The arrival of Roberto De Zerbi at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has brought a sudden burst of energy and a long-term vision to a club that desperately needs a clear direction.
While the immediate goal is to steer the team away from the threat of relegation, the Italian manager is already looking far into the future. Even though Spurs are currently in a tough spot near the bottom of the Premier League table, De Zerbi has wasted no time in identifying the players he believes can transform the squad into a dominant force. One name that has climbed to the very top of his wish list is Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli, a player he knows incredibly well and someone he considers a natural leader on and off the pitch.
Getting De Zerbi to join Tottenham right now was no easy task for the club’s board. For several weeks, it seemed like the Italian was determined to wait until the summer before taking on a new project. However, the leadership at Spurs managed to change his mind by presenting a massive financial package and a five-year contract that makes him one of the highest-paid managers in the world.
This commitment shows that the club isn’t just looking for someone to save them from the drop; they are looking for a coach who can build a lasting legacy. De Zerbi’s first big test comes quickly with a match against Sunderland, and while the fans are debating if his possession-heavy style is right for a relegation battle, the manager is already planning how to spend the club’s transfer budget in the coming months.
Manuel Locatelli is the man De Zerbi wants to build his midfield around. The 27-year-old is currently the captain of Juventus and has been a vital part of their team this season. The connection between the two men goes back years to their time together at Sassuolo, where De Zerbi played a huge role in developing Locatelli into the world-class talent he is today. The manager wants midfielders who are technically gifted, smart with their positioning, and capable of keeping their cool when the opposition is pressing hard. Locatelli fits this description perfectly.
He has spent the season acting as the heartbeat of the Juventus midfield, showing that he can control the tempo of a game while also contributing goals and assists.Beyond his skills with the ball at his feet, Locatelli is highly valued for his character. He is seen as a “true leader,” a quality that De Zerbi believes the current Tottenham squad lacks. Those who have worked with him in Italy speak about his selfless nature and his ability to put the team first.
There was a famous moment at Juventus where he stepped aside to let a teammate who was returning from injury take a crucial penalty.This kind of maturity and leadership is exactly what De Zerbi is looking for as he tries to change the culture inside the Spurs dressing room. Having a captain-figure in the middle of the park who already understands the manager’s complex tactical demands would be a massive advantage for a team in transition.What makes this potential transfer even more interesting is Locatelli’s history with English clubs.
Back in 2021, after he helped Italy win the European Championship, Arsenal made a very serious effort to sign him. They offered a significant amount of money to his club at the time and a much higher salary than he was eventually given elsewhere. However, Locatelli turned them down because he had a lifelong dream of playing for Juventus. He has since said that he has no regrets about snubbing the Gunners.
Now, the question is whether the chance to reunite with De Zerbi at Tottenham will be enough to finally convince him to move to the Premier League.Juventus might be open to a deal this summer because Locatelli’s contract situation is reaching a critical point. While he is signed until 2028, the Italian giants may want to sell him now to get the maximum possible transfer fee before he gets closer to the end of his deal.
For Tottenham, bringing in a player of his caliber would be a huge statement of intent. It would show the rest of the league that they are serious about supporting their new manager and giving him the tools he needs to succeed.The challenge for Tottenham is that they first have to ensure they are still playing in the Premier League next season. With only seven games left and just a tiny gap between them and the relegation zone, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
De Zerbi has very little time to teach his new players how to play his intensive, ball-hungry style of football. If he can pull off a miracle and keep the team up, the focus will immediately shift to the transfer market. Signing a leader like Locatelli would be the perfect way to start the De Zerbi era in earnest, giving the fans hope that the days of struggling near the bottom of the table are finally over.
It would be a poetic twist if the man who once rejected North London finally arrived there to lead a revolution under his favorite coach.
