De Zerbi reaches out to Romero as Spurs captain given instruction | Football | Sport
The Croatian was unable to steady the ship following Thomas Frank’s dismissal in February, leaving Spurs embroiled in a desperate relegation scrap in the closing stages of the campaign. At the time of writing, the club sit 17th in the Premier League table, just a single point above the drop zone with seven matches remaining. Fans in north London will be hoping De Zerbi can inspire his first-team to steer clear of Championship football come 2026/27 – though he has precious little time in which to do so.
Regardless, the 46-year-old has moved quickly to identify the players who will be central to his plans over the coming months – beginning with club captain Romero. Speaking with NBC Sports, De Zerbi said of the centre-half: “I think Cuti is crucial for us, crucial for Tottenham as a club. He is the captain, he is maybe the most important player in our squad, and to achieve our goal, we need the best of Romero.”
Elsewhere, the head coach also suggested that Richarlison will play a significant role in Spurs’ late survival battle in the English top flight. He added: “Richarlison can play in different positions. He’s a good guy, he’s a clean guy, he’s a honest guy.
“I like him, as a player, as a mentality, as an attitude. In the same position, we can play with different players, but I think, to achieve our target, we need Richarlison in the best way possible.”
An experienced manager who understands the challenges and pressures of the Premier League, De Zerbi enjoyed a largely successful coaching stint with Brighton between 2022 and 2024 before his switch to Marseille. He left the Ligue 1 club by mutual consent in February after their elimination from the Champions League, as he now seeks a new beginning in the capital.
His opening fixture will see him travel with the Lilywhites to the Stadium of Light to face a resilient Sunderland AFC side. The Black Cats have flourished at home particularly this campaign, but managed to hold Spurs to a 1-1 draw away in January’s reverse fixture.
