French media all have same opinion after Roberto De Zerbi takes Tottenham job

Roberto De Zerbi was confirmed as Tottenham's new manager on Tuesday - and the Italian has a heck of a job on his hands with Spurs battling to stay in the Premier League

There's a palpable buzz at Tottenham following the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi. But across the Channel, the mood is a little more muted.

On Tuesday, De Zerbi was confirmed as Igor Tudor's successor, signing a five-year deal to become Spurs' third manager of what's been a turbulent season. He arrives with the club hovering just a point above the relegation zone, facing the very real threat of a damaging drop to the Championship.

After his impressive spell at Brighton, many Tottenham supporters believe De Zerbi has the tactical acumen to guide them to safety. But in France, confidence is less assured, with sections of the media casting doubt on whether the former Marseille boss can replicate that success under such intense pressure.

TeamFootball called the decision to hire De Zerbi a "bold gamble" and a "crazy bet for survival," pointing to the defensive weaknesses of his teams, particularly as they're getting to grips with the 46-year-old's demanding and often complex playing style.

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"The risk is immense," the publication wrote. "The rapid adoption of his methods could prove costly in the relegation battle."

Similarly, L'Equipe branded the appointment "a double edge sword," noting that De Zerbi's management style is "incandescent" and can leave players exhausted. They also warned that his complex tactics may take too long to implement in a seven-game relegation battle.

MVZ Sports claimed the Tottenham job would be the "most difficult challenge" of De Zerbi's career, pointing to the desperation and lack of confidence in the squad following two torrid seasons domestically. Score.fr also urged caution, labelling De Zerbi a "builder" not a "firefighter."

Le Parisien, on the other hand, gave this assessment: "From the cauldron of the Vélodrome, the 46-year-old manager will land on a scorching bench: his Croatian predecessor lasted only seven matches in the English capital after having himself replaced Thomas Frank."

Despite the reservations in France, Tottenham sporting director labelled De Zerbi "one of the most creative and forward-thinking coaches in world football," adding that he was the club's "No. 1 target" for the summer.

Initially, De Zerbi wanted to take over at the end of the season - but was ultimately convinced to take the reins earlier once faith in Tudor began deteriorating. Spurs' interest in De Zerbi dates back to 2023 and he became one of their primary managerial targets in the wake of Thomas Frank's dismissal in February, according to The Athletic.

"I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world," De Zerbi said in a statement on Tuesday.

"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."

His first game in charge will be against Sunderland on April 12 before a mouthwatering clash against former team Brighton six days later. Tottenham then round off the campaign with games against fellow relegation-battlers Wolves and Leeds, as well as tough ties against Aston Villa, Chelsea and Everton.