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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

'Rocket' Ronny Rosenthal may not have played in the Premier League for 29 years, but he is still remembered fondly by supporters of both clubs.

Flashscore's Stanimir Todorov and Jason Pettigrove tapped into Rosenthal's knowledge of the North London outfit and got his thoughts on what they need to do in order to improve upon their 2025/26 showing.

Read part one of our interview with Rosenthal here.

Tottenham's issues started before Son left

Ange Postecoglou recently admitted on a podcast that the ‘Spursy’ tag around the club is justified and that so many people there don’t have the big club mentality. That’s clearly a massive problem, but how do you overcome that as players and staff?

"First of all, I don't think that I agree with that assessment from him, not totally, because I watch them regularly. To start with, Tottenham don't have enough speed in the side. Under Postecoglou, they played fantastic, amazing football with good combinations, but don't forget, Son was there, and he's not there anymore. So you have something a little bit similar to the upcoming Salah situation at Liverpool.

"Tottenham's biggest problem started when Son was still there, because they were leading games one-nil, two-nil, but couldn't kill the opposition off. They would still be pressing the opposition in their half, which, for me, there is no need to do.

"They should've been forming a defensive block, but they didn't. They're not Real Madrid or Barcelona, and if you can't kill the game, you at least have to maintain your lead. Nothing else matters. Defensively, they weren't good enough, and things got even worse when selling, for example, Brennan Johnson, because you don't sell a striker and bring in a midfield player to replace him.

"Injuries to key players haven't helped either, and one of Spurs' most important players, and the only player for me at Tottenham who can make a real impact, Mo Kudus, has been injured for so long.

"Tottenham don't have wingers or players with electrifying pace, and that's precisely what they do need. Even Manor Solomon would be better than what they have now. Xavi Simons is doing some amazing things, and yes, he scored a crazy goal two weeks ago, but look at his numbers. He can't do it throughout the whole season.

"They're the reasons why Tottenham are struggling. In the Premier League, you have the biggest combination of explosive players. When I retired from football, I already understood that speed would be the name of the game.

"It's why I discovered players like Samuel Eto'o, Cristiano Ronaldo, Vincent Kompany, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and many more, because I was looking for the top sprinters in football. I saw Cristiano in his second or third game for Sporting's first team, and I immediately alerted Tottenham, but they didn't follow it up."

Villa game turning point in Spurs' season

As of today, how do you assess the chances of Tottenham surviving in the Premier League? It's between them and West Ham right now, so how much of a disaster would it be for them to get relegated?

"Of course, it's a crazy situation for Tottenham, but after the last win against Villa, I think they have maybe a 40% chance of going down, and 60% to stay up. They obviously have to beat Leeds to stand a chance, and hope that West Ham don't win. There's still a chance for them to forget this horrible season."

So, the Villa game was a possible turning point?

"I think so, yes. It seems to me that tactically, the new manager understands the defensive side of the game because he knows he doesn't have a top team, and he cannot kill off games."

Van de Ven is the best in the world

Regarding the De Zerbi appointment... only one loss and back-to-back wins in the last two games. Assuming Spurs do stay up, how does he get the best of the squad in the next 12 to 18 months? What did he manage to change in your opinion, and shouldn't they have made the managerial change sooner?

"It's still early days. I want to see what he does during the games. Two of the previous managers (Postecoglou, Thomas Frank) played good football, but that's not the way, in the end, to win games. There's a lot of expectation that Tottenham need to always be in the top six, so he (De Zerbi) will need to bring in four new players, but really top, top stars.

"He has the main players there already; Van de Ven... Spence is important, Maddison is important, and Kudus, but there are too many mediocre players. I don't know the club's financial situation, so you hope that the big names in the squad can make an impact on the rest of the players.

"As for Igor Tudor, there was one game in which I didn't quite understand what he was doing when he took off Van de Ven. I said to myself that maybe he was injured, but after the game, I understood that Tudor just wanted to replace him with another player for no reason.

"For me, this is the best defender in the world. He's the quickest central defender in the world, and at the end of the season I'm sure that whether Tottenham stay up or go down, the two or three biggest clubs will be looking to try and sign him."

Tottenham just need to add quality

Richarlison has done well for Tottenham this season and has continued to score goals. How can he get even better, and do you think he'll be in the Brazil squad for the World Cup?

"He will play for Brazil, yes, and he's certainly got quality, but I wouldn't say he's a player with top quality. If you're a club that wants to be in the top six, then he needs to do more. Tottenham don't have too many strikers though, so he's an important player for them, it's obvious."

Aside from the Europa League, Spurs haven't won a major trophy in almost 20 years. So what specifically needs to change at the club, aside from bringing in top players, in order for their aspirations to become a reality?

"It's just about adding quality, as simple and obvious as that. It's going to be very difficult, and it's very expensive, and they also need the manager to have an understanding of how to hold onto a lead. That's what Tottenham have lacked in the last three years."

Tottenham - Brighton  Flashscore.com

The Italian took over from interim boss Igor Tudor at the end of last month and Spurs started his first match at the helm in the Premier League drop zone after West Ham beat Wolves on Friday.

Their defeat, courtesy of Nordi Mukiele's heavily deflected strike in the second half, left them two points behind the Hammers with just six games to go.

Sorry Spurs have not won a Premier League game since late December and are facing a huge battle to avoid their first relegation since 1977.

But former Brighton and Marseille boss De Zerbi - the London club's third manager of a shocking season - said a win would change the mood.

"We have to work on one win because with one win we can change everything this season," he told Sky Sports.

"I have 24 hours per day and it is not a problem of time. We created chances in the first half, the same we have done in the week.

"The players have great quality but we have to believe more in ourselves and the crucial part is to win one game.

"We can play much better than today but after five or six training games it is difficult. All together we have to stay focused to win one game."

Tottenham face Brighton next week, with a game against bottom club Wolves to follow but it is difficult to see where their next win is going to come from.

De Zerbi said his new team, who have lost half of their 32 league matches this season, had the quality but were suffering a crisis of confidence.