Tottenham’s injury woes persist as Roberto De Zerbi targets survival after Igor Tudor exit | OneFootball

Leeds United’s survival prospects have received a twist as relegation rivals Tottenham appointed Roberto De Zerbi, yet their injury problems persist with seven games left. The club confirmed his arrival on Tuesday evening after ending Igor Tudor’s brief spell.

Tudor departed following a 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest before the international break. The Croatian lasted 44 days and left Spurs one point above the drop zone.

De Zerbi is believed to have signed a five-year deal without a relegation clause. His task now is to secure safety, including a meeting with Leeds in North London in early May, the third-to-last fixture for both.

De Zerbi said he is delighted to join a prestigious club and that talks with the hierarchy underlined an ambition to build an exciting, successful team. He added that the immediate focus is climbing the Premier League table until the final whistle of the season.

His first game is at Sunderland, and there could be an early headache. Midfielder Pape Sarr missed Senegal’s 3-1 win over Gambia, reportedly with a shoulder problem, although he has over a week before the trip to the Stadium of Light.

Sarr has featured in 22 league matches, scoring two and assisting three, and any time out would complicate work on De Zerbi’s complex style. Several first-teamers are already sidelined, including Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario, Mathys Tel, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, Ben Davies and Yves Bissouma. He has been among Tottenham’s most consistent performers.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk