Tottenham will be desperate to avoid a similar horror in 2026/27 and De Zerbi will have a full pre-season to implement his ideas. He will also be overseeing his first transfer window as manager and will need to improve across the board. Last month, the Belgian hinted he was keen to sign Joao Parinha on a permanent deal after his final-day heroics ensured he remained at Spurs.
Asked about the midfielder, who joined Tottenham on loan from Bayern Munich last summer, De Zerbi said: “Yes, I want to keep him 100 per cent.
“We have to start with these people. Before we talk about the players, we have to talk about the people, and we have to start.”
“Then I can’t give everyone a position in the first eleven because I want to have two players in each position, but certainly I want him to be with me, as well as Conor Gallagher and (Rodrigo) Bentancur.”
However, it appears De Zerbi may be denied the chance to make Parinha his first contract, with the 30-year-old believed to be keen on a move to another club.
He wants to return to Sporting, the club where he first made a name for himself, and is willing to take a significant pay cut to secure a move.
According to A Bora newspaper, the leaders of Lisbon’s powerhouse team have identified Parinha as their top target. He is reportedly seen as the perfect successor to captain Morten Hulmand, who is expected to leave this summer.
A deal is thought to be difficult due to the player’s high market value, but he is believed to have been tempted by Sporting’s emotional pull and a desire to be closer to his family in Portugal.
The paper adds that Sporting could pursue either a permanent transfer or a loan deal with an option to acquire Parinha at the end of the season.
The former Fulham midfielder has been a key figure in Tottenham’s fight against relegation, scoring seven goals and providing two assists in 45 appearances.
The player will remain at Bayern Munich until the summer of 2028, but it looks increasingly likely that he will leave the Allianz Arena in the coming weeks.
