De Zerbi Emerges as Leading Contender for Tottenham Vacancy After Marseille Exit

Key Takeaways:

• Roberto De Zerbi departed Marseille after 18 months, with the club sitting fourth in Ligue 1 and trailing leaders PSG by 12 points after 21 matches
• Thomas Frank was dismissed by Tottenham earlier today, shortly after the club found themselves 16th in the Premier League, five points clear of relegation
• Enzo Maresca and former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino have also been named as possible candidates for the head coach position

De Zerbi Leaves Marseille as Tottenham Open Search for New Manager

Roberto De Zerbi has swiftly become the bookmakers’ favourite to succeed Thomas Frank at Tottenham Hotspur, following confirmation from Marseille in the early hours of Wednesday of his departure. The Italian tactician exits the French side after just over a season and a half in charge, having steered Marseille to fourth in the Ligue 1 table. At the time of his exit, Marseille were 12 points adrift of Paris Saint-Germain after 21 league fixtures. De Zerbi’s final outing as manager saw his side suffer a heavy 5-0 defeat away to PSG last weekend.

🚨🚨 | 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: Roberto De Zerbi is the FAVOURITE to become Tottenham Hotspur’s next manager.

[@TEAMtalk] pic.twitter.com/b8Vq3rLwIS

— MatchdayHQ (@TheMatchdayHQ) February 11, 2026

Spurs Relieve Frank of Duties Amid Struggles in Premier League

On the same day, Tottenham announced the sacking of Thomas Frank, who only took charge last summer as Ange Postecoglu’s successor. Frank leaves Tottenham languishing in 16th place in the Premier League, a precarious five points above the relegation zone. Reports from the Evening Standard now list De Zerbi as the clear frontrunner for the job, with early speculation also linking Enzo Maresca to the position.

Pochettino and Maresca Also in the Frame; Conceicao Linked with Marseille

Among other names discussed is former Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino. However, with Pochettino currently managing the United States men’s national team, any chance of a North London return appears remote before the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup this summer. Meanwhile, as Marseille contemplate a new direction, reports from Footmercato suggest ex-Milan boss Sergio Conceicao could be a potential successor to De Zerbi at the Stade Velodrome.