Tottenham Hotspur are in talks with Roberto de Zerbi as they look to appoint him as their next permanent head coach, sources say.
Igor Tudor left the club by mutual consent on Sunday after just 44 days in charge. Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange have been charged with finding his replacement. Tottenham decided to part ways with Tudor after last Sunday’s 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that left the side only one point clear of the relegation zone, although the club allowed the Croat some time to mourn the death of his father.
De Zerbi, who became available after leaving Marseille earlier this season, is the club’s primary target. Spurs reportedly made initial approaches to check whether the Italian would be interested even before Tudor’s departure was announced. Multiple sources told BBC Sport that de Zerbi was open to the job but had preferred to wait until the end of the season when he would know whether Tottenham remained in the Premier League.
Talks are now understood to be underway to see whether a deal can be reached for the remaining seven Premier League fixtures. It is believed Spurs would seek to offer the former Brighton manager a long-term contract.
Some supporters’ groups have voiced opposition to appointing de Zerbi because of his public defence of former Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood. Greenwood, 24, left United to join de Zerbi at Marseille in 2023 after criminal charges against him, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped. While at Marseille, de Zerbi described Greenwood as a “good guy” who had paid a “heavy price” for his past. Proud Lilywhites, Spurs’ official LGBTQ+ supporters’ group, said: “When someone in that position publicly defends a player like Mason Greenwood, and frames it in a way that downplays the seriousness of what happened, it matters, not just in isolation but in what it signals.”
Other candidates have been considered. Former Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche, available after his February sacking, is seen as a short-term option thanks to his record of keeping clubs in the Premier League, but he would reportedly seek a minimum 18-month contract. Mauricio Pochettino remains a popular choice among supporters given his previous successful spell at Spurs, but his commitments to the USA national team ahead of this summer’s World Cup would make an immediate return difficult.
Figures with existing Tottenham links such as Ryan Mason, Harry Redknapp and Tim Sherwood are said to be open to interim roles until season’s end; current player Ben Davies has also been mentioned as a short-term fix. Former Spurs players Glenn Hoddle and Chris Hughton have been suggested as possible interim appointments as well.
Ex-Monaco head coach Adi Hutter had been linked to the job but appears to have ruled himself out. He issued a statement to Sky Sports Austria reiterating his previous position after leaving the French club in October 2025, saying he “would prefer not to work as a head coach again until the start of the new season at the earliest” and adding: “My position on this matter has not changed since then.”
