'I made up my mind on Roberto De Zerbi after watching him take a training session'

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New Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has been handed a resounding endorsement from Danny Murphy . On Tuesday, Spurs confirmed De Zerbi's appointment , with the Italian agreeing a five-year contract to succeed Igor Tudor, who left by mutual agreement just two days prior.

De Zerbi gained significant acclaim during his two seasons at Brighton , where his team developed a reputation for playing some of the most intricate and exciting football in the Premier League . However, although the 46-year-old's forward-thinking approach was eye-catching, there are now doubts about whether his philosophy suits a relegation dogfight.

Spurs sit just one point above the relegation zone with seven matches remaining, offering very little time to adjust to a different playing style. That said, Murphy expects De Zerbi to take a practical approach over the coming weeks.

"I'd be amazed if I see Spurs go to Sunderland in his first game and start trying to play through the Sunderland press in front of their crowd. No, he's not daft," the former Tottenham midfielder said on talkSPORT .

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"He's got to get them to the summer and keep them in the Prem. And then what you'll see is a progression of Tottenham's football and a definitive way of playing."

Murphy also shared that he had attended several Brighton training sessions during De Zerbi's tenure and left very impressed. "The sessions were quality," he said.

"He was doing a session where they were working through the lines and the intensity he had and what he was demanding, the football was good and I liked what I said. And speaking to him, he had a presence, he had a bit about him. You know when you're with someone and they've got a bit of an aura, some grit, some believe in himself, some gravitas.

"I remember watching his Brighton teams and thinking, 'They know what they're doing, you can see that they've been coached and they've got a method.'

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"Now, I'm not sure that method is going to be the way to go in these next six, seven games. I'd be loathe to do that... he hasn't got the time, it's dangerous."

With Tottenham already out of the FA Cup , De Zerbi has over a week to train with his new squad before his first match against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Spurs will then welcome his former side Brighton to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium six days later.

In a video message directed at supporters, De Zerbi said: "It's a very big honour and I'm very proud to be your coach. I want to give my best and I want to stay for a long time in this big club."

Tottenham's interest in De Zerbi dates back to 2023. The club stepped up their pursuit in February after Thomas Frank was dismissed, which happened on the same day De Zerbi left Marseille by mutual agreement.

It is believed De Zerbi was initially hesitant about taking the job mid-season, preferring a move in the summer, leading Spurs to appoint Tudor instead. However, following further talks in March, he was convinced to step in immediately.

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"In all my discussions with the club's leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear - to build a team capable of reaching great achievements and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters. I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it," De Zerbi said in a statement.

"Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season. I'm looking forward to getting out on the training pitch and working with these players to achieve that."

Sporting Director Johan Lange added: "Roberto was our number one target for the summer and we are very pleased to be able to bring him in now.

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