Liverpool snubbed Roberto De Zerbi after 'naughty' warning as Tottenham set for quick decision

Roberto De Zerbi could be on his way back to the Premier League with Tottenham, with the former Brighton boss having been one of the names linked with Liverpool in 2024

Roberto De Zerbi is the favorite to become Tottenham's new manager(Image: Getty Images)

Roberto De Zerbi could be set for a return to the Premier League, two years on from being linked with the Liverpool job.

The Italian is the favorite to become Tottenham’s new manager, with the relegation-threatened club looking for a new boss after parting ways with Igor Tudor.

The interim boss left after just 44 days in charge, during which time he lost five of his seven games in charge, and picked up just one point in the Premier League. Liverpool fans won’t need reminding where that point came from, with the draw at Anfield perhaps the lowest point under Arne Slot this season.

As the search begins for Spurs, De Zerbi looks to be the highest name on the shortlist. According to The Mirror, Tottenham is looking to make an appointment before its next game against Sunderland on April 12.

In fact, it’s claimed that it will look to get its new man in place within the next 72 hours in order to give him more time ahead of that game. Spurs are said to be trying to convince De Zerbi to take the job now, with the Italian having been reluctant to accept before the summer when it last came up after Thomas Frank’s firing.

It wasn’t too long ago that De Zerbi was being touted as a possible option for Liverpool. Back in 2024, he was one of the names being linked with taking over from Jurgen Klopp, having impressed during his spell in charge of Brighton.

There was at least one dissenting voice urging the Reds not to go down that route, though, with club legend Mark Lawrenson having been left unimpressed by De Zerbi’s behavior after he publicly called for Brighton to make more moves in the transfer market.

"I thought Roberto De Zerbi was a bit naughty last week, saying he wants more players,” Lawrenson told Paddy Power at the time. “Brighton gave him his big gig, and he's done very, very well.

"But once you go down that route of asking for more players, and maybe his agent is speaking to other clubs, I don't think Liverpool will go anywhere near him. He's a good manager, but I think he is getting carried away."

Liverpool was warned against appointing Roberto De Zerbi as Jurgen Klopp's successor(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Lawrenson went on to criticize De Zerbi’s handling of his final campaign in charge of the Seagulls, saying: "Brighton haven't had a particularly good season. He's not dealt with the extra games and blamed it on not having enough players.

“De Zerbi won't go to Liverpool, and he might've put one or two prospective club owners off him.”

Indeed, Liverpool would end up turning its attention elsewhere, appointing Slot and leaving De Zerbi to take matters into his own hands as he quit Brighton to take over at Marseille.

He ended up leaving that job earlier this year, and with Tottenham in the midst of a relegation battle, it might need to take Lawrenson’s comments on board and think carefully about appointing the volatile De Zerbi.