Tottenham Back De Zerbi Despite Winless Start After £380m Rebuild
Tottenham’s winless start has left them bottom of the league after five matches, placing immediate pressure on Roberto De Zerbi’s newly assembled side despite a summer spending programme worth £380 million.
Ten players arrived during the window, with Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Savio among the headline additions. The scale of the rebuild was matched by significant exits, as Cristian Romero, Joao Palhinha and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario were moved on from a squad that had already endured a difficult previous campaign.
Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has acknowledged supporter frustration but told the club’s Fan Advisory Board that there are encouraging signs beneath the results. Tottenham created a number of good opportunities against Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Everton, but did not score in any of those fixtures.
Venkatesham said he had seen positive elements in the team’s underlying displays since the opening-day loss at Brentford. He also asked for time for De Zerbi’s squad and the club’s wider restructuring to settle, given the extensive changes made both within the playing group and behind the scenes.
Sales and financial pressures shape rebuild
Player trading has become a central part of Tottenham’s plan. The club brought in £150 million through sales, including Luka Vuskovic’s £50 million transfer to Brighton, and Venkatesham said Spurs had to become more effective at generating fees for departing players after receiving relatively limited returns in recent seasons.
That approach is being driven in part by financial regulations. Tottenham have not recorded a profit since 2019, while their wage bill and transfer costs have risen alongside investment in the men’s team. The Lewis family injected £120 million of capital last month, but the club’s financial position remains under strain.
Successive 17th-place finishes and no European competition revenue this season have further reduced income. Venkatesham described the regulatory environment as a real limitation on the club’s ability to operate, underlining why further departures are expected to form part of De Zerbi’s longer-term rebuild.
Radu Dragusin and Kevin Danso are due to leave permanently next summer under obligations contained in their loan agreements. Vicario and Pape Sarr also have options attached to their respective moves to Juventus that could be made permanent, potentially creating further funds.
Tottenham are also attempting to tackle a damaging injury record that has undermined recent seasons. Changes have been made across the medical and physical-performance departments, while work at the training centre has been completed to provide improved support for the staff responsible for player fitness and recovery.
For now, however, the focus is on turning improved chance creation into points. Spurs need their new group to settle quickly if they are to escape the relegation zone and prevent the early-season concerns from becoming a deeper crisis.
