Key Takeaways:
- Roberto de Zerbi expressed his intention to persuade Djed Spence to remain at Tottenham despite transfer links to Inter and Everton
- Spurs have invested a club record £237m in transfers this summer, including high-profile arrivals such as Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali
- The club is pursuing further attacking signings, with speculation surrounding high-value targets, but no names have been officially confirmed
Managerial Strategy and Player Futures
Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto de Zerbi has publicly stated his aim to convince defender Djed Spence to continue his tenure at the club amid mounting speculation regarding the player’s potential departure. The 25-year-old, who committed to a long-term contract last year, has become the subject of reported interest from both Inter Milan and Everton.
Despite heightened competition for Spence’s right-back position following a summer of unprecedented spending, De Zerbi maintains that the England international remains integral to his tactical plans. The formidable presence of Spain’s World Cup winner Pedro Porro in Spence’s preferred role has not dampened De Zerbi’s support, with the manager describing Porro as the “best in the world” in that position.
De Zerbi reinforced his philosophy, stating: “I repeat what I said to Djed, and to Lucas [Bergvall],” referencing his prior remarks regarding the coveted Swedish midfielder. “I would like you to stay if you want to stay. If you don’t want to stay, if you want to leave, then you have to leave.”
🥇 Roberto De Zerbi is trying to convince Djed Spence to stay at Tottenham but admits he is exploring his options. #THFC@NizaarKinsella pic.twitter.com/N1VkLe8G4c
— The Spurs Express (@TheSpursExpress) July 30, 2026
Squad Overhaul and Transfer Activity
Tottenham navigated dramatic change this summer, investing a staggering £237m as they sought to overhaul the squad following a narrow triumph to avoid relegation in the final fixture of last season, where the club finished 17th for a second successive campaign.
The spending included breaking the club’s transfer record twice within two days: acquiring Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for £85m, followed by the £100m signing of Sandro Tonali from Newcastle. Jan Paul van Hecke also joined Tottenham, moving from Brighton in a £52m deal, while Marcos Senesi, Andrew Robertson, and Martin Dubravka arrived on free transfers.
Key Departures and Internal Decisions
De Zerbi also shed light on the uncertain futures of several high-profile Spurs players. Club captain Cristian Romero has expressed his wish to leave, with De Zerbi describing his conduct as “unbelievable” but acknowledging Romero’s desire for a move.
Italian goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is another likely departure after Antonin Kinsky replaced him as the first-choice. De Zerbi described the scale of internal discussion since his arrival in April: “At the beginning of my time in April I had, I don’t know, one million individual meetings. And the players told me if they are (staying) here (or not).” He added, “I said: ‘Yes, help me to stay up, and then I help you to leave. If you don’t help me to stay up, you stay underwater with me.'”
Pursuit of Attacking Reinforcements
Tottenham are not finished in the transfer market, with De Zerbi confirming that the club is targeting at least one more attacking signing. Among the players in advanced discussions is Savinho from Manchester City, while the identity of another target remains undisclosed. Speaking in Sydney, De Zerbi remarked: “The transfer market is not finished for sure, but we have completed 60% of our project. Now we have another ‘bomba’.”
Pressed on whether the forthcoming signing was a winger or a striker, De Zerbi replied: “Attackers.” He added, “I don’t love working with plan A, plan B, plan C. It is plan A, full stop, because all players are not the same. We have to increase the number of goals.”
The manager further described his approach this summer as being like a “shark” in pursuit of key transfer targets.
