Report reveals ‘surprise’ Okan Buruk talks before Tottenham hired Roberto De Zerbi

Tottenham finally have their new manager officially in place after a whirlwind saga stretching back for weeks, but Roberto De Zerbi wasn’t their only candidate.

Spurs confirm Roberto De Zerbi as new manager

The announcement that north London had been waiting for arrived on Tuesday.

De Zerbi is now Tottenham’s latest new head coach, signing a five-year contract worth one of the most lucrative managerial salaries in the Premier League.

The Italian ends a wait that stretched back months — his name had first been attached to the vacancy when Thomas Frank was dismissed earlier in the season, only for Spurs to turn to Igor Tudor instead.

Now, with Tudor gone after 44 days and one win, and the club one point above the relegation zone with seven games left, De Zerbi has accepted a challenge that will test every ounce of his considerable tactical and motivational ability.

He is scheduled to take charge for the first time against Sunderland away on April 12, giving him roughly nine days to assess a squad that has gone the entirety of 2026 without a league victory.

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The Italian has been hit with an immediate problem.

De Zerbi is also tasked with installing the beginnings of his expansive, possession-driven philosophy. The task is considerable. The expectation, given the contract and the salary attached to it, is equally so.

The ex-Brighton and Sassuolo boss is poised to start work with the squad on Friday, but there are no plans for him to face the media.

In the aftermath of De Zerbi’s arrival, claims from Turkey suggest he was not the only manager Tottenham seriously pursued during what was an evidently frantic few days of contact and negotiation following Tudor’s departure.

Okan Buruk rejected Tottenham in ‘surprise meeting’ prior to De Zerbi

Turkish outlet Fanatik, citing Italian publication Tutto Mercato, relay news that Spurs held a ‘surprise meeting’ with Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk before the De Zerbi appointment was concluded — and that the 52-year-old turned them down.

According to the reportsignificant contact took place between Tottenham and Buruk’s camp, and the LIlywhites were keen to install him immediately.

Buruk’s answer was clear: he had no intention of abandoning Galatasaray during a title charge.

Walking out on a squad he had built and led through multiple Turkish Süper Lig triumphs was not something he was prepared to do, regardless of the financial package on offer.

Spurs had their answer, moved forward with De Zerbi, and the rest is now history.

The claim sheds light on just how thorough — and perhaps desperate — Tottenham’s search had become.

The notion they were exploring a manager of Buruk’s profile simultaneously with De Zerbi speaks to the urgency of their situation and the limited pool of available, high-calibre candidates willing to step into a mid-season relegation battle.

Buruk’s contract at Galatasaray expires at the end of this summer, making him a free agent in June — and the report makes clear that his availability has not gone unnoticed.

Italian interest in the Turkish manager is longstanding, helped considerably by the fact that Buruk played for Inter Milan during his playing career and remains fluent in Italian.

Lazio are touted as an interested party, with the Roman club yet to clarify their managerial situation, and reportedly impressed by Buruk’s ability to develop players and manage high-profile personalities.

Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia are also said to be monitoring his situation.

Back-to-back Süper Lig titles in 2022/23, 2023/24 and last season have established Buruk as one of the most credible emerging managers in European football.

The summer will offer him choices, but Spurs are no longer an option.