Tottenham Hotspur’s difficult start to the 2026/27 Premier League season has raised fresh questions around Roberto De Zerbi, but Fabrizio Romano says the club is not currently preparing to make a change in the dugout.
Spurs suffered another painful result on Saturday, losing 3–2 at home to Aston Villa after falling three goals behind. The defeat leaves Tottenham still searching for their first Premier League victory of the season and sitting in the relegation zone with just two points from five matches.
The latest setback has inevitably increased scrutiny on De Zerbi. However, according to Romano, Tottenham’s hierarchy continue to believe in the Italian coach and remain committed to the rebuilding process.
The message from Spurs, for now, is confidence rather than a change of manager.
Tottenham Continue to Back Roberto De Zerbi
Romano’s update provides an important insight into how Tottenham’s hierarchy currently view the situation.
The transfer journalist explained that Tottenham made a major commitment to De Zerbi during the summer, backing his ideas and investing heavily in the squad. Spurs spent more than £300 million on new players during the transfer window, including major additions such as Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Sávio, Omar Marmoush and other reinforcements.
That level of investment means the club expected improvement, but Romano stressed that Tottenham understood the transformation would take time.
The idea was not to move from narrowly avoiding relegation last season to immediately competing for Champions League football simply because significant money had been spent.
Instead, the club viewed De Zerbi’s appointment and the summer recruitment as part of a longer-term project.
That distinction is crucial for understanding the current situation.
A Difficult Start Was Not Expected
Tottenham’s current position is clearly worse than the club would have wanted.
After four league matches, Spurs had only two points and had failed to score in the Premier League. The team then suffered another defeat against Aston Villa, although two late goals finally ended their league scoring drought.
The results have created understandable frustration among supporters.
However, Romano reported that Tottenham’s hierarchy knew the transition would not necessarily be immediate. The club expected De Zerbi and a heavily rebuilt squad to require time to establish a new playing style and develop the necessary chemistry.
For Cambodian football fans following the Premier League, this is one of the biggest questions around Spurs right now: how much patience will the club show while the new team develops?
Villa Defeat Adds More Pressure
The Aston Villa match made the situation more uncomfortable.
Tottenham conceded three times before mounting a late comeback, eventually scoring through Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke. Villa’s victory was their first league win of the season, while Spurs were left with another match in which their weaknesses became difficult to ignore.
De Zerbi was particularly frustrated with his team’s performance.
After the match, the Tottenham boss described his side as fragile and expressed disappointment with aspects of their mentality, physical condition and defensive organisation. He also criticised the way his players dealt with Villa’s long-ball threat, something he said they had specifically prepared for.
Those comments show that De Zerbi is not simply ignoring Tottenham’s problems.
The Italian coach appears fully aware that the team has to improve quickly.
A Huge Summer Investment Creates Huge Expectations
One reason the pressure is so intense is the scale of Tottenham’s summer spending.
Spurs did not enter this season with a squad built around a small number of additions. Instead, the club dramatically changed its personnel and brought in several players expected to make an immediate impact.
Sandro Tonali arrived as a major midfield addition, while players such as Sávio, Mateus Fernandes and Omar Marmoush were brought in to improve the team’s quality and attacking options.
That makes the slow start particularly difficult for supporters to accept.
At the same time, major recruitment does not automatically produce an immediate team.
Players need time to understand each other’s movements, the manager’s tactical instructions and the physical demands of the Premier League.
The Attack Remains a Major Concern
One of Tottenham’s biggest problems has been their lack of goals.
Before the Aston Villa match, Spurs had failed to score in their opening four Premier League games. The club has added attacking talent, but the new players have not yet produced the consistency Tottenham expected.
The situation has also been complicated by the absence of Richarlison from De Zerbi’s plans.
The Brazilian was left out of Tottenham’s Premier League squad after a difficult summer and De Zerbi later confirmed that he would not be brought back even for cup football.
For a team trying to rebuild its confidence, finding a reliable source of goals may be just as important as improving the defence.
This visual would support the section discussing Spurs’ attacking difficulties and their failure to convert chances consistently.
De Zerbi Still Has a Process to Complete
Romano’s update is significant because it separates two different issues: poor results and the manager’s future.
Tottenham can be deeply unhappy with their results while still believing De Zerbi is the right person to lead the rebuild.
That appears to be the current position.
Romano said he had no indication that Tottenham were exploring alternative options and reported that the club still believes in the manager.
That does not mean De Zerbi has unlimited time.
Football is ultimately driven by results, and Tottenham cannot remain near the relegation places indefinitely. If performances and results fail to improve, the pressure will naturally become greater.
But as of now, there is no indication from Romano that Tottenham have decided to move on.
This would be an effective closing image because it captures the wider challenge facing the entire squad rather than placing all responsibility on the manager.
What Happens Next for Roberto De Zerbi?
The upcoming weeks could be extremely important.
Tottenham need results, but they also need signs that the new squad is beginning to understand De Zerbi’s football. The club’s hierarchy may be prepared to give the Italian time, but consistent improvement will ultimately determine how long that patience lasts.
The international break gives Spurs an opportunity to regroup after the Aston Villa defeat. De Zerbi can use the time to analyse the defensive mistakes, improve the team’s attacking structure and work on the relationships between the new signings.
The manager himself has previously insisted that Tottenham will improve once the squad begins to click. After the Liverpool defeat in the Carabao Cup, he maintained that Spurs were suffering through the early stages of a new project and believed victories would eventually come once the team developed greater cohesion.
The Bottom Line
Fabrizio Romano’s latest update provides Tottenham supporters with some important reassurance: there is currently no indication that Spurs are preparing to sack Roberto De Zerbi.
The club continues to believe in the manager and the project, despite a disappointing start that has produced only two Premier League points from five matches.
However, confidence from the board does not remove the pressure.
Tottenham have invested heavily, expectations are high and the supporters want to see progress. De Zerbi now has the difficult task of turning an expensive but unsettled squad into a functioning Premier League team.
For now, the message is clear: De Zerbi remains Tottenham’s manager, and the club intends to give the project more time.
But football can change quickly. If the results do not follow, the conversation around his future will inevitably become louder.
