Roberto De Zerbi sacking looms?! Tottenham weigh up sensational move for surprise ex-Premier League coach as replacement after nightmare start

Spurs invested heavily during the summer transfer window, spending a gross figure of around £380 million to recruit ten new players. This massive financial backing was intended to revitalise a squad that narrowly avoided Premier League relegation last term. However, the anticipated turnaround has spectacularly failed to materialise.

One month into the new campaign, Tottenham are yet to register a league victory. De Zerbi’s side sit on just two points after five matches, having managed only a pair of goalless draws. Their misery was compounded by a recent 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa, a result that plunged the north London outfit to the bottom of the table.

Domestic cup competitions have offered no respite for the struggling Italian tactician, as Spurs were unceremoniously dumped out of the Carabao Cup in the third round following a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool, severely increasing the pressure on the dugout.

According to Spanish publication Fichajes, the Tottenham hierarchy are already exploring contingency plans. The club's leadership are acutely aware of the rapidly deteriorating situation and are actively looking at managerial alternatives. While a dismissal is not expected to occur during the current three-week international break, this period is reportedly being used to evaluate potential successors.

Any decision to part ways with De Zerbi is complicated by his current contractual situation. The Italian is tied down in north London until 2031, and his lengthy deal notably lacks a break clause. Consequently, Tottenham would be forced to pay a compensation package well in excess of £10m to remove him from his post, even if the club were relegated.

A mutual termination remains a theoretical possibility to lower that astronomical severance figure. However, at this early stage of the campaign, an amicable split is viewed as highly unlikely, leaving the board to carefully calculate the financial cost of a managerial change.

Should Tottenham decide to wield the axe, a familiar Premier League face is already being lined up. Former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino remains a romantic link, but his current role as head coach of the United States men's national team rules out a swift return. Instead, Eddie Howe has surfaced as the overwhelming early favourite for the job.

Howe has maintained a low profile since departing Newcastle United shortly before the current season commenced. The 48-year-old Englishman boasts a strong recent CV, having guided the Magpies to two Champions League qualifications and a Carabao Cup triumph during his nearly five-year stint at St James' Park.

His availability makes him an incredibly attractive proposition for a Tottenham board desperate for stability. Howe's proven track record in the English top flight aligns perfectly with what Spurs urgently require to salvage their derailed season, though it remains to be seen if he would accept the offer.

De Zerbi has been granted a temporary stay of execution courtesy of the international window. He must use this three-week pause to urgently address his team's glaring tactical flaws and dismal domestic form. When club football resumes, the Italian faces a monumental task to drag his expensively assembled squad out of the relegation mire and save his job before the board runs out of patience entirely.