Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has been under increasing pressure in recent weeks, leading to much speculation about his future. There were five viable options to replace Howe, but one could be off the table.
The Athletic reports that Italian manager Roberto De Zerbi could be on the brink of being named the new Tottenham Hotspur manager. He is thought to now be open to taking the Spurs job after Igor Tudor parted ways.
With De Zerbi without a club, he inevitably was touted as an option to replace Howe should the English coach depart St James’ Park at the end of the season. But the Lilywhites are ready to give him a five-year contract and make him one of the highest-paid managers in the league.
De Zerbi to the Rescue?
If De Zerbi does take charge of relegation-battling Spurs, it will be the 46-year-old’s second stint in England, after managing Brighton & Hove Albion for nearly two years.
After his spell on the south coast, he would arrive at Ligue 1 side Marseille as they looked to improve on a disastrous eighth-placed finish.
De Zerbi quickly turned things around for the French side, as they went on to finish in second, only behind Champions League winners PSG.
This campaign was different, as Marseille failed to continue to progress like the season prior, and due to clashes with the board, he was eventually relieved of his duties in February, following a 5-0 thrashing to PSG.
Spurs are on the edge of the relegation zone, and if results go in favour of West Ham United and Nottingham Forest, they are at serious risk.
Spurs’ decision to make him one of the highest-paid managers in the Premier League could prove costly, and his clashes with the hierarchy at both Brighton and Marseille may have occured if he were to have replaced Howe.
Newcastle Sticking with Howe?
Howe will reportedly remain in Newcastle manager until the summer at the least, but there are still questions to be answered. The Magpies have failed miserably to build on last season’s achievements, and Sunderland doing the double over them in the Tyne-Wear derby rubbed salt into the wounds.
Danny Murphy has also criticised Howe for not getting the most out of his players, as they find themselves in 12th. The club could well be considering their options ahead of a potential change, but who is available?
The most popular amongst the Toon Army seems to be either Stuttgart’s manager, Sebastian Hoeness, or Porto’s boss, Francesco Farioli. Both are viewed as two of Europe’s most promising tacticians.
Both play attacking football, and they have built their teams since their arrival. However, there is no guarantee they will move to St James’ Park, despite it being an interesting project to lead.
While De Zerbi may not have been the perfect option, he certainly had the qualities to be a great manager at the club, and with question marks still next to Howe’s name, there is still a lack of clarity regarding the Black and White managerial position.
