“He is finished” Roberto De Zerbi asked to AXE and never start Club Old termer whose performance has been Total MEDIOCRE since under Thomas Frank

Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping they haven’t swapped a problem-solver for someone who might add fuel to the fire, following the confirmation of Roberto De Zerbi as their new permanent manager at N17.

The Italian first rose to prominence during his near two-year spell with Brighton & Hove Albion before leaving in the summer of 2024 after a disagreement with owner Tony Bloom over transfer strategy.

His exit was followed by a chaotic stint at Olympique de Marseille. During his time there, the 46-year-old was involved in a high-profile clash between Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe, and even refused to oversee training at one point after a defeat to Stade de Reims.

Ultimately, De Zerbi is a coach known for his outspoken nature and firm commitment to his progressive ideas, raising questions about how his arrival in north London will impact both the club’s trajectory and the current squad.

Predicting De Zerbi’s first starting XI at Spurs

De Zerbi inherits the same injury troubles that affected Igor Tudor and previous managers. Notably, he will be without fellow Italian Guglielmo Vicario for the foreseeable future after the goalkeeper underwent hernia surgery.

That situation could see Antonín Kinský return between the posts despite a difficult outing in Madrid. In front of him, De Zerbi’s possession-based style is expected to favour the established centre-back pairing of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

At right-back, Archie Gray could be deployed in an inverted role, similar to how De Zerbi used Jack Hinshelwood at Brighton. On the left, either Djed Spence or Destiny Udogie is likely to provide a more traditional attacking outlet.

In midfield, Gray’s positional shift may open the door for Lucas Bergvall to partner Pape Matar Sarr, echoing the energy and balance once provided by Moisés Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister during their time together at Brighton.

Further forward, Spurs’ creative hub is expected to be Xavi Simons. Out wide, Mathys Tel looks set to feature, while a fit-again Mohammed Kudus could also play a key role in attack.

The most likely option to spearhead the attack is England international Dominic Solanke, which could leave several players uncertain about their roles if Roberto De Zerbi opts for his preferred 4-2-3-1 system.

Another Ndombele situation?

If De Zerbi manages to steer Tottenham clear of relegation, one of his biggest challenges this summer will be recruitment. In recent years, the club’s transfer business has produced more disappointments than successes.

A prime example remains Tanguy Ndombele, who arrived in 2019 for a club-record fee during Mauricio Pochettino’s final transfer window. Despite the huge expectations, the French midfielder failed to deliver consistently. While he showed glimpses of brilliance — including a memorable goal against Sheffield United under José Mourinho — his overall contribution was underwhelming, managing just ten goals in 91 appearances across all competitions.

Although no transfer fee was involved more recently, the signing of fellow Frenchman Randal Kolo Muani carries a similar sense of frustration. Spurs have not fully benefited from the striker many expected, despite his strong reputation.

Kolo Muani, a World Cup finalist and former £76m Paris Saint-Germain signing, arrived in North London after an impressive loan spell at Juventus, where he scored ten goals in 22 matches. That run of form came under Igor Tudor, and interestingly, his best moments in a Spurs shirt have also come during the Croatian’s short tenure — including goals in the North London derby and against Atletico Madrid.

Tudor’s arrival initially looked like the perfect opportunity for Kolo Muani to revive his Tottenham career. However, with the manager now gone, so too are hopes of a sustained resurgence.

Like Ndombele before him at Lyon, Kolo Muani — who previously played for Nantes — has struggled to adapt to the Premier League. His recent goal against Arsenal remains his only one in the competition so far.

Given De Zerbi’s preference for natural wingers, as seen with Kaoru Mitoma and Solly March at Brighton, and with more proven Premier League forwards like Solanke or Richarlison likely to lead the line, Kolo Muani may now find his chances extremely limited.

Ultimately, this appears to be yet another high-profile signing that has failed to live up to expectations.