Every word Roberto De Zerbi said on Kudus, his 4 'crucial' players and taking Tottenham to the top

Here's every single word the new Tottenham Hotspur head coach said in his first press conference ahead of his debut against Sunderland

Roberto De Zerbi has held his first press conference as Tottenham boss ahead of his opening game in the dugout at Sunderland on Sunday.

The Italian is looking to lead Spurs to their first Premier League win in 2026 and then keep the north London club in the Premier League at the end of their final seven matches of the campaign. Ahead of that De Zerbi took his place in the press conference room at Hotspur Way on Friday afternoon to speak to reporters about what lies ahead.

He spoke about the latest injury news, particularly that setback for Mohammed Kudus, as well as the players who will be key to him in his time at the club.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to De Zerbi. Here's the full transcript from the Italian's first press conference at Hotspur Way.

Have you enjoyed your first week at Tottenham Hotspur?

Yes, first of all, I'm proud and happy to be here. I have to say thanks to Vinai and Johan, because they showed me a big, big confidence. Now I have to work. Now we have to make points. I'm sure about the level of the players, because many players in the past I was very, very close to bring them in my former teams.They are working very well. I think I'm not better than Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor, because I consider them very good coaches. I try to bring my style, myself, my character, my personality, my passion, to help the players first of all to show their qualities, because they have a lot of qualities. And then to achieve our target, because the most important part now is our target.

Are you confident that you can keep this club in the Premier League?

Yes, yes. I knew before to work with them. I understood that they are good guys. The fans have to be happy, because all players are good guys. They are suffering for this difficult situation. I want to see (what they are like) in the game, because during the week it's easier. But I think the voice inside of the pitch has changed. I observed them at the beginning of my time last week, and now I'm more positive for sure.

If fans are still having concerns, what is your message to them?

I have not any message because also in the last game against Nottingham Forest, they were fantastic before the game. The message for my staff and for my players is we have to deserve their support because the fans are suffering like us, like the players, but the fans there is just one club and just one team. The players can change team and club, but the fans, it is unique their club and so we have to make happy our fans. Play well, with the right spirit, with the right attitude, with the right behaviour on the pitch and then it is easier to make points.

The big question for most is why now? Why take this job now?

Why now? Because you cannot consider your angle or how you look at the situation, from my perspective, it was a big opportunity because Tottenham is one of the most important clubs in Premier League and Premier League is best league in world. I know the qualities of the players. We have a lot of specific players for my style and then there was a crucial part that there was 12 days before first game. For me it was important to have not too much time, but 10 days, more than one week and I thought it could be important to understand the problems. I don’t want to give too many principles and too many instructions on the pitch if we are talking about just football, but organisation with the ball, without the ball, I hope in one week, 10 days, to reach this target for me.

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What is the nature of Mohammed Kudus’ injury and is he ruled out of this season and the World Cup?

Yes, I started not with too big luck! Yes, Kudus was in my head a crucial player, especially for the position, but we have to look forward anyway. I think we have a lot of very good attackers and we have to help them, to put them in the best condition to show their qualities because Kolo Muani I know he is not playing a great season, but he is a good player. I know him. Like I know Mathys Tel, I wanted him in Marseille when I was at Marseille, Xavi Simons is a big talent, Richarlison and Solanke you maybe know better than me but we have to put them in the best condition we can.

How is Guglielmo Vicario doing? Can any other players come back?

No, Vicario is not ready for this game. I hope he can come back earlier next week, but I don't know yet. Bentancur is working with us but not completely, but we have enough to fight to play, to make points.

You must be confident about keeping Spurs up as there is no relegation clause in your contract?

I believe to keep the Premier League, first of all. It has to be clear to everyone. I want to work in the Premier League and I believe I deserve to work in the Premier League. But the main sense of my work is more than the league. If I sign my contract in April I have to be ready to stay, no matter what, in the next season. I want to stay focused on Sunderland and the other six games. But my idea is very clear.

How do you convince players who might be wanting to leave this summer?

It’s not important for me now. Now we have to push altogether, all players and staff in the training and all fans inside the stadium, to achieve our goal. And then we will see. For sure I don’t want players if they don’t want to stay. I have my contract for five years - for sure I want to say my opinion on the transfer market because I am a coach, but I want to see the players happy to work in this club.

You mentioned your style quite a few times. It was good to watch at Brighton and Spurs fans like a certain style, going back to the 70s with Glenn Hoddle and Ossie Ardiles, your style and Spurs, are they the ideal marriage, the ideal fit?

Listen, my style is one part, about the style of play and one part about the character, the personality. I have no time enough to work in the principle or in build-up so much, or in the last 20 metres. I want to give organisation with the ball and without the ball. Two principles without the ball, three principles, four more. Something more in possession, in offensive phase and that's it.

What I want to do, what I want to achieve immediately is the character, is the right spirit, the right courage to play, to attack. Because the DNA of this club, of this squad is to find the goal, to score. In this part I can be able to transfer, not in too much time, my principle.

You know a lot of these players from the outside, are there any in the last week of training that surprised you when you've seen them up close, maybe younger players like Archie Gray or Lucas Bergvall?

In the last period I watched a lot of games, especially of Tottenham. Yes, one thing is to watch the game at home and a different thing is to work with them on the pitch.

We have very big players, young players, Bergvall, Archie Gray, Mathys Tel, Xavi Simons, but anyway we have older players that are very important. Van der Ven is a crucial player for me, like Romero, like Porro, like Solanke. I want to see again the same Gallagher I loved in Chelsea at the time.

I think I'm lucky because I have a big confidence in my players, their qualities and for me my target is to help them to play well, to enjoy with the ball because their characteristics are very clear for me.

You've only brought in two coaches with you that you've worked with in the past. You normally bring at least six or seven that you know with you. Does that make it any more difficult to get your ideas across quickly?

It's totally different this situation because we have no time to work like in Brighton or Marseille or in other places I've been and I don't want to put confusion inside of the players. They have to be with a clear plan of the game and not too much instruction, not too much thinking.

They have to run where is the ball, they have to play with courage, with personality and they have to fight. That's it. For me, my demand is to show the right spirit I want to see.

You've signed a long contract, normally you spend a certain amount of time at clubs, maybe not long term. What makes you think Tottenham is the one that maybe you will settle down at for longer?

I stayed three years in Sassuolo and then I left from Ukraine when the war started. In Brighton I left for different problems and in Marseille maybe the same. I would like to stay four or five, for a long time. I don't know how many years but in Marseille like this because in Marseille my idea was to stay for a long time.

Then you have to speak with the club and when you have a different view of football or other things you have to leave money and you have to leave. But in my plan for sure there is the idea to stay for a long time, to try to put Tottenham, I'm not speaking about the titles because it's not the right moment now, but to put Tottenham to stay in the first position in the Premier League because there are all parts to reach that level.