De Zerbi, who is currently a free agent after leaving Marseille, is said to prefer waiting until the summer before committing to a new job.
However, Spurs are pushing hard to change his stance as they battle to avoid relegation after a difficult run of results, including a damaging 3–0 loss to Nottingham Forest that left them just one point above the drop zone.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion boss is highly rated across Europe and has also attracted interest from clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool and Real Madrid.
If a deal cannot be reached, alternatives include Sean Dyche, who is open to a short-term rescue role, while other options such as former Monaco coach Adi Hutter and even an interim solution involving Ben Davies have been discussed internally.
The emotional favourite among fans remains Mauricio Pochettino, though a return appears highly unlikely due to his current role with the United States men's national soccer team.