Spurs have collected only two points from their first five league matches and sit at the bottom of the table. The poor results have placed the Italian under pressure after Tottenham invested heavily in their squad during the summer.
Venkatesham has nevertheless made clear that the club remains committed to the project. Speaking to ESPN, the Tottenham chief pointed to the scale of the changes made both on and off the pitch.
“There have been several major changes.”
“The club has made several major changes over the summer, both on and off the pitch. These changes can take time before they have their full effect,” Venkatesham said.
De Zerbi arrived at Tottenham in March after the club had spent much of last season battling near the bottom of the Premier League. Spurs eventually finished 17th, avoiding relegation by two points.
The club responded by making significant changes to the playing squad. Sandro Tonali, Omar Marmoush, Sávio and Mateus Fernandes were among the arrivals as Tottenham attempted to build a stronger team around their new head coach.
The early results have not matched that investment. Tottenham are still searching for their first league victory and have struggled to score, leaving De Zerbi facing questions despite the public support from Venkatesham.
The Italian is on a long-term contract that runs until 2031. That commitment gives Tottenham’s hierarchy room to judge the rebuilding process over a longer period rather than making a decision based solely on the opening weeks.
De Zerbi had helped Tottenham recover from their poor run during the closing stages of last season after taking over in the spring. The challenge now is to establish a more consistent side following another major reshaping of the club.
The international break provides a brief pause before Tottenham return to Premier League action against Manchester United. De Zerbi will be looking for the changes described by Venkatesham to begin producing results when the league resumes.