Roberto De Zerbi insists big-spending Tottenham are ‘not finished yet’ in transfer market and thanks board for ‘keeping their word’ on huge overhaul that could reach £400m
Roberto De Zerbi confirmed Tottenham’s board had been true to the promises made on recruitment as they closed in on a deal for Savinho from Manchester City worth up to £85million.
De Zerbi vowed Spurs were ‘not finished yet’ in the transfer market. A swoop for Omar Marmoush, also from City, is developing and they want Cody Gakpo from Liverpool.
If it all comes off it would mean a summer outlay close to £400m on nine new players and represents a radical change of policy for a club often criticised for failing to spend freely on players.
‘I am very happy,’ said De Zerbi ahead of his team’s Premier League opener at Brentford on Saturday. ‘I can’t speak about the other coaches [before me]. I just can say, in my experience, they kept their word, kept what they said before I came at the end of March.
‘But what we are doing is not for the coach. It’s for the club, for the fans, for the history of the club, for the pride of the club, and for the level of the club. This moment is crucial. We have to change the mood completely.’
De Zerbi claimed his seven games at the end of last season, escaping relegation by beating Everton on the final day was ‘maybe the best moment in football for me’.
Roberto De Zerbi thanked Tottenham’s board for fulfilling their promise of backing him
He promised to set ambitious targets after two years of Spurs finishing 17th but could not set them yet.
‘Now is not the right moment,’ said De Zerbi. ‘Now is the moment to think about Brentford, to complete the transfer market and then to follow the first two targets – to find the soul of the team and the style of play.
‘Then we can fix what target you want without arrogance but also with big ambitions because this is Tottenham, not another smaller team.
‘When we have finished in this transfer market, for a long time we don’t need many things and we can work all together in the right condition, in the right direction, to build step by step something special, or anyway to go to compete for the top of the table.
‘Not maybe now. Or maybe yes, I don’t know. But we have the squad enough to play in every stadium in the right way.’
De Zerbi confirmed Micky van de Ven as his new captain with four vice-captains in order, Pedro Porro, Ben Davies, James Maddison and Archie Gray.
Van de Ven and Porro are not available for Brentford. Davies is unlikely to start and Maddison is not a certain starter after a minor preseason injury so 20-year-old Gray could lead Spurs out.
De Zerbi also said Lucas Bergvall, who told the club he wanted to leave earlier in the summer amid interest from Nottingham Forest and Newcastle, had changed his mind and was committed to staying.
‘He wants to stay and we have no problem,’ said the Spurs boss. ‘He’s a top-potential player.’
Others could leave before the end of the month. Pape Matar Sarr is wanted by Galatasaray. Destiny Udogie has admirers in Italy and Spurs have an excess of left backs. Richarlison, with one year left on his contract, or Dominic Solanke are among others who could leave if Marmoush comes in to compete at centre forward.
Teenage winger Mikey Moore is expected to join Cologne on loan when wingers Savinho and Gakpo sign.
De Zerbi wants a competitive squad of 21 or 22 players and will not guarantee anyone a place in his team.
‘I love speaking clearly,’ said the 47-year-old Italian. ‘Today is the August 21 and every one of those players knows the squad. If one of them doesn’t want to accept the competition inside the dressing room, they can leave.
‘I try to be honest and take decisions to find the best first XI, but the players have to accept if we want to become better, to compete for the top of the table, 11 players are not enough, 15 players are not enough.
‘If you analyse Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, Milan, there is a big competition inside the dressing room.’
