Tottenham: Three players who could reach hero status under Roberto De Zerbi as appointment nears
Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi, with multiple players now ready to up their game for the run-in.
The Lilywhites have reportedly agreed a deal in principle with the former Brighton boss to succeed Igor Tudor, according to Ben Jacobs, this Tuesday.
Spurs made the Italian their top target, and with just seven Premier League games to go, and the club one point away from the relegation zone, he has a major job to do.
The 46-year-old only just left Marseille in February, but is seen by the Lewis family as someone who can stay with Tottenham in the long-term.
De Zerbi could join on a five-year deal, as Tottenham News takes a look at the three outstanding players who could make the difference from now until the end of the season.
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Richarlison and Micky van de Ven ready to write their Spurs story
Richarlison has been stepping up for Spurs in recent game, and has three goal contributions in his last five matches for the club.
Micky van de Ven has been one of Tottenham’s most consistent performers all season, and there’s no doubt he will get a regular spot under De Zerbi.
| Player | Matches | Average Sofascore rating | Goal involvements | Pass accuracy |
| Richarlison | 26 | 6.88 | 12 | 63.3% |
| Micky van de Ven | 28 | 6.71 | 5 | 89.1% |
As highlighted in the table above, Sofascore has given Richarlison a 6.88 rating for the season so far, with van de Ven currently on 6.71.
Despite obvious defensive issues, van de Ven has still made 181 defensive contributions and wins the majority of his duels at 53.4 per cent.
The centre-back has clearly struggled in recent games, but his underlying data suggests that he could be in for a comeback under De Zerbi.
Richarlison is overperforming his expected goals by 2.86, but also knows his way around a relegation dog fight by getting stuck in at the other end, and has made 66 defensive contributions in the league so far.
He’s only started 15 games in the league, but given he seems to be up to full fitness now, he could have a huge part to play, should De Zerbi sign on the dotted line.
Xavi Simons is Roberto De Zerbi’s wildcard
While Richarlison and van de Ven already have the makings to become a club hero, Xavi Simons is the clear wildcard for De Zerbi.
It feels like the Dutchman has been underused by both Tudor and Thomas Frank this season, but a maverick is just what the new potential Spurs boss will need to help the club achieve their goal.
Simons has played 1599 minutes in the league and has just five goal involvements to his name, but a chance creation total of 30 suggests he could have many more assists.
Not only that, but the attacking midfielder possesses the ability to complete 1.46 dribbles per game, exactly what Tottenham will need to break down defences in the last seven games.
De Zerbi had a 57 per cent win ratio with Marseille, and if he can bring that to N17 while unlocking this trio, Spurs may stay up after all.
Summer Focus: Survival contingent
Risk: £250m hit if relegated
Long-term: Maddison, Kulusevski
Date: Sunday, April 12
Candidates: De Zerbi, Keane, Redknapp, Dyche