Roberto De Zerbi has backed Archie Gray as a future Tottenham captain, the report says, praising the 20-year-old amid a season in which Spurs have battled relegation and featured in the Champions League round of 16 against Atlético Madrid.
Gray has emerged as a leading figure during a difficult campaign, but the report says playing time has been harder to come by since De Zerbi’s arrival. The manager has encouraged Gray to settle on a single position after spells in both defence and midfield, and the club are working with him in individual meetings to clarify his role.
De Zerbi pointed to João Palhinha as an example for Gray, per the report, noting that Palhinha was initially overlooked before producing decisive moments, including a late winner at Wolves and a start in Sunday’s 2-1 victory at Aston Villa. The manager has used Palhinha’s tactical flexibility to free Pedro Porro to move into midfield, a shift that helped Spurs dominate possession at Villa Park.
Tottenham remain without a number of players, the report says, with Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies, Dejan Kulusevski, Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert all sidelined and Dominic Solanke a potential absence for the visit of Leeds. Despite those absences, the report says the mood at the club has improved under De Zerbi after a spell in the relegation zone.
Looking ahead to the home match against Leeds, De Zerbi warned against complacency, the report says, describing Leeds as one of the best teams in form and urging humility. He added that tactical adjustments to space occupation are likely but stressed he does not want to overload players with instructions, preferring they play with freedom and confidence while following the plan.
