Tottenham Appoints De Zerbi as Head Coach

Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi as their new head coach on a five-year contract, placing their Premier League survival hopes in the hands of the 46-year-old tactician as the club sits 17th in the table, just one point above the relegation zone with seven matches remaining.

The move comes after a turbulent season marked by three managerial changes. De Zerbi replaces Igor Tudor, whose interim stint lasted only seven games following the February sacking of Thomas Frank. Earlier, Ange Postecoglou had led the team before his departure. Officials at the club, including chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange, view the appointment as a high-stakes gamble, given the limited time to implement changes. De Zerbi, who previously guided Brighton to a sixth-place finish in 2022-23 and achieved success at Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk, signed without a relegation escape clause, signaling long-term commitment.

De Zerbi's arrival addresses a squad low on confidence amid an injury crisis. Key forward Mohammed Kudus, who joined from West Ham for 55 million pounds last summer and contributed three goals and six assists in 26 appearances,...