25 May 2026 07:27 BST |
3 min read
Roberto De Zerbi led Tottenham to Premier League survival but believes his work is only just beginning, claiming that Spurs only have ’10 good players’.
The Italian coach took over from Igor Tudor at the end of March with the North London club deep in trouble, but on Sunday a 1-0 win over Everton was enough to seal their place in the Premier League for next term.
De Zerbi, though, believes his work is only just beginning and issued a major warning to the board that significant investment is required in the team if they are to get back to their customary position challenging for Champions League football.
De Zerbi calls on Spurs to sign top-level stars
Having watched a goal from Joao Palhinha down the Toffees – therefore rendering West Ham’s 3-0 win over Leeds useless – the former Marseille boss wants quick action.
“From tonight we have to start to organise and to build a new team,” he said.
“We have not to change too many players. We have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay, good enough as players and especially as people.
“Then we have to complete the squad with first level players. First level because we suffer too much. The fans, the club, the board, the players, they suffer too much. We are Tottenham and we can’t suffer like this until the last second of the last game to stay up.
“And I will be stronger. I don’t want to decide alone because football is a group, the sporting director, scouting, CEO, but my target is finished, to stay up. My target now is to start pre-season with the team in my dream, in my head.”
Who will leave Spurs in the summer?
Tottenham’s situation could well be complicated by potential exits. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, players who form the bedrock of their defence, are both linked with transfers out of the club.
Speaking after the win over Everton, Van de Ven told BBC Sport: “I played almost every game and I have suffered a lot, the emotions are really happy and we must not let it happen again.
“It is unacceptable that the last game we played this season we play for relegation. This club has some unbelievable players. It was embarrassing to let it come to the final day but we did it and that is what is important.”
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is another expected to depart, though Antonin Kinsky was one of the standout performers of the final weeks.
Are Tottenham’s injury issues to blame?
De Zerbi, meanwhile, will expect better luck on the injury front next season, having had to negotiate the final weeks of the campaign without several key performers.
Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus were both sidelined for the key weeks of the relegation battle, while James Maddison was able to make only a string of cameo appearances after missing much of the campaign due to serious injury. Dejan Kulusevski, meanwhile, failed to play all season.
Spurs’ injury issues over the course of the campaign have been chronic and undoubtedly played a role in their problems, yet these cannot be allowed to disguise the overhaul required in the transfer market this summer.
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