Transfer 'shark' De Zerbi hopes to drag Spurs up from depths
Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi reveals the ruthless behind-the-scenes work in the transfer market following a relegation scrap, as Spurs splash a club-record £237m to rebuild.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- De Zerbi found Tottenham players lying on the floor crying after losing to Sunderland
- Spurs have spent a club-record £237m on new signings this summer
- High-profile arrivals include Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes
- New leadership team led by Venkatesham and Lange is driving radical changes
There was a moment last season when Roberto de Zerbi turned to his Tottenham players and asked: "Did we pass away?" The scenes after his first game in charge—a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland—painted a grim picture in the dressing room at the Stadium of Light, where players lay on their backs and some cried. That loss was the first of seven matches the 47-year-old manager had to navigate to keep Spurs in the Premier League. While survival was only secured on the final day, the Italian boss now believes he can lift the club out of the ignominy of a turbulent 2025-26 campaign.
Four months on from that broken dressing room in Sunderland, the contrast is stark. Competitive table tennis matches are now taking place as a club-record £237m worth of new signings integrate into a squad dreaming of returning to the upper echelons of English football. Club-record signing Sandro Tonali, alongside Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Andrew Robertson, and Martin Dubravka, have all featured on Spurs' pre-season tour, while Marcos Senesi has begun training at Hotspur Way after being granted extended leave following the World Cup final with Argentina.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Spurs prepared two separate transfer plans: one for relegation and one for survival. De Zerbi, who reiterates he would have continued managing the club in the Championship, is pleased to operate from Plan A, which includes respecting the wishes of club captain Cristian Romero and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario should they choose to leave. The club has undergone radical changes over the past 12 months under new chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, who leads the organization on behalf of the Lewis Family Trust.
"In the transfer market, when I want one player, I become like a shark."
Technical director Johan Lange remains the only senior figure from the previous regime, supported by director of football operations Rafi Moersen and new performance director Dan Lewindon, who arrived from Manchester City's parent company to fix Spurs' injury record. De Zerbi's hands-on approach helped secure record deals for Fernandes from West Ham for £85m and Tonali from Newcastle for £100m, beating rivals like Chelsea and Manchester United to their targets through aggressive personal involvement and game theory tactics.
The recruitment of senior executives and performance directors from the City Football Group highlights Tottenham's strategic pivot toward a data-driven, highly structured operational model. Backed by a £100m injection from the Lewis family, the club's heavy summer spending reflects a calculated gamble to fast-track their return to European contention while overhauling their athletic performance infrastructure.
Detailing his recruitment tactics, De Zerbi revealed he messaged Van Hecke after a 2-2 draw with Brighton to convince him to join, and texted Tonali the day after securing Premier League safety before meeting him at his home in Brescia. Meanwhile, Luka Vuskovic was sold to Brighton for £45m, and a permanent deal for Joao Palhinha was abandoned because the financial package was deemed unsuitable as Spurs lay down foundations for a five-season project.
Source: BBC Sport
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