Italian signing a five-year contract, following the departure of Igor Tudor.

The Lilywhites are currently facing relegation concerns, sitting 17th in the table and at genuine risk of dropping down into the Championship.

Many Spurs fans are delighted about the arrival of De Zerbi, but Simon Jordan has insisted the Italian is not yet a top boss and is more in the Marco Silva mould.

De Zerbi’s previous Premier League experience at Brighton & Hove Albion will be a boost, having led them to European qualification for the first time in their history during the 2022/23 campaign.

However, Richard Keys has claimed that current Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler has improved the side since taking over, raising questions about how impressive De Zerbi’s work was.

Pulis has pointed to the modern structure of football, where coaches are often handed players rather than having full control over signings, adding that disagreements with decision-makers and instability at board level can make it difficult for any manager to succeed without proper alignment behind the scenes.

He then suggested that, at Tottenham, a manager of De Zerbi’s standing would not have committed to a long-term deal without having some influence over recruitment, while also noting that with Spurs operating under a strict wage budget, their signings must be smart and resourceful and aligned with the boss’ needs.

Pulis wrote in his BBC Sport column: “Today’s managers and coaches are more or less given players to coach rather than choosing signings themselves.

“If you are the manager and you have real differences of opinion with the people making those decisions, or there are constant changes above you, then goodness knows how you can be successful, whoever you are.

“With that in mind, and also looking at where Spurs have gone wrong with some of their player recruitment in recent years, I cannot believe that a manager of Roberto De Zerbi’s standing would sign a five-year contract without him having some say on signings and the new players who will be coming into the club.

“With Spurs maintaining a strict wage budget, their recruitment must be smart and resourceful whatever division they are in, but it is also important it is in line with the coach’s needs and wishes.”

De Zerbi has already confirmed he will remain committed to Tottenham even if they are relegated, hinting at his understanding of the alignment with the club’s structure.

If they were to be relegated, it would represent a significant long-term setback, with the club likely needing to rebalance the squad while also facing major financial losses.

De Zerbi is set to take charge of his first game against Sunderland, while a former Spurs player has already urged the Italian to prioritise organisation over tactical complexity.