De Zerbi's Stunning Volte-Face: How Spurs Nearly Sealed Five-Year Deal as Managerial Hunt Intensifies

Following Igor Tudor's departure on Sunday, Tottenham have shifted into overdrive in pursuit of Roberto De Zerbi, the former Marseille and Brighton manager who had previously appeared reluctant to abandon his sabbatical before the campaign's conclusion.

De Zerbi was always pencilled in as Spurs' top target, yet the Italian tactician had made clear his intention to postpone any return to management until the summer window. That calculus appears to have shifted dramatically over the past 24 hours.

By Monday morning, murmurings emerged that De Zerbi had begun reconsidering his position, with talkSPORT's reporting suggesting an accord was edging closer. Alex Crook revealed the club was dangling a five-year contract, whilst Ben Jacobs confirmed the same breakthrough, noting that a "lucrative long-term deal" had proved sufficient to sway the manager's thinking.

The financial sweeteners on offer extend beyond base salary. Spurs have apparently tabled a "significant survival bonus and signing-on fee" to accelerate negotiations. Journalist Rudy Galetti identified three specific factors underpinning De Zerbi's reconsideration: the lucrative package itself, explicit assurances of substantial summer investment to reshape the squad according to his blueprint should the club avoid the drop, and a relatively benign run-in compared to their relegation-threatened competitors.

Reporter Nicolo Schira has already suggested De Zerbi is constructing his backroom team, indicating the wheels are in motion should terms be finalised.

Yet not everyone shares the optimism. Chris Waddle, the Tottenham icon, has delivered a withering assessment of his former club's prospects, suggesting that managerial changes matter little when institutional rot runs this deep.

"I don't think a new manager at Tottenham changes a thing," Waddle told 10Bet. "The players aren't good enough and that isn't going to change if a new manager comes in."

The former winger pointed to the calibre of previous appointments—Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho among them—as evidence that personnel alone cannot salvage a sinking ship. Instead, Waddle's diagnosis centres on the boardroom and recruitment strategy.

He highlighted the January acquisition of Conor Gallagher for £30 million as emblematic of flawed decision-making. "If Atletico were happy to let him go after a season and a half, then alarm bells should be ringing," Waddle reasoned, contrasting this with missed opportunities to secure ready-made Premier League operators like Semenyo and Guehi.

The legendary left-winger acknowledged the emotional toll on supporters, particularly when observing quality English talent—he cited Tonali's move to Newcastle—slip through Tottenham's grasp. But his ultimate verdict proved damning: the players must save themselves over the remaining seven fixtures.

"Nothing I've seen from this group of players convinces me that Tottenham will be playing Premier League football next season," Waddle concluded.

Should De Zerbi arrive, he inherits a fractured dressing room and a recruitment apparatus that, according to one of the club's most decorated figures, requires wholesale dismantling rather than cosmetic repair.