Tottenham appoint Roberto De Zerbi as head coach on long-term deal

Tottenham Hotspur have officially named Roberto De Zerbi as the club’s new head coach, confirming the appointment on their website and stressing that the Italian has signed a long-term contract as Spurs begin a crucial new chapter.

Tottenham announced on March 31 that De Zerbi had joined as the men’s head coach on a long-term contract, with the appointment subject to a work permit. The club presented the move as the start of a new project after the departure of Igor Tudor, who had left only days earlier.

The appointment comes at a highly tense moment for Spurs. Reuters reported that Tottenham are only one point above the Premier League relegation zone with seven matches left, which means De Zerbi arrives not only as a long-term choice for the club’s future, but also as the coach expected to stabilize the team immediately.

De Zerbi most recently worked at Marseille and is best known in England for his spell at Brighton, where he earned praise for an aggressive, possession-based style and guided the club to European qualification. That profile appears to have convinced Tottenham to back him despite the pressure and risk surrounding the job.

British media including The Guardian reported that the agreement runs for five years, although Tottenham’s own announcement referred to it more broadly as a long-term contract. Either way, the message from the club is clear: Spurs are not framing this as a temporary fix, but as a major strategic appointment made in the middle of a survival battle.

For Tottenham, the significance of the decision goes beyond the coaching change itself. Appointing De Zerbi now suggests the club wants to combine short-term urgency with a broader football identity reset, and the success or failure of that gamble will begin to be judged immediately in the final stretch of the season.