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Tottenham Hotspur - Everton  Flashscore.com

In keeping with windows past, this summer's had enough drama to keep football supporters worldwide on the edge of their seats in anticipation, with some huge moves taking place in the various leagues.

Crazy window for Tottenham

There was also the usual deadline day shenanigans, perhaps nowhere more so than at AS Monaco, who stopped Lamine Camara from moving to Chelsea after having agreed a deal, because they were selling Folarin Balogun to Everton, only for the latter deal to then fall through.

Even that paled in comparison when put in context of what Tottenham Hotspur have done in the window, however.

After having stayed in the Premier League by the skin of their teeth last season, Roberto De Zerbi has clearly had an influence at board level by the sheer amount of transfers that have been authorised, in order for the Lilywhites to be challenging at the right end of the table in 2026/27.

The roll call of incomings and outgoings is extensive, with all of Yves Bissouma, Guglielmo Vicario, Souza, Min-hyeok Yang, Kota Takai, Dane Scarlett, Radu Dragusin, Pape Matar Sarr, Kevin Danso, Alfie Devine, Manor Solomon, Ashley Phillips, Alejo Veliz, Will Lankshear, Djed Spence, Cristian Romero and Luka Vuskovic either being sold, loaned or released.

Almost £400m worth of new signings

In the case of Randal Kolo Muani and Joao Palhinha, both had come to the end of their loan periods in N17.

Their replacements came thick and fast, with Mykhailo Mudryk following Omar Marmoush, Martin Dubravka, Andrew Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Jan Paul van Hecke, Savio and the two players that broke Spurs' record transfer spend within days of each other, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali.

Whilst one can accept that desperate times often call for desperate measures, and Tottenham's board should, perhaps, be applauded for their willingness to effectively back De Zerbi to the tune of almost £400m, the two performances that we've seen from Spurs already this season would suggest that their problems run deeper than patching up a few holes in the squad.

Not only have the North Londoners lost both of their opening two games, to Brentford and Newcastle respectively, but they've not even scored a goal.

Richarlison's broadside adds to North Londoners' woes

Whisper it quietly, but for all of the hullabaloo around the club, they're still not actually very good, and that has to be a concern.

Striker Richarlison also kicked off on social media regarding others deciding his career moves, and it appears the Brazilian's anger stems from a failed move back to Everton.

Of course, such is the fickle nature of the game now that supporters in particular expect instant gratification, and that's dangerous in itself.

Rome wasn't built in a day and nor will the new Tottenham be, though one can understand the frustration of the North London faithful to a degree.

Core issues must be addressed

Two 17th-place Premier League finishes took the gloss off their Europa League victory, and let's not forget that was all whilst playing a reasonably attractive brand of attacking football under Ange Postecoglou.

De Zerbi can't expect to use the same blueprint and get different results. The core tenets of why Spurs were so poor are what need to be addressed, and throwing money at the problem isn't always the solution.

Before the first international break of the season, there are fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Everton and Aston Villa to negotiate in the league - all of which are winnable, with respect - and a Carabao Cup date with Liverpool at Anfield.

A clearer picture will be painted as to exactly where Tottenham remain short once those four matches are out of the way, though patience is still a virtue that fans should lean into if things continue not to go Spurs' way.

Time to deliver on the pitch

There's little doubt, given De Zerbi's previous tenures at the likes of Shakhtar Donetsk, Brighton and Marseille, that there will be some spectacular football played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season, but that'll mean nothing in the grand scheme of things unless it's winning football.

The club have mortgaged everything on the Italian finally getting it right on the pitch, so they too will understand the pressure on the manager to deliver, and meet their expectations.

De Zerbi has been known to just walk away when things aren't going as he would like, too.

Hence, the volatility of his personality also makes this evolving North London soap opera eminently watchable.

Time will tell if this is yet another false dawn, or if the sleeping giant is finally awoken...

Bergvall indicated earlier in the summer that he wanted to leave Tottenham, with the feeling around the player that he wanted to become a more central figure at a top club where he could take on greater responsibility.

At one stage, it appeared Nottingham Forest could provide a possible route out. Forest made a £38 million approach for the Sweden international, but their bid was knocked back by Spurs. Newcastle also had an attempt at a £46 million transfer rejected.

Since then, Tottenham's position has become clear, as the club have informed Bergvall that new head coach Roberto De Zerbi sees him as an important part of his plans and wants him to remain at the club.

Spurs have included him in pre-season - and he started their last game in a 1-1 draw with Getafe. The club want that to be the end of the matter and view Bergvall as a player they want to continue to build around rather than someone available for transfer.

However, the situation may not be completely resolved yet.

Sources indicate that both Newcastle and Brighton remain among the clubs considering whether to make a late offer for the midfielder. Tottenham are aware of the interest but insist they are under no pressure to sell.

The valuation required to make Spurs reconsider their position is currently understood to be around £60 million or more.

There is an interesting transfer dynamic between the clubs involved. Tottenham have already completed deals with both Newcastle and Brighton this summer, signing Sandro Tonali from Newcastle and Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton.

There have also been some links to Liverpool and Barcelona surfacing but for now, Tottenham's message is clear that Bergvall remains part of De Zerbi's plans.

Not content with breaking their transfer record by signing Mateus Fernandes from relegated West Ham, they followed up his capture by breaking the record again, acquiring Sandro Tonali from Newcastle.

Spurs' double centre-back signing

With Martin Dubravka, Andrew Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke also having been signed, the make-up of the Spurs starting XI in 2026/27 could be markedly different to the one which ended the 2025/26 campaign.

It's undoubtedly the signing of Tonali which will have Tottenham supporters most excited, though two new central defenders probably explain why captain Cristian Romero has decided to ply his trade away from N17 next season.

Although he still has three years left on his current deal, and the Lilywhites are therefore under no pressure whatsoever to sell him, reports would suggest that the Argentinian has made it clear to the powers that be that he sees his future elsewhere.

It's understood that Serie A giants, Internazionale, have held a long-term interest in the 28-year-old, though Romero's preference is apparently a move to Barcelona.

Barcelona haven't confirmed interest in Romero

There hasn't been any confirmation from the LaLiga side that they're even contemplating hiring Romero, potentially on the back of bringing his countryman, Julian Alvarez, to Camp Nou, but importantly, nor have there been any denials.

Given that the Catalans already have Ronald Araujo, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Andreas Christensen and Eric Garcia, who can all play there, not to mention Jules Kounde (even if the Frenchman has often been preferred in the right-back slot), one could expect that there would need to be sales made first before any move for Romero is contemplated.

What would Barca be getting for their money in any event, if they did decide to enlist the defender's services?

For a start, they'd acquire someone totally committed to the job in hand.

Someone who you can rely on to go to war with the opposition, and play the game often on the very edge of what's acceptable in terms of physicality.

In the top four for tackles and clearances

With 69 tackles attempted during the 2025/26 season, only three other players - Rodrigo Bentancur (70), Pedro Porro (96) and Joao Palhinha (139) attempted more.

Romero made just a single error which led to a goal across the entire campaign, and just 14 challenges lost was one of the lowest figures in the squad.

It's unlikely to surprise anyone that the Argentine is the outfield player with the most one-on-one success, too.

Though his 288 attempts were only the ninth-most amongst the Tottenham squad, winning 189 of them gave him an unbeatable completion rate of 65.63%.

Discipline must be improved

One of only four players at the club to break the century barrier for headed duels, Romero's loss of just 38 from 126 attempted is yet another indication of his industry and desire.

Perhaps the one area that he does need to improve upon is his discipline.

Two red cards last season were the most received by a Spurs player, and 11 yellows were also on the high side.

His 42 fouls conceded were the joint second most, but some could argue that if you take away the Argentinian's fire, Romero's natural game would suffer - and he's of no use to anyone if he's stuck on the sidelines.

In the supposed prime of his career and with extensive experience, the centre-back should know better than to get himself involved in skirmishes and spats which could impact upon his disciplinary record.

Excellent passing range

Of the Tottenham regulars, only defensive partner Micky van de Ven (90.72%) has a better pass completion statistic in the squad than Romero (88.58%).

Though Callum Osusesi, James Maddison and Souza all surpass the Argentinian's figures, it's worth pointing out that they've only attempted 14, 37 and 27 passes respectively, compared to Romero's 1,559.

He's also provided a supplementary presence in attack, and whilst his five goals might not sound much, only van de Ven and Dominic Solanke (both six), Joao Palhinha (seven) and Richarlison (12) scored more.

Ultimately, Barcelona's financial situation will dictate whether they can land Romero or not, and even if that avenue closes, another is bound to open for a player who is still at the very top of his defensive game.

But his gaze inevitably widens to the crisis in Serie A and a Celtic side that chooses to rely once again on 74-year-old Martin O’Neill: two sides of the same coin, united by a profound reflection on mentality and the use of experience. With an underlying fear: that football is definitively losing its soul.

What do you think of Tottenham? Last year they barely saved themselves, but they should be at a much higher level.

“The management of that club for years didn't prioritise the football side. Even with great managers like Mourinho or Conte, the problem was the same: to succeed, you need to invest in quality players, and for five to eight years, they didn't do that.

"They are paying for that lack of investment now. They almost went down last year; maybe it would have been better if they had, so they could truly start over. Now, with a coach like De Zerbi who talks more about football and a new management structure, they seem to have understood their mistakes.

"In January, they didn't sign enough attackers, which was a huge risk. I hope they’ve analysed their errors because fixing a club doesn't happen overnight."

Do you like De Zerbi’s football?

“Yes and no. He wants to play attractive football, but it depends on whether he has the players to do it. If you don't have the right players, his philosophy becomes very difficult to implement. We have to see what he does in the next six months with his own players."

Regarding Italy, you had a brief but intense experience at Cagliari. Why is Italian football struggling so much now?

“When I played for Cagliari in the late 90s, it was the greatest era for Serie A. Every weekend you faced Ronaldo (the Phenomenon), Zidane, Signori, Baggio, Batistuta, Bierhoff... where do you see that today in Italy?

"The infrastructure hasn't changed since the 90s. There has been no development of stadiums or facilities. Also, issues with corruption and Calciopoli had a huge impact. Most importantly, youth development has been totally abandoned.

"In my time, every top team had two or three world-class Italian players. That hasn't existed for 15 or 20 years. The federation and the clubs need to refocus on Italian talent. Italy has a mythic tactical history and knowledge: where did that go? Why isn't it being used?”

You won the Treble with Celtic. How do you explain this choice to continue with Martin O'Neill, who is 74 years old, etc.? What kind of choice is that?

"That is a good question. Everything we have just discussed regarding Italian football shows that the sport still deeply values experience. Look at Martin O'Neill: now at Celtic, at 74 years old, he comes back after 20 years and drives a great development.

"Those characteristics and that knowledge are essential. The same situation applies to Italy, but they neglected that aspect; they left it aside and no longer consider it a core part of development.

"They haven't focused on that knowledge, which is extremely important for the future federation-wise and football-wise. You can see the value of this experience at Celtic, and you see it even more today in other countries too."

Why is that?

“Laziness. Everyone is just copying tactics. We are playing from the stands with a remote control: "go right, go left, go back". There is too much outside influence, from FIFA down, that doesn't focus on the individual character of the player. Sometimes I can't even watch matches because I don't see those outstanding individuals who break the mould."

Is football getting worse today?

“Much worse. We are talking about things that aren't football anymore. We need to ensure that the children of the future see football as a sport, not just a business. Football belongs to the people. If a family can't go to a World Cup because it costs $10,000, where are we going?

"A ‌new chapter. Mr Ange Postecoglou appointed as ‌head coach of the Al Nassr first team. The ‌contract spans two seasons," the club said in a statement.

"We wish him and his staff every ‌success in their journey."

Postecoglou previously managed ⁠Tottenham Hotspur, whom ‌he guided to Europa League glory in 2025, ​but he was sacked two weeks later after they finished 17th in the ​Premier League standings.

A miserable reign at Nottingham Forest in the 2025-26 season came to a ⁠swift and ​brutal end 39 days after his appointment when he went winless in his opening eight games in charge, which included six defeats.

The 60-year-old ‌had been linked with the Scotland job after Steve Clarke stepped down following their World cup exit, as well as Kazakhstan but media reports said his wage demands were too high for the central Asian side.

He takes over an Al Nassr side led by Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who guided the club ‌to the Saudi Pro League title on ​the final day of the season in ‌May.

Spurs are actively reshaping their squad ahead of a new era and discussions over Manchester City winger Savinho have accelerated in recent days.

The Brazilian has long been admired by Tottenham's recruitment team and we understand progress has been made toward an agreement that will see him arrive in North London this summer.

There is growing confidence that positive developments will lead to a total agreement very soon, with terms around a mooted £60 million transfer package currently being negotiated.

Sources indicate that talks have advanced and there is increasing optimism that a deal can be finalised if remaining details are resolved.

Savinho is understood to be keen on the move because he believes Tottenham can offer him a more prominent role than he currently enjoys at Manchester City. Spurs are preparing a five-year contract for him to sign.

Despite his obvious talent and potential, opportunities to become a consistent starter have been difficult at City. He has not yet been able to fully establish himself as an indispensable figure in the team's plans.

Spurs are revamping the squad for Roberto De Zerbi and, as previously reported on Flashscore, substantial changes are expected across several areas of the team during the transfer window.

Savinho has consistently been viewed as one of the priority targets to strengthen the attacking department and add greater creativity in the final third.

At the same time, sources suggest Tottenham are facing growing interest in Richarlison from clubs in England and abroad, and must soon determine whether the Brazilian remains part of their project.

Everton have been linked with a potential move for their former striker, but Juventus are also monitoring Richarlison's situation closely and could formalise their interest should indications emerge that Tottenham are prepared to sanction an exit.

Luka Vuskovic has enjoyed a spectacular breakout season, establishing himself as one of football's most exciting young defenders while on loan at Hamburger SV from Tottenham Hotspur.

He quickly established himself as a defensive anchor for Hamburg this season and posted the highest challenge success rate in the league (69.1%) while also developing into a dominant force and reliable capacity in the air.

Vuskovic, who earned a spot in the Bundesliga Team of the Season, was the most prolific centre-back in the Bundesliga, netting an impressive six league goals, while his remarkable backheel goal against rivals Werder Bremen was voted the German Goal of the Year.

Tottenham agreed to a £12 million deal to purchase the highly-rated Croatian centre-back from Hajduk Split in 2023. Because of FIFA transfer regulations regarding minors, the move could not officially go through until the summer of 2025, after he turned 18.

In August 2025, Hamburger SV secured him on a season-long loan, and it was expected that he would return to London after the World Cup. However, on the back of his impressive Bundesliga campaign, he has allegedly been monitored by European powerhouses, and Flashcore sources now reveal that Luka Vuskovic does not want to join Tottenham but instead is looking to seal a transfer with either Barcelona or Real Madrid.

After the end of the Bundesliga season, Vuskovic commented on his situation in an interview with German media Sport Bild: “I'm torn. In football, you can’t have everything you want. The future will show what happens. It's, of course, nice that my name is being linked with such big clubs. I also don’t know whether everything that is written about other clubs and me is true. I'm a Tottenham player. We will see what happens in the summer.”

The London club secured survival with a crucial 1-0 win over Everton under interim boss Roberto De Zerbi, who guided the team to safety after taking charge during a difficult campaign.

Tottenham had won only seven of their opening 31 league games before De Zerbi oversaw a dramatic turnaround.

Speaking to BBC’s Match of the Day, the Netherlands internation expressed frustration that a squad with such quality had found itself battling relegation until the final weekend of the season.

"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," he said.

Tottenham - Leeds  Flashscore.com