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Tottenham Hotspur players have already been impressed by their new manager Roberto De Zerbi.

De Zerbi has been in charge at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for just over a week, yet he has already made a strong impression on the squad.

The Italian tactician was appointed after the disappointing interim spell of Igor Tudor, who oversaw five defeats in his seven matches in charge.

With Spurs sitting only one point above the relegation zone as Premier League football resumes, the club urgently needs De Zerbi to make an immediate difference.

Fortunately for the north London side, the early indications appear promising, as reported by journalist Miguel Delaney of the Independent.

According to Delaney’s report, Tottenham players believe that the level of coaching under De Zerbi already surpasses what they experienced under Thomas Frank, Ange Postecoglou, and Tudor combined.

The squad is said to have responded enthusiastically to the Italian’s training methods, which marks a clear improvement compared to Tudor’s brief and troubled stint at the club.

In further praise, several players reportedly understand why Pep Guardiola holds De Zerbi in such high regard, to the extent that the Manchester City boss once viewed him as a potential successor.

Club executives in north London are likely relieved by these positive developments, especially considering that, according to BBC Sport, De Zerbi’s five-year contract does not include a relegation clause.

This is particularly significant given that, as per The Sun, the deal makes De Zerbi the second-highest paid manager in the Premier League, behind only Guardiola.

De Zerbi is expected to oversee his first competitive match as Tottenham manager this Sunday, with an away fixture against Sunderland.

As noted by FourFourTwo, it is rare for a coach of De Zerbi’s calibre to follow a tenure as underwhelming as Tudor’s and fail to make an immediate positive impression.

He was always expected to inject new energy into the squad, and while he may carry that momentum into the Sunderland clash, it remains very early in his tenure to draw any firm conclusions. The current phase is still very much the honeymoon stage.

Should De Zerbi succeed in steering Tottenham clear of relegation, that will tick the first major objective off his list. However, restoring Spurs to their expected levels of performance and ambition will be a far greater challenge ahead.

Nevertheless, such optimistic feedback emerging from the training ground is undoubtedly a welcome sign for everyone connected with the club.