Tottenham agree deal to appoint Roberto De Zerbi as contract details emerge

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Tottenham have been working hard to appoint a new boss ahead of their Premier League trip to Sunderland on April 12

Tottenham have agreed a deal to appoint Roberto De Zerbi as their new head coach.

It's understood he has agreed a five-year contract in principle which includes significant financial bonuses if he guides Spurs to safety.

It is understood an announcement is expected in the next 24 hours, with De Zerbi expected to arrive at the club's training ground Hotspur Way later this week.

The Italian is set to succeed Igor Tudor, who parted company with Spurs by mutual agreement following the 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest and tragic passing of his father.

De Zerbi has been out of work since February 10 when he departed French giants Marseille - also by mutual consent - following a 5-0 defeat at PSG in Le Classique.

Tottenham are long-standing admirers of the 46-year-old and had shown an interest in his services last year, when Ange Postecoglou was fighting to keep his job in north London.

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The former Shakhtar Donetsk and Brighton boss returns to the Premier League less than two years after his Albion exit.

He guided the Seagulls to the Europa League, where they were eventually eliminated by Roma in the last 16, before also securing an 11th-place finish.

De Zerbi will be Tottenham's third head coach of the season after Thomas Frank, sacked in February, and Tudor.

Spurs do not return to action until April 12 as they were eliminated by Aston Villa in the third-round of the FA Cup back in January.

Several Tottenham supporters' groups have already opposed the potential appointment of De Zerbi after he backed former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood during their time together at Marseille.

De Zerbi described the winger as a "good guy" during an interview earlier in the season and claimed he'd "paid a heavy price" for his past.

Adi Hutter had been mooted as an option but the former Monaco coach has already made it clear he will not return to work until the summer.

Sean Dyche has also played down reports in recent days that he'd held discussions with Tottenham following his departure from Nottingham Forest.

Long-serving left-back Ben Davies had been considered as a potential interim option until the end of the season, though he's recently been recovering from a serious ankle injury he sustained in the 2-1 defeat to West Ham in January.

Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange led the process and negotiations with De Zerbi despite continued fan scrutiny.