Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi has finally been able to reunite with one of his most trusted long-term colleagues after Enrico Venturelli was granted a work permit, football.london understands.
Since taking charge in north London, De Zerbi has kept his backroom additions relatively small, bringing in only Marcattilio Marcattilii as fitness coach and Marcello Quinto as senior professional development phase coach. Compared to his previous appointments, where he typically arrived with a large entourage, this limited setup marked an unusual start for the Italian tactician.
That now changes with Venturelli’s arrival.
Venturelli Arrives – But in a Different Role
Venturelli has worked alongside De Zerbi at Marseille, Brighton, and Shakhtar Donetsk, forming a close coaching partnership across multiple leagues. However, despite his extensive experience as an assistant first-team coach, the 45-year-old will initially take on a much more focused role at Tottenham.
Rather than joining the coaching team directly, Venturelli is understood to have been appointed purely as a translator, at least for now. He will begin working with the squad and staff immediately.
Venturelli’s multilingual background — fluency in Italian, English, Russian, and Spanish — and his experience working with global sporting organisations like FIFA, UEFA, and several Olympic Games make him a significant asset in De Zerbi’s communication process.
Strengthening Communication and Stability
While De Zerbi speaks good English, he still relies on translators during longer or more detailed press conference exchanges. Having a trusted figure like Venturelli ensures clarity when instructions or tactical details are relayed to players, particularly during intense match preparation.
His presence is expected to help De Zerbi communicate more efficiently across the club and avoid the week-to-week changes in translators that have been used so far this season.
Continuity Within Spurs’ Backroom Team
De Zerbi has also opted to retain several members of the existing Tottenham setup. Coaches Bruno Saltor, Andreas Georgson, individual development coach Cameron Campbell, and goalkeeping coach Fabian Otte have all remained part of the first-team structure. Academy transition coaches Stuart Lewis and Dean Brill also continue to support the senior setup.
Meanwhile, fitness coach Marcattilii — a near ever-present alongside De Zerbi since their early coaching days at Foggia — continues his long-running partnership with the Spurs manager dating back across roles at Palermo, Benevento, Sassuolo, Shakhtar, Brighton, and Marseille.
A Small but Significant Addition
Although Venturelli is not yet taking on a coaching position, his arrival brings familiarity and cohesion to De Zerbi’s project. As Tottenham navigate a crucial period under their new head coach, having a trusted bridge between manager, players, and staff could prove invaluable.
