Tottenham Hotspur chief executive officer Vinai Venkatesham has given his full backing to under-pressure head coach Roberto De Zerbi, amid growing sack talk, while also delivering a key update on the club’s transfer business for 2027.
Having spent more than £300million on new signings over the summer, with 10 players walking through the door in total, Tottenham’s fortunes from the last two domestic campaigns have not improved through five games of the new campaign.
Indeed, the north London club currently sit rock-bottom of the Premier League table and also exited the Carabao Cup at the hands of Liverpool.
The club’s first two goals of the league season also came in the 3-2 loss to Aston Villa last time out, with the pressure mounting on De Zerbi after a winless start.
However, Venkatesham, speaking at a meeting with the club’s Fan Advisory Board at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium recently, has reiterated his backing for the beleaguered boss.
“Vinai Venkatesham expressed confidence in Roberto De Zerbi, in the players brought in and in the changes made, noting the considerable work underway behind the scenes,” state the recently published minutes of the meeting.
“The club had made significant changes over the summer, both on and off the pitch, and recognised that these might take time to take full effect.
“Venkatesham was encouraged by aspects of the underlying performances since the opening day defeat, but acknowledged the disappointment at the current points total even at this early point in the season and recognised the frustration this caused supporters following the previous campaign.
“Supporter backing, home and away, had been excellent and was not taken for granted. He acknowledged that the club must earn supporters’ belief through results.”
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Reacting to the club’s massive summer in the market, the minutes show that Venkatesham added: “The window had involved approximately 35 first-team transactions (incomings, outgoings and renewals).
“The squad had been strengthened with a focus on quality, character and physical robustness, combining Premier League experience with younger players able to develop with the club.
“The contract renewals of Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro reflected the belief of two senior players in the club’s direction. The objective remained a squad able to compete at the level supporters expect.”
Venkatesham also made it clear that Tottenham must continue to sell players at the right time to stay in line with profit and sustainability rules in place with both the Premier League and UEFA, in a clear indication for fans not to expect any huge incomings in the upcoming January window – despite the club’s current predicament.
“Venkatesham explained that financial regulation represented a genuine constraint. The club had not recorded a profit since 2019, and its costs were rising through investment in the men’s team in wages and transfer fees,” read the meeting minutes.
“He noted that successive 17th-place finishes and the absence of European revenue this season had also affected the club’s revenue position.
“The club monitored itself against the Premier League rules (squad cost of up to 85% of revenue). The UEFA rules are more restrictive – 70% of squad cost, together with a three-year profitability test – and remained relevant to the club’s ambition of returning to European competition.
“Venkatesham said that growing commercial income, including through concerts and other stadium events, was therefore important in creating additional capacity for football investment within the applicable financial rules. He reiterated that football remained the club’s clear priority.”
Tottenham are back in Premier League action on October 10, when they head to Manchester United in desperate search of their first three points of the campaign.