Tottenham in advanced talks with Roberto De Zerbi over taking charge

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Igor Tudor left relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend and now Spurs have turned to No.1 target Roberto De Zerbi

Tottenham Hotspur and Roberto De Zerbi are in advanced talks about the Italian becoming the new Spurs boss .

There is hope from Spurs side that they can persuade the ex-Brighton and Marseille chief to take over in North London, with negotiations ongoing. Spurs want a new manager in place in the next few days and are trying to close a deal for De Zerbi.

He had initially been reluctant to take the job until the summer, despite being keen on returning to the Premier League, but there is growing willingness from both sides to get things sorted and have him replace interim boss Igor Tudor - who left the club on Sunday by mutual consent after just 44 days in charge.

Spurs want someone in by the time the players return from international duty from Wednesday, to give him time to prepare for their next game with Sunderland on April 12.

Club chiefs have considered making another caretaker appointment, potentially with a former player, but their first call was to De Zerbi to become the club's new permanent manager and he is now open to coming in immediately.

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De Zerbi, regarded as one of Europe's most astute tacticians, has a reputation for shaking things up, and that appeals to Spurs with just seven games left.

Tudor's reign was little short of a disaster and they find themselves just one point above the bottom three - and could be in it by the time they play at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

West Ham play Wolves on Friday night and if the Hammers win then that will drop Spurs into the relegation zone.

And while Spurs dropping into the Championship is widely seen as unthinkable, it is a risk the club cannot afford and has seen them switch their stance of waiting until the summer before appointing a new permanent boss - which is why they originally brought in Tudor.

They have yet to win a Premier League game this calendar year and De Zerbi - who has attracted criticism from at least three Spurs fan groups because he publicly supported former Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood while in charge at Marseille - will be tasked with dragging them to safety.