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Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi has reaffirmed that he will continue as Tottenham Hotspur’s manager regardless of whether the club is relegated to the Championship this weekend.

De Zerbi, who signed a five-year contract when he took charge at the end of March, succeeding interim boss Igor Tudor, had earlier pledged that he would remain with Spurs “no matter what” next season.

When he arrived, Tottenham were just one point clear of the relegation zone with seven matches remaining, following a turbulent 18 months of managerial changes. Recognising the instability, De Zerbi was eager to reassure supporters and the club hierarchy of his commitment.

Heading into the final day of the Premier League season, however, the Italian tactician likely did not expect his team’s top-flight survival to still be uncertain.

Tottenham currently sit two points above the relegation zone. Failure to win their home fixture against Everton could allow West Ham United to overtake them and move into 17th place, putting Spurs in serious danger.

Despite the precarious situation, De Zerbi insists he would have accepted the challenge had it been presented to him at the start of his tenure.

“I didn’t come here when the team was midtable,” De Zerbi stated during his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s clash against Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“The situation was already difficult — maybe with more games left, but not too different. I came because I believed there were the right conditions, the right qualities, and the right players to reach our goal.”

Throughout his short stint so far, De Zerbi has avoided discussing long-term ambitions, choosing instead to focus on the immediate task of ensuring survival. Yet he made it clear his long-term vision for the club remains intact, regardless of the outcome this weekend.

“Yes, I confirm everything,” he said. “It’s still an honour for me to be Tottenham’s coach. Even if on Sunday we play in a relegation battle, that’s not a problem for me.

“I see football as something bigger than just league tables or levels of competition.”