Roberto De Zerbi’s second Tottenham transfer window is moving at a pace few Premier League rebuilds can match, and 12 July finds Spurs holding two contradictory truths at once: a club-record midfielder who still cannot train, and an attacking search that is deliberately slowing down on one target just as it speeds up on another.
Six permanent or free arrivals in, and with roughly £237m already committed for the summer, the balancing act now is less about who Tottenham sign and more about which of two wingers gets the final green light. That is the most delicate call De Zerbi has faced since taking over, and it is being made in real time, in public, via Fabrizio Romano’s YouTube channel rather than a boardroom statement.
The pace has not let up since Andy Robertson walked in on a free transfer at the start of the month. Twenty-three players reported for the first day of pre-season at Hotspur Way on 10 July, Sandro Tonali’s British transfer record still stands at up to £100m, and Spurs open their pre-season fixtures against MK Dons in just ten days. So why, with that much already done, can De Zerbi still not say for certain which winger he will actually get?
Who have Tottenham signed so far in summer 2026?
Tottenham have made six permanent or free-transfer additions this summer. Andy Robertson joined on a free transfer after his Liverpool contract expired, and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka and defender Marcos Senesi also arrived without a fee. Jan Paul van Hecke followed from Brighton for £52m, before Mateus Fernandes completed an £85m move from West Ham on his 22nd birthday.
The headline arrival remains Sandro Tonali’s club-record switch from Newcastle United, confirmed by Fabrizio Romano as an “agreement between clubs closed and also on player side,” with David Ornstein of The Athletic putting the final figure at £92.5m plus £7.5m in add-ons tied to Champions League qualification. Between the paid deals alone, Tottenham have now committed close to £237m this summer.
Why did Sandro Tonali miss the start of pre-season training?
As of 12 July, Tonali has still not trained with his new teammates, but Football.London’s Alasdair Gold has stressed there is “nothing to be concerned about.” The Italy international is simply waiting for his work permit to clear following his move from Newcastle, a standard administrative process rather than any fitness issue.
Fernandes and Dubravka were among the 23 players who reported on 10 July, alongside Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert and Mohammed Kudus, who continue their rehabilitation from long-term injuries. Robertson, Senesi and van Hecke remain absent for a different reason entirely: FIFA’s mandated three-week post-World Cup break, which is keeping a dozen Spurs players away from Hotspur Way for now.
Who are Tottenham trying to sign next?
The seventh signing is now a straight fight between two names, and, according to Romano, it is not the one supporters have spent the summer talking about. Savinho remains “number one, two and three” on De Zerbi’s list, with Tottenham in talks with Manchester City over a fee reported by Sky Sports at around £60m — City’s valuation, not personal terms, is the current sticking point.
Cody Gakpo sits behind Savinho as the second serious option, but Romano says Liverpool “are yet to open doors to an exit”, leaving that interest, first reported at the end of June, as a watching brief rather than an active negotiation. Romano was direct on the third name in the conversation: Tottenham are not currently negotiating with AC Milan or Rafael Leao’s camp, despite weeks of speculation linking the pair to a cut-price deal.
Further forward, Tottenham have also been credited with interest in Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi as De Zerbi looks to finish rebuilding his forward line before the transfer window closes.
Which Tottenham players could still leave?
Not every rebuild story this summer has been about incomings. Tottenham rejected an offer from Newcastle United for midfielder Archie Gray earlier this month, choosing to keep him as part of De Zerbi’s engine room rather than cash in. It is a reminder that this window is being run on De Zerbi’s terms — additions and departures alike — rather than dictated by outside interest.
When do Tottenham begin their 2026-27 pre-season fixtures?
Spurs open their pre-season programme against MK Dons on 22 July, played behind closed doors, before a tour schedule that takes in Auckland FC on 26 July and Sydney FC on 29 July, both in Australasia, and a meeting with Chelsea in Sydney on 1 August. De Zerbi will be hoping Tonali’s work permit — and the World Cup stragglers’ mandatory rest period — are both resolved well before the squad boards that flight.
Tottenham Summer 2026 Ins So Far
Every fee above is as reported by Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein and remains subject to the usual add-on caveats; none has been independently confirmed to the penny by either club.
Summer 2026 Transfer Window Facts
Has Tottenham’s deal for Savinho been completed? No. As of 12th July 2026, Tottenham are in talks with Manchester City but no fee has been agreed, with City’s roughly £60m valuation still the sticking point.
Is Rafael Leao joining Tottenham? No. As of 12th July 2026, Fabrizio Romano says Tottenham are not in negotiations with AC Milan or Leao’s representatives, despite weeks of speculation.
Why is Sandro Tonali not yet training with Tottenham? He is waiting for his UK work permit to clear following his move from Newcastle United — a paperwork process, not an injury, according to Football.London’s Alasdair Gold on 12th July 2026.
How much has Tottenham spent on permanent transfers this summer? Approximately £237m across six permanent and free-transfer arrivals, headlined by Sandro Tonali’s club-record fee, as of 12th July 2026.