Arne Slot Eyes Coaching Return as Tottenham Assess De Zerbi Future
Arne Slot has made clear he wants a day-to-day role on the training ground, strengthening the prospect of a return to club management as Tottenham weigh up Roberto De Zerbi’s future.
Key developments
| Item | Figure/date | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Tottenham league record | 2 points from 5 matches | Bottom of the table |
| Summer spending | More than €366m | Including Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Savinho |
| De Zerbi contract | Until 2031 | Manager is under mounting pressure |
| Slot’s last trophy | 2024-25 | Won the league with Liverpool before departing a year later |
The Dutch coach is without a club after his Liverpool exit and is understood to be open to another Premier League job. Tottenham have now emerged as a possible destination, with the North London side’s disastrous domestic start placing De Zerbi in serious danger.
Despite an enormous outlay during the summer window, Spurs have taken only two points from their first five league fixtures. Their early collapse has left them 13 points adrift of the leaders, while frustration is growing around the club.
De Zerbi’s long-term deal offers Tottenham some protection but also makes any dismissal expensive. The club must decide whether to stay behind the Italian and demand an immediate response, or absorb the cost and make a move for a replacement.
Slot has been viewed as a leading candidate to take charge of the Netherlands, before Xavi Hernandez was appointed. He has rejected claims that he ended his interest because of talks over pay or contract length.
Slot said negotiations never reached that point. His decision came down to the nature of international management: he wants regular contact with players and the daily work of the training pitch, which he feels a national-team position cannot provide in the same way.
That preference puts club football firmly back on his agenda. Should Tottenham make a formal approach and Slot accept, he would inherit an urgent repair job: lifting a struggling group, bedding in Tonali, Fernandes and Savinho, and restoring belief among an increasingly frustrated support.
For now, no appointment has been made. Tottenham’s next call is whether De Zerbi gets more time or whether Slot becomes the man targeted to halt the slide.
