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Tottenham Hotspur have announced Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager on a 'long-term' contract following the exit of Igor Tudor last weekend. De Zerbi arrives in north London after leaving Marseille in February, ending an 18month spell in charge.

Although recent reports suggested he wanted to wait until next season before taking on a new role, giving himself time to assess his options, Spurs have managed to persuade the 46yearold to make a swift return to management. In a statement announcing De Zerbi's arrival, Spurs wrote: "We are pleased to announce the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as our new Men's Head Coach on a long-term contract, subject to work permit."

Elsewhere, De Zerbi said of the role: "I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world. In all my discussions with the Club's leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear - to build a team capable of reaching great achievements, and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters.

"I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it. Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season. I'm looking forward to getting out on the training pitch and working with these players to achieve that."

Sporting Director, Johan Lange, added: "Roberto was our number one target for the summer and we are very pleased to be able to bring him in now. He is one of the most creative and forward-thinking coaches in world football, and brings with him a wealth of experience at the highest level, including in the Premier League."

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Spurs' statement, meanwhile, continued: "Following a playing career of almost 300 appearances across 15 years, Brescia-born Roberto began coaching in his native Italy and in June, 2018, joined Serie A side Sassuolo, earning recognition for his exciting, attack-minded and possession-based approach.

"He took charge of Shakhtar Donetsk in May, 2021, leading them to the UEFA Champions League group stage and the Ukrainian Super Cup - his first piece of silverware as a coach. Heading to East Sussex to join Brighton & Hove Albion in September, 2022, Roberto helped secure the Seagulls' highest ever Premier League finish in his debut season, earning European qualification for the first time in the club's history.

"In his most recent role at Marseille, the Ligue 1 side finished as runners-up in 2024/25, earning a spot in the UEFA Champions League."

De Zerbi's first game in charge of the Lilywhites lands on Sunday, April 12, when Spurs travel to the Stadium of Light to take on Sunderland AFC. At the time of writing, the north London outfit sit 17th in the Premier League standings, just one point clear of the drop zone, and will hope for an instant impact from their new head coach.

It comes as Igor Tudor left the club on Sunday via mutual consent, despite having only been appointed in February as a short-term replacement to Thomas Frank. The Croatian managed just seven matches for Tottenham, failing to secure a single Premier League win.