De Zerbi tipped to revive Gallagher and other Tottenham forwards
Former Premier League chief executive Keith Wyness has identified four Tottenham Hotspur players he believes will thrive under new manager Roberto De Zerbi, including midfielder Conor Gallagher. Wyness, who previously held roles at Everton and Aston Villa, made the comments to Football Insider as De Zerbi begins the task of securing Spurs' Premier League safety with the club just one point above the relegation zone.
De Zerbi was appointed on a five-year contract after the brief and unsuccessful tenures of Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor. The Italian is expected to implement an attacking, possession-based philosophy similar to the one that brought him success at Brighton & Hove Albion. According to Wyness, this style should particularly benefit the club's forward players.
"It seemed the strikers really benefited from him really well at Brighton," Wyness said. "I'm looking at Randal Kolo Muani, Mathys Tel, and Xavi Simons to a degree. There are some players that will benefit from his style and his belief in the way he's going to motivate." He also singled out Gallagher, suggesting the midfielder's combative style could suit De Zerbi's approach, referencing the manager's past success with midfielders like Manuel Locatelli and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
For Gallagher, the change in management offers a chance for redemption after a difficult start to his Tottenham career. The England international, who joined from Chelsea in the January transfer window, has won just one of the 11 matches he has been involved in, suffering eight defeats. His performances have drawn criticism, with match ratings from SofaScore frequently languishing in the mid-six range.
The potential revival of Gallagher and the club's attacking contingent is seen as crucial to Tottenham's immediate survival hopes. De Zerbi does not have the same luxury of a long adaptation period he enjoyed at Brighton and must achieve results quickly in the final seven games of the season. Wyness noted the manager must quickly unite the squad, stating, "He's got to get everybody united and fighting together."
The article from which Wyness's comments are drawn also reported that De Zerbi is interested in further reinforcements, with Fiorentina's Moise Kean and Sassuolo's Tarek Muharemovic named as potential targets. Conversely, the futures of current Spurs players Guglielmo Vicario and Destiny Udogie have been questioned by some observers. The broader context is a squad in clear need of improvement and direction after a turbulent season, with De Zerbi's man-management and tactical identity now central to the project.
