Roberto De Zerbi – Can he help Tottenham float in the Premier League?
Dramatic introductions and slow-burn transformations have defined Roberto De Zerbi’s managerial career. The newly-appointed Italian will face an opening act unlike anything before. Not even his war-torn exit from Ukraine or his mid-season rescues in Serie A would prepare him for this.
When De Zerbi arrived at Brighton in September 2022, replacing the departed Graham Potter, his start was far from triumphant, he failed to win any of his first five Premier League matches, drawing twice and losing three times. His opening fixture was a thrilling 3-3 draw at Liverpool, where Leandro Trossard became the first Brighton player to score a Premier League hat-trick, followed by a 1-0 home defeat to, no points for guessing, The Lilywhites. His first victory came nearly a month into the job, a 4-1 demolition of Graham Potter’s Chelsea, in late October.
Despite the slow start, De Zerbi guided Brighton to their highest-ever Premier League finish of sixth place in 2022-23, qualifying for Europe for the first time in the club’s history. The Seagulls averaged 1.51 points per game across his tenure and created numerous big chances per match, elite output that made them one of the most watchable sides in England.
But there were warning signs beneath the beauty. By December 2023, ten Brighton players were unavailable due to injury, including forwards Kaoru Mitoma, Simon Adingra, Solly March, Ansu Fati and Julio Enciso, as well as multiple defenders. His high-intensity possession football, while thrilling, proved physically demanding. Brighton’s form became inconsistent, drawing six and winning just two out of eleven games during one particularly difficult stretch.
The Roberto De Zerbi ball
De Zerbi’s Marseille tenure began on a completely different note. His debut season started with a 5-1 victory over Brest. Early results were impressive, with Marseille going provisionally top of Ligue 1 after beating Nice 2-0 in September 2024, accumulating 10 points from their opening four matches. De Zerbi ultimately guided them to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 during his first season, accumulating 65 points and securing Champions League qualification.
"De Zerbi is shit when he takes over a new club"
Appointed for Marseille in June 2024….
Look at the results from his first 5 games at Marseille and then do proceed to shut the hell up with your forced BS regurgitated misinformation pic.twitter.com/EQWyQNt8J2
— 𝑷𝑹𝑶 (@ProTottenham) March 30, 2026
But the second season unravelled spectacularly. Marseille’s Champions League campaign ended in disaster. They finished 25th in the league phase, eliminated on goal difference after defeats to Real Madrid, Sporting CP, Atalanta, Liverpool and Club Brugge. Following a 5-0 thrashing by PSG, De Zerbi and the club parted ways by mutual consent in February 2026.
Brighton’s squad in 2022 was talented but unproven at the highest level. They possessed technical ability, youth, and a clear structure thanks to Potter’s groundwork. De Zerbi refined the system, elevated individuals, and added tactical aggression.
Marseille in 2024 were a club in disarray after finishing eighth, but De Zerbi inherited a passionate fanbase, financial backing for significant recruitment, and no European distractions in his first season. The pressure was immense, but the resources were there.
Spurs are battling relegation with an unprecedented injury crisis. They currently have upwards of nine to thirteen players sidelined or doubtful, including key figures like James Maddison (cruciate ligament injury, out until May), Dejan Kulusevski (long-term serious injury), Mohammed Kudus (muscle injury), Richarlison (hamstring, out until late April), Rodrigo Bentancur (hamstring), and Yves Bissouma (muscle injury). Cristian Romero recently returned from concussion protocols, but the creative engine of Maddison, Kulusevski, and Kudus continues to take the oomph away from the side.
Roberto de Zerbi has reached an agreement in principle to become the next Tottenham head coach, according to Sky in Italy 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Cw72DIm0bO
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 31, 2026
What to expect?
With Tottenham sitting just one point above the relegation zone after a crushing defeat to Nottingham Forest, De Zerbi would be stepping into a squad decimated by injuries, demoralised by three failed managerial appointments this season, and carrying the psychological weight of potential relegation.
Neither Brighton nor Marseille faced anything remotely comparable. Brighton were comfortably mid-table when De Zerbi arrived. Marseille, despite their eighth-place finish, were never flirting with relegation. Both clubs gave him time to implement his ideas, multiple transfer windows to shape the squad, and crucially, relatively healthy squads to work with.
The pressure at Marseille was volcanic, but it was pressure to win trophies and challenge PSG, not pressure to avoid becoming the biggest relegation story in Premier League history. That’s a completely different psychological burden, and one that could shatter even the most experienced managers.
De Zerbi is a brilliant coach. His tactical intelligence, ability to develop young players, and commitment to attacking football are undeniable. But his early-week record shows he needs time. Time Tottenham simply don’t have. His systems require buy-in, fitness, and confidence. Spurs currently possess none of these.
Roberto De Zerbi will be walking into his most impossible opening yet. Not because he isn’t good enough, but because no manager on earth could fix this mess in seven games with half the squad in the medical room and the other half staring into the abyss of the Championship.