Roberto De Zerbi is set to offload the £75k-a-week Tottenham star who has never played under Tudor.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has some big decisions to make, and Alasdair Gold has suggested he may be interested in a player who has not been seen for a long time.
De Zerbi sets goals in first message to Spurs fans
De Zerbi penned a five-year contract earlier this week, replacing Igor Tudor, although he was previously reported to be reluctant to take over until the summer.
In his first message to fans, the Italian made it clear that he sees his long-term future in north London, saying: “Hello to all Tottenham fans. I’m very happy to be here with you. For me, it’s a great thing [big] honor and I am very proud to be your coach.
“I want to do my best. I want to stay at this big club for a long time. See you soon.”
Spurs are willing to give De Zerbi a big say when it comes to recruitment, but the manager’s top priority is keeping his team top-level, with a trip to Sunderland next Sunday a top priority.
Until the summer, the 46-year-old will be forced to work with the current club, and Alasdair Gold has suggested that the player who has not featured under Tudor is likely to be at the top of the new manager’s thinking.
De Zerbi is set to let go of Tottenham’s divisive star
Speaking on YouTube recently, Gold said that Rodrigo Bentancur, who has been injured since January, could suit De Zerbi’s style of play, saying: “I have a funny feeling that you will like Rodrigo Bentancur too.
“And I also know that he is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I think that in terms of tactical and football-based football, yes he can be a bit nervous about his passing sometimes, but actually, as someone who used to be in the center of the Juventus team, who won the Serie A title three times, I think he can fit in well.”
The £75k-a-week Uruguayan midfielder has struggled with injuries over the years, missing large parts of the 2022-23 campaign with an ACL tear, and has missed the last ten Premier League games with a hamstring problem.
However, the 28-year-old could play a key role in the run, with Tudor confirming both he and Mohammed Kudus could return to training soon, before his exit, saying: “We have these three big weeks after the game on Sunday.”[Kudus will return for] maybe some part of the stuff with the team, maybe in ten days?
“I’m not sure, we need to check, but he’s progressing very well, he’s already in possession of the ball. We hope that the medical staff will give us a good surprise. It will be very important, very important to have them.”
It would be good news if Bentancur, who has 10 goals and nine assists to his name in 181 games for Spurs, was to return soon, given De Zerbi’s midfield options, with Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma also facing injury problems.
Tottenham are looking for Roberto De Zerbi after the title-winning manager turned them down in a ‘surprise meeting’.
The Italian is now in charge of Spurs for the third time this season.
