De Zerbi made a private transfer request for the star to be at Tottenham next season

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has privately expressed his desire for the club to strike one summer deal in particular, according to reports.

Spurs were preparing for the last two games of the Premier League

Two games, six points available, and Tottenham, possibly the second consecutive days in the club's modern history.

De Zerbi's side sit 17th in the Premier League with 38 points, just two above 18th-placed West Ham with two games remaining.

Chelsea away next Tuesday and Everton at home on the final day represent Spurs' last chance to secure their top-flight status, and neither game can be taken lightly.

Defeat at Stamford Bridge combined with West Ham's win at Newcastle on Sunday will drag things down to the wire on the final afternoon.

The consequences of a reduction can be catastrophic.

The financial impact alone – loss of broadcasting revenue, reduced commercial appeal, possible exit of the club's best players – could set Tottenham back years.

It was a situation that was not considered at the beginning of the season and remains very uncomfortable even now.

De Zerbi has done an honest job since arriving on March 31.

Back-to-back wins at Wolves and Aston Villa took Spurs out of the bottom three and gave the fans real reason to believe.

However, the 1-1 draw with Leeds on Monday – a game Spurs took the lead with a superb Mathys Tel goal before conceding a penalty through Tel's sloppiness – was a reminder of just how thin scores are at the bottom of the table.

A frenetic minute of stoppage time followed, with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky producing a stunning save to deny Sean Longstaff, but the damage was done.

Two dropped points may be decisive.

Amidst all the tension of the postponement battle, one interesting piece is developing behind the scenes.

De Zerbi has made a transfer request for Joao Palhinha a secret from Tottenham

According to Graeme Bailey of TEAMtalk, De Zerbi has made it clear internally that he wants Tottenham to sign Joao Palhinha permanently this summer.

The 30-year-old Portuguese arrived on loan from Bayern Munich at the start of the season with a pre-agreed option to buy for £27m, and despite a campaign that has revealed widespread club-wide inconsistency, the midfielder has re-established himself as a key figure under De Zerbi.

The Italian is said to be fond of Palhinha's tactical discipline, experience and leadership – qualities that have been lacking in a Spurs dressing room that has gone from crisis to crisis this season.

The Tottenham manager has publicly expressed his desire for the tough star to stay at N17.

Palhinha himself is understood to be relishing his return to London, having impressed in the Premier League during two seasons at Fulham before moving to Bayern in 2024.

However, TEAMtalk reports that the deal is not straightforward.

All three of Portugal's biggest clubs – Sporting CP, Benfica and Porto – are monitoring the situation closely and would welcome the opportunity to bring Palhinha home.

Sports in particular consider the 'exciting' ace the ideal candidate to add leadership and experience to their midfield, as well as reconnect the club with one of its most esteemed alumni.

Bayern, meanwhile, have closed the door on any return to Munich, leaving Palhinha with a clear choice between staying in north London or returning to his homeland.

If Spurs go down, that decision is self-made.

In the competition, Palhinha would surely leave – and the £27m option would be worthless. That's why the next two games are more important than any transfer negotiations ever could be.