Roberto De Zerbi vowed to save troubled Tottenham from the humiliation of Premier League relegation as the Italian prepares for his first game in charge against Sunderland on Sunday.
Former Marseille boss De Zerbi has been hired to stop Tottenham descending into the second tier for the first time since 1977-78.
He arrives with the spluttering north London club languishing just one point above the relegation zone with only seven games left to avoid the drop.
De Zerbi replaced interim boss Igor Tudor, who was sacked during the recent international break after failing to win any of his five league matches.
Tottenham have not won a league match in 2026, but De Zerbi is convinced that they can still stay up.
“Yes. I’m sure about the level of the players because many players in the past I was close to, bringing them to my former teams,” he told reporters on Friday.
“The voice inside the pitch is changing. Now I’m more positive for sure.”
Tottenham have lost their past 13 league games, including a 3-0 home defeat to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest in their last encounter before Tudor’s departure.
With fans getting increasingly dissatisfied with their club’s situation, De Zerbi was asked why he accepted the arduous responsibility of preserving Tottenham.
“Why now? Because it depends on the angle at which you look at the situation. For me, it was a big opportunity because Tottenham are a very important club in the Premier League and the Premier League is the best league in the world,” he said.
“The message for my staff and players is we have to deserve their support because the fans are suffering like us.
“The players can change, but for the fans it’s unique; it’s their club. We have to make them happy with the right spirit and the right behavior on the pitch. Then it’s easier to make points.”
De Zerbi previously managed in the Premier League, including a successful stint with Brighton.
However, his tenure at Marseille was less successful, leading to his mutual departure in February.
De Zerbi is Tottenham’s third manager this season, following Tudor and Thomas Frank, who was fired in his first season after signing from Brentford to replace ousted Ange Postecoglou last year.
De Zerbi insisted he will stay at Tottenham even if they drop to the Championship, saying, “If I sign my contract in April, I have to be ready to stay no matter what happens next season.”
“I am not better than Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor. I try to bring my style and myself, my character, my personality, and my strengths. In my plan for sure, the idea is to stay for a long time.
“I’m not speaking about titles, but to put Tottenham in a position in the Premier League because they are all parts to reach that level.”
