Roberto De Zerbi, Tottenham's manager, has detailed his distinctive methods for securing transfer targets and revitalizing the squad, emphasizing personal relationships and unconventional motivation tactics. Speaking after the conclusion of the past season, De Zerbi described his direct approach to signing players, including a foul-mouthed text message sent to then-Brighton player Jan Paul van Hecke.
"With JP, after the Everton game, I sent the message, 'F*** off. You wanted to push down Tottenham for Brighton when you made the assist to Georginio Rutter. Now you have to come to me. Yes or yes? You have no choice,'" De Zerbi stated. This aggressive pitch was sent from his office at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium shortly after the team secured their Premier League status with a 1-0 victory over Everton. Van Hecke had previously assisted Rutter for Brighton's late equalizer against Tottenham in April, a match that De Zerbi recalled as a pivotal moment.
Tottenham has since completed several significant transfers, including the reported £52 million signing of Van Hecke from Brighton, £100 million for Sandro Tonali from Newcastle, and £85 million for Mateus Fernandes from West Ham. The club also acquired Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi on free transfers. De Zerbi indicated that the team's transfer activity was only about 60 percent complete.
De Zerbi views the transfer window as an opportunity to build strong connections with potential signings. He explained his philosophy on player recruitment: "If the coach calls the player, you can build a special connection at the beginning with the player, because the player knows you are the key for this transfer, and maybe this player feels to have to give you back something more than if Johan Lange (sporting director) calls the player." He also highlighted the importance of speaking with players' families, citing his conversations with Mateus Fernandes' parents. "The most important thing about my job is the relationship I have as a man. Without that relationship I am not able to work. Without the relationship you can’t play good football and have a good style of play. It is 20 per cent coach, 80 per cent the person."
He expressed a clear objective for the upcoming season: "Now we have to bring in top players to become competitive. I don't know if to win, but for sure to be better, and better than the last two seasons' results in the Premier League." De Zerbi believes he has secured players who are "winners" and "leaders," citing Robertson, Van Hecke, and Tonali as examples.
De Zerbi also described his relationship with the club's board as his "best connection," emphasizing a collaborative approach to both incoming and outgoing transfers. He likened the club's finances to family money, stating, "It's like the owner is my father. You don't want to ask your father to spend money or to lose money, and if we bring in a player, if we sell a player, it's one family." He stressed the need for decisive spending on the right players for the club's long-term plan.
Reflecting on the team's difficult period last season, De Zerbi recalled a moment after a 1-0 loss to Sunderland, where players were visibly dejected. He organized a staff meeting to foster positivity, warning against negativity and promising to remain with the team if they stayed optimistic. "The first one I see say something negative, I will send you home immediately. I don’t want to see anyone sad, negative, crying. If you stay positive, I give you my word we will stay together here."
To lift the team's spirits, De Zerbi organized a "big dinner in Bacchanalia in Mayfair – with alcohol. Alcohol is a good medicine. If you enjoy normally and seriously. Not as stupid people. I believe in staying together." He also emphasized consistent communication and building trust with his players.
De Zerbi confirmed that Antonin Kinsky will be the first-choice goalkeeper for the upcoming season, despite a previous difficult experience where Kinsky was substituted early in a match. De Zerbi believes that a strong relationship and mutual appreciation are crucial for player performance. "Me as a player, as a student at school, when I felt the relationship with the teacher, with the coach, I gave my best. If I didn't feel the connection, if I didn't feel he appreciated me, the teacher or the coach, I close myself, we start a war."
Regarding players who might consider leaving, De Zerbi's message was clear: "Help me stay up, then I will help you to leave. If you don't help me stay up, then you stay underwater with me." He praised Cristian Romero's commitment during this period. For players like Djed Spence and Lucas Bergvall, the approach was more individualized, with De Zerbi stating, "I would like you stay if you want to stay. If you don't want to stay, if you want to leave, you have to leave. If you want to leave, speak with Vinai and Johan. Because I don't manage the price, the sale."
De Zerbi also expressed his aversion to strict rules, favoring creativity and freedom among his players. "They have to do what they want without rules. I don't love rules. I read a book where it was written that creative people don't follow rules. I would like creative players. I don't want to set any rules." He emphasized daily effort and deserving one's position, rather than adhering to rigid regulations.
He acknowledged admiration from other coaches, such as Pep Guardiola and Enzo Maresca, stating, "I become shy. I am not used to that and I don't think I will ever get used to it." De Zerbi concluded by emphasizing his commitment to leading the team's resurgence, highlighting the opportunity to work with one of the Premier League's major clubs.