New Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto de Zerbi confirmed that he would remain at the club next season even if they suffer relegation from the English Premier League as he welcomed the biggest challenge of his career.
The Italian was appointed on a five-year deal on Tuesday, with Spurs perilously poised just one point above the relegation zone.
De Zerbi has just seven games to try and save Spurs, who have not experienced life outside the top flight since 1978.
Photo: Reuters
Reports suggested the former Brighton & Hove Albion and Olympique de Marseille head coach had not been keen to join Spurs before the end of the season, but was convinced by a lucrative five-year deal that put him among the highest paid coaches in the Premier League.
He dismissed any suggestion of a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave if Spurs did go down.
“I signed five years of [a] contract because for me it is a big challenge,” De Zerbi told an interview with the club’s in-house media channel. “I will be the coach of Tottenham a next season no matter what. Tottenham, especially in this moment, is maybe the the most important challenge in my career. I’m ready to start this challenge.”
De Zerbi established a positive reputation for himself in England during a two-year spell at Brighton between 2022 and 2024.
His time at Marseille also started well, with the club finishing second to Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 last season to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, but he left the French club in February after failing to make it out of the Champions League league phase and following a humiliating 5-0 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain.
His appointment has not been universally welcomed the Spurs supporters.
Some fan groups have raised objections to his support for Mason Greenwood during his time at Marseille.
Former England international Greenwood was suspended by Manchester United in January 2022 following allegations of attempted rape and sexual assault.
Prosecutors dropped the charges against Greenwood in February 2023, who always denied the allegations, and he joined Marseille not long after De Zerbi in July 2024.
“I’ve never wanted to downplay the issue of violence against women or violence against anyone in general,” De Zerbi said, speaking in his native Italian. “Those who know me well know that I’m not the kind of person who compromises to win one more match, or to win one more title. I’m sorry if I’ve offended anyone with this topic. I have a daughter and I’m very sensitive to these things. I hope that as time passes, people will get to know me better and understand that I didn’t mean to take a stance.”
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