Tottenham are hoping to get back to winning ways in the Premier League under Roberto De Zerbi.
Tottenham did well to splash the cash on ten new players during the summer transfer window. After a dismal campaign last season, in which the club finished 17th in the league table, bringing in new players this summer was necessary as the Lilywhites looked to kickstart a new era at N17 under Roberto De Zerbi. Credit must go to the club’s hierarchy for helping De Zerbi oversee a major squad overhaul by adding Premier League-proven players to the roster who could make an instant impact on the pitch.
Spurs focused on bolstering the defence first by signing the likes of Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson, and Martin Dubravka on free transfers, before splashing £52m on Jan Paul van Hecke and £7m on Tosin Adarabioyo. The Lilywhites then shifted their focus towards strengthening the midfield by spending £100m on Sandro Tonali and £85m on Mateus Fernandes, taking their overall expenditure to more than £300m in a single transfer window.
However, the North Londoners did not shy away from adding further reinforcements during the latter stages of the window as they looked to transform the outlook of the team. Spurs ended the summer by adding more firepower in the final third as the club landed Savio for £85m on a long-term deal from Manchester City. Following him was his City teammate Omar Marmoush, who arrived on an initial loan deal alongside Chelsea outcast Mykhailo Mudryk, with the Lilywhites having an option to sign both players permanently next summer.
Did Tottenham go overboard in terms of spending this summer?
There were mixed opinions from outsiders about Tottenham splashing the cash on ten new players during the summer. However, the club’s supporters were simply happy to see the Lewis family showing intent and ambition in the market for the first time in ages. It was a sight for sore eyes for the Spurs faithful, who were seeing the club take the transfer market seriously and back Roberto de Zerbi, even if it meant that the North Londoners overpaid for certain players.
Alan Shearer, however, believes that Spurs went overboard with their spending this summer and still did not manage to significantly improve the squad. Speaking in an interview (via Chris Cowlin), Shearer said,
“I guess De Zerbi went into this summer with a list of players that he wanted and they have spent a fortune perhaps on all those players. I’m not sure the fees warrant the ability, but no one would have expected them to be bottom of the league. I’ve said many times, that they brought the players in this summer, but they spent an absolute fortune on them. On everyone, I think. Van Hecke was a lot of money, Tonali was incredible money, Savio, and Marmoush (on loan) are others as well.”
Roberto de Zerbi had a huge say in terms of the incomings at N17 this summer as the club aimed to bring in players who would suit his playing style. However, Shearer notes that the transfer fees paid for the new faces do not necessarily warrant the ability of those players, claiming that the Lilywhites were tricked into paying more for certain players. However, it is hard to agree with Alan Shearer on this point, as the asking prices for most players in the market were already inflated. The North Londoners had little option but to overspend if they were to sign the right profiles for the ongoing campaign.
With Spurs stranded at the bottom of the Premier League table, Alan Shearer’s statement about the club overspending seems accurate for now. However, given time, the new players at N17 could quickly find their feet and show why the Lilywhites were willing to splash the cash on them once Roberto de Zerbi figures out how to get the best out of his squad in the coming months.
