adminFormer Tottenham manager has reportedly emerged as a potential candidate to replace Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham Hotspur, with growing scrutiny surrounding the Italian manager following Spurs’ difficult start to the Premier League campaign.
Tottenham currently sit 20th in the Premier League table after failing to win any of their opening five matches. They have suffered three defeats and recorded two draws, leaving the club facing another worrying battle at the wrong end of the table despite spending more than £300 million during the summer transfer window.
Spurs endured back-to-back 17th-place finishes over the previous two seasons and only secured their Premier League status on the final day of last season after defeating Everton.
De Zerbi managed to guide Tottenham away from danger last season, but the club’s poor start this term has already placed the former Brighton boss under significant pressure.
However, TEAMtalk reported earlier this week that Tottenham currently have “no plans to move away from” De Zerbi. The club reportedly remains “firmly convinced” that he is the right manager to turn around their disappointing start.
Despite that reported backing, speculation over potential replacements has continued, with former Tottenham boss Pochettino being mentioned as a possible option.
Former Premier League midfielder Danny Murphy believes Pochettino could return to English football before the end of the season, while Mirror journalist Darren Lewis has suggested that Tottenham should consider bringing their former manager back.
Murphy told talkSPORT: “My bold prediction. It’s not that bold actually. I think we’ll see Poch back in the Premier League before the end of it.”
Lewis was similarly positive about the possibility of Pochettino returning to north London, saying: “If Spurs are smart, they’ll get him.”
Tottenham’s Striker Problem Raises Further Questions
One of the major concerns surrounding Tottenham’s summer recruitment has been the failure to bring in another established centre-forward.
Despite spending more than £300 million, Spurs did not add a recognised striker to their squad. De Zerbi has also indicated that he does not view Omar Marmoush as the answer to the problem.
Dominic Solanke has consequently remained an important part of Tottenham’s attacking plans, although his performances have come under scrutiny during the opening weeks of the season.
Former Tottenham chief scout Mick Brown believes De Zerbi could be extremely frustrated that the club failed to strengthen the position before the transfer window closed.
Speaking to Football Insider, Brown said Solanke has historically been highly regarded but questioned whether his current performances would see him regularly start for other Premier League sides.
“Solanke has always been held in quite high regard, but he hasn’t done it at Tottenham,” Brown said.
“When you look at the other top clubs in the Premier League, or even some that aren’t top clubs, how many of them does Solanke get into at the moment? Not many.
“Yet Tottenham are having to rely on him to score the goals and lead the line, because their other options aren’t any better.”
Brown suggested that De Zerbi could be particularly unhappy with the club’s failure to secure another high-quality forward.
“De Zerbi will be fuming that they failed to bring in a top-class forward during the transfer window, because now he’s got to work with what he’s got, and what he’s got isn’t good enough,” he added.
He also argued that Tottenham need more reliable goalscorers if they are serious about challenging near the top of the Premier League and competing for major trophies.
“If they want to be a top club, competing for trophies and finishing high in the table, then they need to have strikers who can consistently score goals for them,” Brown explained.
With Tottenham struggling to find consistency in front of goal, the January transfer window could become increasingly important.
Brown believes Spurs are likely to be searching for a striker when the window opens, although securing a quality forward midway through the season could prove difficult.
“They’ll be going into the January window in need of a striker, but it’s not as easy as that and it could be difficult midway through the season, so it’s a very tricky situation,” he concluded.
For now, De Zerbi remains in charge, but Tottenham’s results in the coming weeks could have a major influence on the direction of the season and the level of pressure placed on the Italian.
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