Credit: Imago

Daniel Davis

Tue 24 March 2026 19:10, UK

Tottenham Hotspur‘s pursuit of Roberto De Zerbi could be good news for Joao Palhinha.

Igor Tudor is on the brink of the sack after the 3-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest, and De Zerbi has seemingly emerged as Spurs’ number one choice to replace him.

The Lilywhites would prefer to install the hot-headed Italian imminently instead of waiting until the end of the season, with just one point separating them from the relegation zone.

He previously caught the eye in the Premier League during his spell in charge of Brighton, with his front-foot, high-pressing style bringing about success at the Amex.

Spurs have made De Zerbi the leading candidate, and that bodes well for Palhinha.

Why Joao Palhinha is suited to Roberto De Zerbi

It has been argued that De Zerbi would take Tottenham back to square one, but he would certainly implement an entirely different approach to Thomas Frank’s tepid football.

His teams are renowned for using the ball to bait a press before attacking in numbers. This blueprint prioritises risk over safety and, as a result, typically leads to plenty of goals.

But one criticism often levelled at the 46-year-old is the defensive aspect of his system, which can leave the centre of the pitch far too open and creates spaces for opponents.

Fortunately for Spurs, however, they already have a ready-made solution.

Indeed, Palhinha has made more tackles than any other Premier League player this season, with 96. That puts him three ahead of Everton’s James Garner, the subject of effusive praise.

Despite his stop-start campaign, the midfielder, on loan from Bayern Munich, has been one of the very few Spurs positives, even if he has not matched his past heights at Fulham.

In all competitions, the 30-year-old has made 129 tackles and 34 interceptions, while his respectable pass accuracy of 82.7 per cent has helped Spurs weather too many storms.

Should he take the job, De Zerbi would look for players able to command the midfield, and Palhinha will clearly be able to help tick this box, even if he is a little rough around the edges.

Will Palhinha stay at Tottenham?

The big question is whether Tottenham decide to keep him.

Palhinha joined with a £26million purchase option, and for several months, the club looked certain to activate that clause. However, the situation now looks to have changed.

Spurs’ woes in the Premier League and Champions League knockout may instead convince him to return to his parent club, who could then decide to sell him elsewhere.

What is clear, though, is that De Zerbi would be desperate for him to stick around.