- Tottenham Hotspur may have done Manchester United a favour
- Spurs pursue ex-Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi
- De Zerbi was an ex-target of United
Tottenham Hotspur may have inadvertently done Manchester United a favour as the London-based club ramps up their efforts to procure Roberto De Zerbi. Spurs parted ways with interim coach Igor Tudor last week, whose 44-day tenure ranks as the fourth-shortest in Premier League history.
The Croatian failed to win any of his five league games, claiming just a single point from a draw against reigning champions Liverpool. With seven games to go in the Premier League season, Spurs languish in 17th place—just one point above West Ham in the drop zone.
Consequently, the club has shifted its focus to De Zerbi, who was dismissed by Marseille earlier in the campaign. The Italian is no stranger to the Premier League, having spent two seasons at Brighton. In his first campaign, he guided the Seagulls to a sixth-place finish—the highest in the club’s Premier League history.
De Zerbi Spurs Move Sparks Debate
According to Jack Pitts-Brooke and David Ornstein of The Athletic, Tottenham are pushing to appoint Roberto De Zerbi as the club’s third head coach of the season. Not only that, Spurs have offered the former Brighton boss a bumper five-year contract that would make him one of the highest-paid managers in the league.
Three Tottenham fan groups have already urged the club not to pursue the Italian due to his defence of disgraced former Manchester United player Mason Greenwood.
Proud Lilywhites, Tottenham’s official LGBTQ+ supporters’ association, Women of the Lane, their supporters’ association for women, and Spurs Reach, Spurs’ race, ethnicity and cultural heritage supporters’ association, all released simultaneous statements on Friday, urging the club to consider its values.
Meanwhile, as Spurs fans scramble to either side of the divide, many United supporters are quietly rejoicing, seeing De Zerbi’s potential appointment as a manager elsewhere as a boost for their own club’s chances.
The Italian drew heavy links with the club in 2024, with United discussing him ahead of Ruben Amorim during early managerial talks.
However, according to Andy Mitten of The Athletic, negotiations reportedly broke down when De Zerbi’s financial demands were deemed too rich for United’s blood.
The Italian accepted the Marseille job, where the club offered him a financial package almost certainly far lower than what United had put on the table for Old Trafford.
United fans breathe a sigh of relief
The polarising manager seems to have already left a sour taste in the mouth of United fans when he rejected the club two years prior.
On Reddit, supporters made their stances clear:
“Even if he becomes available I’d stay away from him, always throws his toys out of the pram when things don’t go his away and whenever his plan A never works he doesn’t know what to do afterwards, his Brighton team weren’t great during his last few weeks at the club after everyone had figured out how to counter his tactics,” one fan said.
“Don’t want him anywhere near United. Most overrated manager going around imo,” added another.
The United managerial race seems to be now slimming down, with Carrick spearheading his way through to the permanent position. It now stands as just the Englishman and the Germany national team manager, Julian Nagelsmann, as candidates who could feature in the dugout for Manchester United next season.
