Tottenham’s summer has been busy. Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes are reportedly close to joining. The club is spending. The mood around Hotspur Way is, for now, optimistic. But optimism fades fast in north London if the underlying issues don’t get fixed.
Roberto De Zerbi walked into a squad that nearly got relegated last season. That’s not hyperbole. Spurs finished 15th. The injury room looked like a starting XI. The captain spent more time posting cryptic social media messages than organizing the backline. And the young players the club sold its future on are now asking to leave.
De Zerbi has three months to figure out what kind of team he actually has. Here’s what’s sitting on his desk.
Who Wears the Armband Matters More Than It Should
Cristian Romero is probably gone. The rumor mill has him linked to a move back to Italy, and frankly, it might be best for everyone. Romero was handed the captaincy and it went poorly. He got himself sent off against Liverpool and Manchester United. He posted complaints about the board on social media. Teammates noticed. The tension was visible on the pitch.
The problem is that Tottenham doesn’t have an obvious replacement. Micky van de Ven wore the armband when Romero was out last season and it didn’t exactly bring out the best in him. He looked uncomfortable. The Dutch center-back has all the talent in the world but leadership is a different skill set. De Zerbi did manage to get Van de Ven back on his side late in the season, so that’s something. But if Spurs sell Romero and hand Van de Ven the armband full-time, it’s a bet on potential rather than proof.
Young Players Are Already Looking for the Exit
Lucas Bergvall turned down Barcelona in 2024 to join Tottenham because he wanted a clear path to first-team minutes. Two years later, he wants out. Luka Vuskovic is reportedly ready to hand in a transfer request. Between them, Spurs could lose two of the most promising young players to come through the pipeline in years.
De Zerbi leaned on veterans during the relegation fight. That made sense. Survival was the priority. But now the message to the academy is basically: we’ll call you if things get really bad. Will Lankshear and Alfie Devine both had strong loan spells in the EFL last season. They deserve a real look in preseason. If Bergvall and Vuskovic leave, and then Lankshear and Devine see no path either, the pipeline dries up fast. Tottenham’s recruitment model depends on developing young talent and selling high. That only works if the young talent actually believes it will get a chance.
The Injury Problem Is Structural, Not Just Bad Luck
Last season Spurs could have fielded an entire starting lineup of injured players. That’s not an exaggeration. At one point the medical staff was treating more players than the coaching staff was training. Dejan Kulusevski hasn’t played a competitive minute since April 2025. That’s over a year. His knee injury was complicated and the club has been cautious, but there is no fixed return date. If he’s not available by October, questions will get loud.
Mohammed Kudus arrived and then immediately disappeared into the rehab room. De Zerbi admitted the club pushed him too hard to come back from a quad injury, which ended up costing Kudus a shot at the World Cup. He’s now weighing surgery. That’s not just bad luck. That’s a pattern. Changes are coming at Hotspur Way — the gym facilities are being upgraded after being described as far below Premier League standards — but the real test is whether they can get these two key players back healthy and keep them that way.
De Zerbi inherited a mess. The transfer business suggests the club is backing him. But none of that matters if the captaincy is unsettled, the academy is bleeding talent, and the best players can’t stay on the field.
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