It is set to be a very busy summer at Tottenham Hotspur as Roberto De Zerbi looks to build a new squad to push the club forward
When Roberto De Zerbi spoke about how many current Tottenham players were good enough to remain in his squad next season he might not have realised just how big his squad actually is.
The Italian prevented Spurs from suffering relegation and after doing so with a final day win against Everton, the head coach made it clear that only a certain number of those at the north London club were of the required level for what he had planned.
"I don't think we have now to change too many players. We have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay. Good enough. Like players. Especially like people. And then we have to complete the squad with the first level of players," said De Zerbi in his final press conference of the season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
"First level of players because we suffered too much. I suffered a lot but I think the fans, the club, the board, the players. They suffered 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 will be stronger. I don't want to decide alone because football is a group - sporting director, scouting, CEO - but my target now is finished to stay up. My target is to start the pre-season with the team I have in my dream."
According to their website, Tottenham currently have a first team squad of 28 players, although Randal Kolo Muani's loan contract ends on June 30 as does Joao Palhinha's. De Zerbi would like to keep the Portuguese but that will involve negotiations between Spurs and Bayern Munich to knock down the fee.
On top of that squad there are also another eight senior players out on loan, according to the club site, which in total makes a 36-player squad.
So that means there has to be a transfer exodus this summer, either through permanent or loan means, as De Zerbi looks to bring in those 'first level' players with Andy Robertson already secured and Marcos Senesi set to follow, while Tottenham are also in talks to try to sign both Jan Paul van Hecke and Savinho from Brighton and Manchester City respectively before making further moves into the market.
So who is likely to head out the door this summer? Let's break it down by each department of the squad.
Goalkeepers
With interest from Serie A clubs in Guglielmo Vicario, after a season in which the 29-year-old's relationship with the Tottenham fans wasn't the greatest, a move back home for the Italy international seems more likely than in previous summers.
Vicario and De Zerbi got on behind the scenes and had the former Empoli goalkeeper been fit enough to play in the final weeks after his hernia surgery then it would have been interesting to see if he had brought him back in between the sticks for Antonin Kinsky, after making it clear that Vicario was his number one.
In the end Kinsky got the job and was superb, cementing his future at the club as a strong option for the new head coach. Brandon Austin, as the club's only senior homegrown player, is likely to continue in his back-up role unless he finally gets a chance to move this summer.
If Vicario does depart then a new goalkeeper will come in to battle with Kinsky for the vacant number one spot.
Potential exits: 1
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Defence
With Robertson arriving, the full-back slots look pretty set with the Scot and Destiny Udogie, who needs to prove his fitness next season, down the left and Pedro Porro and Djed Spence down the right. That's unless a big surprise bid comes in for one of those three Spurs defenders that De Zerbi is happy to accept.
That would leave Souza as a potential loan mover this summer in order for the youngster to get regular football in Europe to continue his adaptation to the non-Brazilian game. An English loan would be perfect but it's more difficult to get such a move for a young player like that which involves regular starts.
There's also the experienced Ben Davies with his contract up this summer, but Tottenham are expected to extend his deal to provide cover for both the left-back and central defensive slots in case more of the injuries that have plagued the north London club in recent seasons arise. The 33-year-old Wales international has also been working on his coaching badges with the club's academy and De Zerbi has often spoken about his character and positive effect on the group.
In central defence, all eyes are on Cristian Romero and whether the Spurs captain departs this summer. The move for Van Hecke appears to further open that door with the number of right-footed centre-backs at the club. Radu Dragusin does wants to play regular football though and a summer move likely beckons for him.
De Zerbi has made it clear how highly he rates Micky van de Ven, and Senesi will provide him with a good battle to keep their levels high on the left of the defence.
The Spurs boss has said Kevin Danso will remain at the club next season and that leaves a decision to be made over Luka Vuskovic and whether he will get enough game time with potentially Van Hecke and Danso there as more senior options and no European football. De Zerbi could always keep the Croatian until the January window in order to work with him and see what plays out.
There's also Kota Takai, who struggled on loan in Germany and looks no closer to playing a competitive match for Tottenham. Another loan move likely beckons for the Japan international.
We're also including Ashley Phillips in this as the centre-back, who turns 21 later this month, is down on the first team squad page on Spurs' website. After another strong loan spell at Stoke, nominated for the Championship Young Player of the Season award, it's time to let him continue his career elsewhere as with the numbers ahead of him, he's clearly not going to get that first competitive appearance in a Tottenham shirt.
Potential exits: 6
Midfield
Palhinha is technically an exit if Spurs don't sort out a deal for him before the end of this month but we're going to work on the proviso that they do.
James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Conor Gallagher look unlikely to be heading off this summer and Xavi Simons is out injured until early next year. Yves Bissouma is a likely departee, even if Spurs take the option on his contract in order to get some kind of fee for him.
That leaves the younger trio of Pape Matar Sarr, Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall. As this feels like a key area of the park where De Zerbi will want to bring in a player he believes will suit his system perfectly that could mean one of those three departing. Whether it's permanently in Sarr's case, or on loan with the younger duo remains to be see. Much could depend on whether Palhinha does indeed return or not but it would seem unlikely that Tottenham's starting midfield will be exactly the same as last season.
Among the loan players on the first team squad page, Alfie Devine will more than likely depart this summer with a queue of clubs waiting to buy him after a terrific season at Preston and no way through at Spurs.
Potential exits: 3
Attack
Let's start with those who are not going anywhere or simply can't. Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski will return from injury and return to Spurs action, while Wilson Odobert is out until the end of the year.
Kolo Muani will not be at Tottenham next season but De Zerbi is a big fan of Dominic Solanke and has publicly said that on a number of occasions. With a fully fit version of the England international - which did exist before Spurs took hold of him - the Italian will provide a system that gets the ball to him in the box a lot more than he has experienced in recent seasons.
De Zerbi wants another striker this summer and that could mean Richarlison being the one who departs as the Brazilian reaches the final 12 months of his contract. Richarlison played a big role in keeping Spurs in the Premier League with 11 goals and he played 43 games so did manage his injury problems of the past.
However, if it's a shoot-out between keeping Solanke or Richarlison, it feels like the former would get the nod from De Zerbi unless a huge bid comes in for a player with a contract until 2030.
Tottenham pushing to sign Savinho from Manchester City places some doubt over what happens next for Mathys Tel. Much could depend on what De Zerbi decides to do with youngster Mikey Moore and whether the 18-year-old is sent out on loan again.
If he is, then Tel and Savinho would make up the left wing options with Kudus and Kulusevski on the right, with Odobert and Xavi also able to play on the wings when they return mid-season. That's putting a lot of pressure though in the coming months on Kudus and Kulusevski to return from their long-term injuries and another winger move seems likely.
In terms of the loaned out attacker listed on the first team page, Alejo Veliz will join Bahia permanently in the weeks ahead and Dane Scarlett and Yang Ming-hyeok face a major challenge in being involved in the first team beyond this summer. Manor Solomon did play under De Zerbi at Shakhtar a few years ago and the Italian will have to decide whether to keep the versatile Israel international as wing cover early in the season or allow him to leave this summer.
Not included on the first team page, but instead on the U21s page, along with Moore, is Will Lankshear and De Zerbi might make a decision between him and Mason Melia as a homegrown striker to remain around the group. After his 12 goals for struggling Oxford last season in the Championship, Lankshear is likely to catch the eye in pre-season while Melia will be buoyed after making his Republic of Ireland senior debut before he's even played a game for Spurs.