Seven games to save Tottenham's season - De Zerbi signs Spurs deal

Roberto de Zerbi will take over a Tottenham team who sit just one point above the relegation zone [Getty Images] Tottenham will appoint Roberto de Zerbi as their new head coach after the Italian signed a five-year contract with the club. The former Brighton boss has seven games to save the club from relegation to the Championship. If they do go down, he does not have a relegation clause that would allow him to walk away.

That means in two months' time, Spurs' third boss of the season will have either secured his place as a hero at the club, or be forever connected to one of the worst campaigns in their history. De Zerbi has been the overwhelming first choice to become the club's new permanent head coach. According to well-placed sources, all parties have now struck a deal that means he will become the club's new manager on a permanent basis with an announcement expected in due course.

BBC Sport reported on Sunday that De Zerbi was the man Spurs wanted to replace Igor Tudor, who officially left the club by mutual consent over the weekend. Talks have been ongoing since Sunday and those discussions have been successful. De Zerbi was always open to taking the Spurs position, but it is understood he initially showed a reluctance to accept the job before the end of the season.

But the coach, who left Marseille earlier this year, has been persuaded to take the job immediately. Tottenham are 17th in the Premier League, just one point outside of the relegation zone and without a win in the competition in 2026. Should they fail to beat the drop, it would go down as one of the league's most remarkable relegations.