Tottenham get Robert De Zerbi warning as reason Liverpool 'wouldn't go near him' emerges

Tottenham may wish to take a page out of Liverpool's book by avoiding Roberto De Zerbi as their next managerial appointment

Among the list of options to take over as Tottenham's next manager, Roberto De Zerbi sticks out as one of the more appetising options. He's readily available after leaving Marseille and brings Premier League experience, but the north Londoners may be wary for the same reason that supposedly put Liverpool off his signature two years ago.

The Italian's departure from the Velodrome was confirmed within the same 24 hours that soon saw Thomas Frank dismissed by Spurs. The fact De Zerbi would be available as a free agent in a big draw, not to mention his prior work impressing with Brighton, Marseille and Sassuolo.

Liverpool were linked with the then-Brighton boss towards the end of the 2023/24 season when Jurgen Klopp was preparing to stand down. Anfield legend Xabi Alonso was also rumoured to be on their radar after excelling at Bayer Leverkusen, but Arne Slot was ultimately handed the job.

And Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson will have been glad of that decision after urging his old club to overlook De Zerbi. It was Lawrenson's assertion that De Zerbi had got above his station by urging the Seagulls to make more signings, suggesting it was unbecoming of a coach who might look to take over a club like Liverpool.

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"We've seen how much money they've made this year," Lawrenson told Paddy Power at the time. "I thought Roberto De Zerbi was a bit naughty last week, saying he wants more players. 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."

De Zerbi, 46, was responsible for the best Premier League finish in Brighton's history when they finished the 2022/23 campaign in sixth place. He also led the club to the semi-finals of the FA Cup that same campaign, where Alexis Mac Allister was their highest scorer with 12 goals.

Mac Allister was one of several high-profile departures in 2023, with Moises Caicedo being the other in what was then a British record transfer to Chelsea worth £115million. As is often the case for clubs venturing into Europe for the first time, Brighton's league results fell, and Lawrenson considered it slightly arrogant on De Zerbi's part to rock the boat with his public remarks.

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"Brighton haven't had a particularly good season," he continued. "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.

"Brighton are a well-run club. They got £22m for Graham Potter and his backroom staff. They'll just get another manager in, and being run the way that they are, they probably know who their next manager is."

De Zerbi's inflammatory methods didn't end at the Amex Stadium. There were several instances at Marseille where he commented negatively on the club's transfer prospects, and he enforced an iron will with his players in training.

While his availability right now may be appealing, those connotations of chaos may not be what Tottenham need in their current quagmire. Spurs sit just five points above the relegation zone and need calm above all else, with Lawrenson's past quotes hinting De Zerbi may not be the one to provide it.