(Credit: Imago)

Evan Shaw

Tue 31 March 2026 17:35, UK

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Johan Lange has spoken out after Tottenham Hotspur confirmed the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager.

The Lilywhites confirmed their move to bring in the former Brighton and Marseille boss on Tuesday, as they were finally able to convince him to take the job immediately.

De Zerbi has penned a long-term contract with the North London outfit, while the deal does not include a relegation release clause, contrary to some previous reports.

The Italian has become Spurs’ third manager of the season, as he follows in the footsteps of Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor.

Tottenham’s managerial situation is now set for their relegation run-in, but with their new man now inserted at the helm, Lange wasted no time in aiming a dig at Frank for his work.

Johan Lange comments hint at long-term Roberto De Zerbi vision

Frank’s tenure at Tottenham initially began in positive fashion, but things quickly went downhill for the Dane, who was eventually sacked at the start of February amid a woeful run of form.

Tudor’s tenure then appeared to be ill-fated from the very beginning, and the club hierarchy are now clearly hoping that De Zerbi can be the man to spark the upturn that is needed to secure the club’s Premier League status.

Lange was quick to stress his belief in the new incumbent, but that also came with a comment that could certainly be seen as a subtle jab at Frank in the process.

“Roberto was our number one target for the summer and we are very pleased to be able to bring him in now,” the club chief said, according to BBC Sport.

“He is one of the most creative and forward-thinking coaches in world football, and brings with him a wealth of experience at the highest level, including in the Premier League.”

The reference to De Zerbi being Spurs’ top target suggests that they have always had a long-term admiration for the 46-year-old, which doesn’t reflect well on Frank at all.

It could certainly be inferred from Lange’s statements that Frank was merely appointed as a stop gap in the first place, with the long-term view of trying to get De Zerbi in charge whenever it became possible.

Pep Guardiola previously hailed De Zerbi

Tottenham’s appointment of De Zerbi already has Pep Guardiola’s seal of approval, after the Manchester City manager previously hailed his counterpart’s ability during his stint in charge of Brighton.

The Spanish chief labelled Spurs’ new man as “one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years,” while also taking the opportunity to praise his “unique” style of play.

Lange and Co. will be desperately hoping that the transition period to adapt to De Zerbi’s style is not too lengthy, given the urgency for results in the midst of the relegation battle.

The Lilywhites have just seven games left to save themselves from an embarrassing drop into the Championship, and with just one point separating them and the bottom three, De Zerbi’s impact will need to be immediate.