Roberto De Zerbi explains why he has signed ‘long-term’ Tottenham contract

New Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has insisted he is committed to the club’s “ambition for the future” after signing a five-year contract, despite Spurs facing a relegation battle this season. De Zerbi has been convinced to replace the sacked Igor Tudor for the final seven Premier League games of the season, with Spurs just sitting one point above the relegation zone and without a Premier League win this year. Despite the threat of relegation, there is no break clause in De Zerbi’s contract should Tottenham drop into the Championship.

The Italian lasted less than two seasons in his previous two spells at Brighton and Marseille. “I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world,” said De Zerbi, whose appointment at Tottenham’s new head is subject to work permit. “In all my discussions with the club’s leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear – to build a team capable of reaching great achievements, and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters.

I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it. “Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season. I’m looking forward to getting out on the training pitch and working with these players to achieve that.

” De Zerbi is Tottenham’s fifth permanent head coach since Jose Mourinho was sacked in 2021, following Nuno Espirito Santo, Antonio Conte, Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank. Interm boss Tudor was dismissed after just seven games and 44 days. De Zerbi, meanwhile, left Marseille by mutual agreement in February after a Champions League exit in the league phase and a 5-0 loss to PSG domestically.