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Tottenham Hotspur chiefs won't want to make a managerial change after throwing all of their eggs into the Roberto De Zerbi basket less than six months ago, but they are also well aware that this is a results-driven business.

After a £300m+ summer spend and some promising signs from the De Zerbi project, the Tottenham hierarchy would have been confident of the club kicking on and avoiding what had happened in the previous two seasons.

Of course, it is early days and that could still happen, but there is no doubt that performances and results are just as poor as they have been across the last two campaigns, despite the Italian bringing in 10 new players, all of whom arrived with Premier League experience.

The 47-year-old had a full pre-season to work with his existing players and the majority of the new faces, but they have started the season taking just two points from 15 available, with their first two league goals of the campaign coming in the 3-2 defeat against Aston Villa last time out.

What has been served up for Spurs supporters so far simply hasn't been good enough, and the north London outfit have a massive game against Manchester United at Old Trafford after the extended international break.

Red Devils boss Michael Carrick is also feeling the pressure after a similarly underwhelming start to 2026-27, which has seen them win only two of their seven matches, despite a sensational run of form when Carrick was interim manager in the second half of last season.

With no European football to contend with, De Zerbi has bigger gaps between matches to work on things on the training ground and get them right, but he will be aware that he needs to show a big improvement, and quickly.

Spurs have invested in him for the long-term and given him a lot of control, so they won't want to make a change, but if results carry on like this for much longer, then their hand could be forced.

There are a lot of managers available on the market right now, including Premier League title winner Arne Slot.

Slot Could be Game-Changing Tottenham Appointment

After finishing third in Jurgen Klopp's final season, there would have been some apprehension among Liverpool fans as to how they would fare in the following season under his replacement, Arne Slot.

They needn't have worried as the Merseyside outfit ended up comfortably winning the Premier League title by 10 points, in a hugely impressive campaign for the Dutchman.

The 2025-26 season was far less impressive, but there were a lot of mitigating circumstances, including the tragic death of Diogo Jota, which understandably impacted everyone involved with the club.

For Slot to go in and instantly get the players onside, and deliver a Premier League title, shows how good he is, and that is exactly the profile of boss Tottenham could do with if they do decide to make a change.

Slot was actually interviewed for the Spurs job previously in 2023 following the departure of Antonio Conte and, had it not been for his family, it sounds as though he would have taken it because it was a move he would have 'loved' to have made.

Speaking in his biography, the Dutchman said:

“The fact I didn’t go to Spurs was 99 percent a family decision. We talked a lot and I told my kids it would be great to come and visit me in London during the school holidays, though my daughter said she might want to go do things with her friends sometimes.

I’d have loved to have gone to Spurs, because who goes straight from Feyenoord to Tottenham, but when Liverpool approached me last season it was very different.

That in itself would suggest that Slot would at least consider the opportunity if it arose again, given he was so open to the move before.

This summer has shown that he would be backed in the transfer market, although he could be put off by the downward trajectory the club seem to currently be on.

What is clear is that the 48-year-old could make a big difference on the pitch, with comparisons to Pep Guardiola being made by Dutch journalist Marcel van der Kraan.

He is very similar to Pep Guardiola, his ideas are very similar, he is a massive fan of Pep and he plays the same.

"He goes ultra-attacking, he is almost like a maniac. Not on the touchline but it is fantastic to see how he has turned an average side into a wonderful attacking machine."

If Tottenham do part ways with De Zerbi anytime soon, then Slot should be high on their list of replacements.

Tottenham are keeping tabs on SC Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic ahead of a potential January transfer move, according to GiveMeSport's Ben Jacobs.

Roberto De Zerbi's side have struggled for goals so far this season, scoring only two goals across five Premier League games as they currently sit bottom of the table going into September's international break.

Spurs need to find a resolution to the problem if they are to move themselves away from danger in the weeks ahead after back-to-back 17th-placed finishes.

Dominic Solanke and Omar Marmoush are currently De Zerbi's two options to play up front, with Richarlison not registered as part of the club's 25-man Premier League squad and Will Lankshear and Dane Scarlett both moving on permanently.

Amid the need for goals, Matanovic has come to the attention of the north London club and transfer expert Jacobs has stated that it could be a deal to watch as Tottenham plot their next moves in the market.

The 6ft 5in Croatian international, who joined Freiburg from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2025 after loan spells with St Pauli and Karlsruher, has six goals in seven goals already this season and he has also contributed with two assists.

The Hamburg-born player has taken his form from last season into the new term after hitting 15 goals in 50 games in a strong year for the Bundesliga club, with his goalscoring at that level showing he is already an upgrade on Lankshear.

Speaking in his GMS newsletter this week, Jacobs said: "Tottenham are prepared to add another striker mid-season in the winter market if goals continue to dry up.

"Richarlison doesn't appear to have a future at the football club, Roberto De Zerbi has been clear on his position there, and even though Marmoush has arrived, Igor Matanovic and Tottenham could be one to watch, and as I exclusively revealed over the summer, Spurs and Manchester United both appreciate the player.

"He scored 15 goals for Freiburg last season, and he's got six goals in seven games already this campaign as well.

"We're going to have to understand whether Tottenham are going to be really aggressive for a particular target in the winter market, or if they're going to back what they've got and then ultimately wait until the summer.

"My information as of now is that it's not ruled out they could add another source of goals mid-season, but of course players are harder to get in the winter market than in the summer, due to the fact that there's less time and generally clubs with players they want to keep, are less willing to sell mid-season because it can be highly disruptive.

"But Igor Matanovic and Tottenham could potentially be one to watch, and they're assessing the situation now, they've got plenty of time before the winter market opens, but don't rule out the possibility of Tottenham adding another source of goals mid-season."

Igor Matanovic's 2026/27 season in numbers

The need for a new striker

Tottenham spent a large amount of money for De Zerbi this summer but it's clear to see that the club have to splash the cash again going on their start to the campaign.

A new striker is a must, especially with Tottenham so poor in front of goal in the opening five games of the league season.

After such a frustrating time of it last season through injury, Solanke is struggling in the final third and has unfortunately not built on a good first season at the club where he helped Tottenham win the Europa League.

Spurs also need more from new signing Marmoush, with the player so far playing as a striker and left-winger in his first five games for De Zerbi.

Matonovic would give Tottenham something different up front due to his physical presence and ability in the air, with the 23-year-old also able to find the net on a regular basis going on his form for Freiburg since moving to the club.

Whether he could adjust to the Premier League so quickly at a time when Tottenham need goals remains to be seen, with a number of players taking a good period of time to get used to speed and intensity of England's top flight.

He is a player Spurs should continue to keep tabs on, however, and if he continues to excel for Freiburg then a move to the Premier League will perhaps happen sooner rather than later.

One thing for sure is Tottenham must make some major changes in the striker department if they are to get back to their previous heights in the Premier League or else they will continue to find themselves at the wrong end of the table.

Things are going from bad to worse for Tottenham Hotspur, despite a summer of change behind the scenes in N17.

With a three-week break from domestic football upon us, Spurs sit rock bottom of the Premier League table, five games into the new 2026/27 season, picking up in the dreadful place where they left off last season.

Things were supposed to get better after back-to-back 17th-placed finishes in the top flight and only just staving off relegation to the Championship on the final day of the 2025/26 campaign.

Big money was splashed out in the summer transfer window to hand Roberto De Zerbi the squad he needed to challenge back towards the top of the table once more. But early on in the campaign, the new signings have failed to gel and Tottenham are winless in five straight games to start the season.

A horrendous start has led to question marks, already, over De Zerbi's future at the club.

The Italian came in and saved the club from almost certain relegation last season, so he has credit in the bank, but the owners, the Lewis Family, will demand results sooner rather than later given they spent more than £300million on new signings.

According to the bookmakers' though, De Zerbi is now the favourite to be the first manager sacked in the Premier League.

McKenna has been spotted watching his old clubs

One of those linked with replacing him, should the Italian get the boot, is Kieran McKenna, who has been out of work since guiding Ipswich Town back to the Premier League last season. He made the surprise decision to step down and take a break from football, although sources have suggested he is ready to return to the dugout now.

He has been spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Old Trafford recently, with Michael Carrick also under pressure at Manchester United, with thoughts of a change in management there too.

McKenna is understood to be open to a move to either club, should the opportunity arise, and he already has a strong connection with both clubs, having been in charge of the academy of both sides.

The 40-year-old has spoken openly about his time at Spurs and working alongside Mauricio Pochettino, who was in charge of the first team at the time.

He said: “The Mauricio period was a very good period for the club and certainly one that had an impact on me.

As a coach, having good access to how he worked was inspirational at the time.

“I moved over there when I’d just turned 16 years old. I've lived in England ever since and spent a large chunk of that time at Tottenham Hotspur, both as a player and as a coach. It's definitely had a massive bearing on me as a person. It's a great club and one that I've got a fondness for.

“So, in every different aspect, some of the people that I'm still friends with today, the area and the football club was a big part of my life.”

McKenna taking over at Spurs would be seen by many as the club bringing in the next Pochettino, given how he operates and how he sets up his team.

And should De Zerbi leave the club, McKenna would surely be high on Spurs' wishlist to talk to to replace him.

Pochettino would be open to a return to Tottenham

But rather than going for the 'next Pochettino' why wouldn't Tottenham go for the man himself and bring the Argentinian back to the club for a second spell in charge?

He has openly admitted he would return to the club, if asked, no matter what division they are in. He has unfinished business and he is the one manager who would unite the fanbase, with the majority likely to be happy to see him back.

Pochettino had a conversation with Spurs about returning last season, when Tottenham were in dire straits after an ill-fated Igor Tudor spell that eventually, De Zerbi rescued the club from. But he was unable to commit to a return given his role with the USA men's national team ahead of their home 2026 World Cup.

While he has signed a new contract in America, there is nothing major tying him to seeing out that deal, so if Tottenham were to come calling, he would likely say yes.

It’s the only club that always I am open to help. In whatever division.

“The problem was that the timings were never the best,” Pochettino said. “When I was free, I never received a contact and then when I was working, I received a contact but I cannot make the decision to come back. It was a little bit unlucky. Maybe one day the stars will align and it can happen. If I was free, of course, I come. But I wasn’t free. I was preparing for the World Cup.”

Without winning silverware, Pochettino was one of the most successful Spurs managers of the last few decades. De Zerbi will surely be given time, but if that time runs out, who better to take over than a man who has been there, done that and loves wearing the t-shirt?

Manchester United's two matches immediately after the international break are already looking really important for the club and manager Michael Carrick.

An underwhelming start to the Premier League season sees Man United sitting in 12th position, while they have also been knocked out of the EFL Cup by Brighton and Hove Albion after surrendering a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford.

If the Red Devils are to repeat the third-place finish in the top flight last term, and have a positive campaign in the Champions League, then improvement is needed, and quickly.

United's first match after the current three-week break sees them host another club who are seriously underperforming given they spent more than £300m in the summer transfer market.

Roberto De Zerbi's Tottenham Hotspur side only scored their first league goals of the season last Saturday, and they lie bottom of the standings having only taken two points from a possible 15 available, on the back of successive 17th-place finishes.

Both managers are in desperate need of a positive result at the 'Theatre of Dreams', with United then facing their first real challenge in the Champions League three days later.

They comfortably beat Azerbaijani minnows Sabah 4-0 at Old Trafford in their European opener, but it will be a much harder challenge against Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital on October 13.

It is 72 hours that could define where their season is headed, and reports suggest that United chiefs are already identifying potential managers who could take over from Carrick if a decision needs to be made.

Reports in Italy suggest that the currently available Antonio Conte is their number one target, and he would arrive at Old Trafford with numerous league titles on his CV, as well as extensive experience managing in Europe's elite club competition.

It's also been suggested that another out-of-work manager in Kieran McKenna is 'very keen' on the United job, having managed youth sides and then been part of the first-team coaching staff under Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick.

McKenna is Good Fit for Man United

There may be some United fans who would be unimpressed if the club replaced Carrick with McKenna, but he could be the perfect fit for the job.

The 40-year-old is a coach who clearly has a big future in the game given his achievements with Ipswich Town, where he led them to back-to-back promotions before securing an immediate return to the Premier League last season after their relegation from the top flight.

McKenna is highly-rated among his peers and has been on the radar of top Premier League clubs including Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion, who he turned down to sign a new long-term contract with the Tractor Boys in 2024.

One report has claimed that Ipswich viewed him as a 'world-class' coach, which is something that is yet to be said about Carrick and shows just how highly thought of he is.

He was certainly hugely respected in the Tractor Boys' dressing room, as former Ipswich star Conor Chaplin confirmed earlier this year.

"When someone like me talks to someone like him, I just listen. There's nothing that I can say that he doesn't know. I'm just learning from him.

"Every morning we'd always talk about the game that was on the night before. He’d always says something and I’d think, ‘I didn't see that’.

He's a genius in terms of the way that he sees tactical pictures.

It's not just his tactics though, with Chaplin also providing insight into his man-management skills too.

“That's one of the boss's massive strengths. He keeps everyone right where they need to be at any given time, reads the room incredibly well every single post-match, same on a Monday, always realising exactly what the lads need at that point in time.

He always, always hits the nail on the head with the atmosphere in the room, whether the lads need a confidence boost or a little bit of a rocket.

The other big positive is that, like Carrick, McKenna knows the club and the pressures involved with the job, having worked on the coaching staff before.

He will also have picked up some sound tips and advice from the likes of Mourinho and Rangnick, as well as Mauricio Pochettino during his time at Tottenham.

The future of Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham Hotspur has been called into question following the latest defeat to Aston Villa, with GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Ben Jacobs revealing the latest on the situation on Thursday afternoon.

Tottenham fans were excited about the season ahead after the positive impact the Italian manager made at the end of last season, as he ensured Spurs didn't drop into the Championship.

Ten new faces and a £300m+ summer spend followed, and the expectation was that the north London outfit had a good chance of competing again for the European spots in the Premier League.

That hasn't been the case so far though, and they look as bad as they were last season right now, lying bottom of the standings having taken two points from their opening five matches.

Defensively there are some concerns, as shown by conceding three times at home to Aston Villa at the weekend, but the biggest worry is in the final third with the two goals they scored against Unai Emery's men their first in the Premier League this term.

With no improvement in performances and results so far, it's no surprise that De Zerbi is already starting to be questioned, even if it isn't being suggested he leaves now during the international break.

There is certainly a big game for the former Brighton boss after the international break, when they face Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Carrick is also being questioned following an underwhelming start to the campaign which has seen the Red Devils win just two of their opening seven fixtures in all competitions.

Speaking on the latest episode of GMS' Market Madness podcast on Thursday afternoon, Jacobs revealed the latest on the De Zerbi situation at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadiium.

He said: "Roberto De Zerbi joined on a long-term project and my feeling with Tottenham is there's not really a sporting infrastructure in place to make a decision.

"If these results continue, all these well-run clubs have to think about a succession plan. I'm not expecting a surprise departure in the international break, but he will know results need to improve quickly.

Behind the scenes at Tottenham they are relatively calm and I'm still told the intent is to explore whether another sporting official, a co-sporting director or some form of senior executive is necessary.

"Maybe only after they find that name in whatever capacity will they start to understand if they need to assess Roberto De Zerbi.

"He came in for a long-term project and some of the teething problems that have slowed Spurs down have been expected. I don't think De Zebri felt everything was going to improve overnight, but there's no doubt they don't look any better than they did last season, and we're in a results-driven business, so Carrick and De Zerbi, to some degree, are in the same boat."

Tottenham Chiefs Right to Stand By De Zerbi

Tottenham chiefs made a big investment into the De Zerbi project when they appointed him, handing him a five-year contract and giving him a big say in their transfer business.

To perform a U-turn on that five games into the season would be madness, and the Italian deserves longer to turn things around at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

He showed at times at the end of last season that he could galvanise these players, and perhaps more time is needed to get their 10 summer signings up to speed and firing like he believes they are able to do.

There have been some glimpses of hope from their matches in recent weeks, including Liverpool away in the EFL Cup, but there is no doubt that the players need to show more if they are to start climbing up the Premier League table.

Highest-Paid Premier League Managers:

Mikel Arteta (£15m)

Oliver Glasner and Xabi Alonso (£13m)

Roberto De Zerbi and Enzo Maresca (£12m)

De Zerbi is in this for the long haul, and it is a project where things could get worse before they get better, but there has to be trust in the 47-year-old that improvements will follow.

We all know the pressures of being a Premier League manager and if Tottenham are beaten by Man United after the international break, then their game at home to newly-promoted Coventry City the following week takes on extra significance.

There would be no better opportunity to pick up their first league win of the season, and if they fail then serious questions would need to be asked whether De Zerbi really is the right man for the job.

Tottenham Hotspur cleared out a number of players during the summer transfer window during a major overhaul of their squad, but the early stages of the current campaign suggest there are still more that need to go.

Tottenham have got off to the worst possible start despite an encouraging summer that saw 10 new players arrive in north London, which included the club breaking their transfer record twice to sign Mateus Fernandes and then Sandro Tonali.

Spurs lie bottom of the Premier League table heading into the three-week international break, despite being expected to compete higher up the standings following two successive 17th-place finishes.

Roberto De Zerbi has a lot of work to do during the next weeks to get his Tottenham team firing and moving up the league, starting with a big game against Manchester United at Old Trafford on October 10.

One issue that has been overhanging De Zerbi and the north London outfit in recent weeks is the future of Richarlison, who failed to secure a move away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the summer despite heavy links with Everton, Trabzonspor and Vasco Da Gama.

Now, the Brazil international is stuck at Spurs and unable to play after he was left out of their 25-man Premier League squad.

GMS sources revealed previously that the 29-year-old is ready to take the club to court as he looks to agree a contract termination that would allow him to sign for another club on a free transfer.

If that isn't possible, then he will have to sit on the sidelines until January and either try to show his worth to De Zerbi in training during that time, or work on securing an immediate exit on January 1.

The latter seems the most plausible option right now, given De Zerbi also omitted him from the one game he was able to play, against Liverpool in the EFL Cup.

Richarlison looks to have played his last game for Tottenham, but he shouldn't be the only one.

Vicario Needs to Go Permanently Next Summer

One of the big changes that happened in the Tottenham first-team during the summer was the departure of Guglielmo Vicario on loan, with the Italian goalkeeper deciding last season that he wanted a return to Italy and a new experience.

The 29-year-old ended up joining Juventus on a season-long loan deal with an £8.6m option to buy for the Serie A giants.

Vicario has already started all five of their league matches this term, conceding four goals and keeping three clean sheets, with a season-ending injury suffered by Kamil Grabara seeing the Old Lady move to sign Neto on a free transfer to provide competition for the Italian.

The £75,000-a-week stopper now has a big opportunity to prove why Juve should sign him permanently, but whatever happens, he shouldn't be allowed to wear the Spurs shirt again.

The keeper looked like a good addition and number one for Tottenham in his first seasons, but he started to become more and more of a liability as the club recorded successive 17th-place finishes.

The Italy international missed the crucial run-in for Spurs last term after having surgery, returning as an unused substitute for the final two matches against Chelsea and Everton, with Antonin Kinsky preferred between the sticks.

Earlier in the campaign, he'd been mocked by the Premier League's official social media account after sending a free-kick straight out of play, before the post was deleted, as the cracks in his game began to show.

Tottenham's Current Goalkeeper Options:

Antonin Kinsky

Martin Dubravka

Brandon Austin

TalkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor was left unimpressed by what he saw from the Italian following the final-day win against the Toffees, that saw Spurs avoid relegation to the Championship.

Agbonlahor labelled him as an 'embarrassment' for the way he acted during the game after post-match with Seamus Coleman, and it was just another reason why he shouldn't be seen in a Tottenham shirt again.

Whether it's Juventus or another club, Spurs need to officially move on from Vicario next summer with a permanent transfer away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur chiefs may soon have a decision to make on the future of Roberto De Zerbi, should there be no sign of improvement in their upcoming fixtures after the international break.

The Tottenham hierarchy and the supporters had high expectations after a summer overhaul of a squad that had registered successive 17th-place finishes in the Premier League, with 10 new players arriving at a cost of more than £300m.

Spurs broke their transfer record twice and given every player they brought in has played in the Premier League, there was hope that they would get up to speed in a white shirt pretty quickly.

It simply hasn't been the case though, and Saturday's 3-2 defeat at home to Aston Villa leaves them with two points from their opening five top flight fixtures this term, and situated bottom of the table.

Having also been knocked out of the EFL Cup by Liverpool, it's fair to say it has been a bad start to the campaign for Tottenham and De Zerbi.

The Italian manager now has some time to work with the non-internationals staying behind at Hotspur Way over the three-week break, to try and kickstart Spurs' season, starting at Manchester United on October 10.

The match is already being labelled by some as 'El Sackico', with De Zerbi's opposite number Michael Carrick also under pressure. United have won two and lost three of their seven matches in all competitions to date.

Following the trip to Old Trafford, Spurs host Coventry City and Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before the end of October, with those games sandwiched by a local derby against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Should things go badly, Tottenham may already have one option they could turn to in former Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna.

The 40-year-old made the shock decision to leave the Tractor Boys after leading them to promotion back to the Premier League and, according to Football FanCast, he is now open to jobs at Spurs and Man United after his short break from football.

McKenna is Another Pochettino in the Making

Pochettino is still worshipped by Tottenham fans for what he achieved at the club.

He brought the whole club together and produced a feel-good factor that had been missing.

He gave them a style of football that was enjoyable to watch and he got the best out of some of the best players Spurs fans have seen in recent years, including Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min.

Most impressively, he got the club to the 2019 Champions League final, which is a far cry from where they have found themselves in the last couple of seasons, instead battling against relegation to the Championship.

Pochettino has legendary status at Tottenham even if he couldn't get that trophy win over the line, and it is the same for McKenna at Ipswich.

The now 40-year-old, who Ipswich believed was 'world-class', took the Tractor Boys over in December 2021 when they were mid-table in League One, and 18 months later he celebrated leading the club back to the Championship.

McKenna and Ipswich weren't finished there though, and a stunning 2023-24 campaign saw them finish above the likes of Leeds United and Southampton to secure back-to-back promotions.

He was unable to keep the club in the Premier League, but he did secure an immediate return to the top flight, before announcing his exit earlier this summer.

Like Pochettino at Tottenham, McKenna was in charge of Ipswich for five years, and he made a lasting impression on supporters.

The London-born coach, who was raised in Northern Ireland, likes to play an expansive style of football, and it is no surprise given the BBC claim Pochettino is one of his biggest influences, when he was managing the seniors and McKenna was leading the juniors at the north London club.

He even said: “The Mauricio period was a very good period for the club and certainly one that had an impact on me.

As a coach, having good access to how he worked was inspirational at the time.

Pochettino is known for having a great fondness for Tottenham, and he has openly admitted that he would have been up for managing the club in the Championship if they had ended up there.

Having spent many years at Spurs as a player and coach, McKenna also says that Spurs has a special place in his heart, which means it is no surprise that he would ready to take the job if De Zerbi leaves.

“I moved over there when I’d just turned 16 years old. I've lived in England ever since and spent a large chunk of that time at Tottenham Hotspur, both as a player and as a coach.

It's definitely had a massive bearing on me as a person. It's a great club and one that I've got a fondness for.

“So, in every different aspect, some of the people that I'm still friends with today, the area and the football club was a big part of my life.”

There are many parallels between McKenna and Pochettino, and he has everything to follow in the Argentine's footsteps at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur have had a woeful start to the 2026/27 Premier League season, taking their poor form of 2025/26 into the new campaign under Roberto De Zerbi.

The Italian head coach saved the Lilywhites from relegation on the final day of the season last time out, with a 1-0 win over Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium securing their place in the top flight.

Big things have been expected of Spurs, given the money spent in the summer transfer window and the complete overhaul De Zerbi has done on the squad he inherited.

Ten new players arrived this summer for more than £300million, with no fewer than 17 players departing the north London club. And such wholesale changes have had a detrimental effect on the club, so far, with Spurs winless and rock bottom of the Premier League table five games into the season.

It is a dire situation the club find themselves in, although there have been moments of positivity for supporters to cling onto that things can only get better.

Despite the major overhaul of the playing squad, De Zerbi still has some squad selection dilemmas on his hands and they will rear their heads when some of his injured stars return to action.

So far, the Italian has been unable to call upon Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevsi or Wilson Odobert, while new arrival Mykhailo Mudryk only got 16 minutes in his legs before he suffered an ankle injury.

De Zerbi named a 25-man squad for the Premier League campaign, with Richarlison's name a big omission. Those 25 players do not include U21s such as Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Mathys Tel, who can be used at any time given their age.

De Zerbi has some tough decisions to make

But every matchday, at least five of those names are left at home, with clubs only allowed to name a travelling squad of 20. And with Spurs already out of the Carabao Cup, they only have the league and the FA Cup to play in for the rest of this season, meaning opportunities are going to be limited for some players.

Richarlison has already been cast out, but with 20 spots in the matchday squad up for grabs, and De Zerbi having 24 senior players, plus those three regular U21s at his disposal, seven other players are likely to find out very soon that they do not have a future under De Zerbi, once the injured players return to action.

Brandon Austin has been on the periphery under numerous managers in N17 and as the third-choice goalkeeper his watching role has already been determined.

Ben Davies may be in De Zerbi's leadership group, named as the third-choice captain behind Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro, but he has already found himself out of two of the club's five matchday squads so far this season and has not come off the bench in any of the other three. He is a leader in name and stature behind the scenes, but not on the pitch.

When Kulusevski, Simons and Odobert are all back, fit and firing, you have to imagine Tel's role in the matchday squad will be over. He has split opinion in the fanbase and his removal from the matchday squad for the defeat to Aston Villa was telling.

Technical decision. He was in the stands, because I think during the game, Maddison and Kudus, they had more chances to change the game, and then two centre‑backs, important, also the two full‑backs, have a look for Pedro Porro, with Archie Gray, and the two central midfielders. It was no problem. He was very nice and he understood the reason, but nothing more, and also he played more than the others - De Zerbi on Tel omission

Four other players will find they do not have a place in the starting lineup or on the substitutes' bench when everyone is fit. For now it's Simons, Kulusevski, Odobert and Mudryk, because they are sidelined, but who the four will be once they all return is going to be intriguing to see.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to be without star defender Pedro Porro for around a month after he suffered a hamstring injury.

The Spain international penned a new long-term contract in north London during the summer before going on to shine for his nation at the World Cup, playing a key role as they lifted the trophy for only the second time in their history.

Porro returned to action with Spurs during the 5-1 win over Charlton in the EFL Cup, having missed the opening-day defeat to Brentford, while he was also unavailable for the 0-0 draw with Everton and defeat to Tottenham in the cup. But after returning to the team against Aston Villa this past weekend, he was forced off after just 19 minutes.

Spurs have now confirmed that the right-back is set to miss around one month of action as a result of the hamstring problem picked up in the game, and he will miss the four international games with Spain during this break.

But in bad news for Tottenham, Porro will also be unavailable for the first Premier League game back against Manchester United at Old Trafford on October 10th, as well as the home game against Coventry City on October 19th. There is hope that the full-back will be able to return to action against Chelsea on October 24th.

Porro has been replaced in the Spain squad by Sporting defender Ivan Fresneda by coach Luis De La Fuente.

Tottenham have had to rely upon the 27-year-old heavily this season despite his prolonged summer, having sold Djed Spence to Inter Milan during the transfer window. Porro was also used as a right-winger in one game, as De Zerbi looked for solutions following a poor start to the campaign.

Porro 'One of the Best' at Tottenham

Upon signing a new contract Spurs during the summer, Johan Lange and De Zerbi both highlighted his quality and importance to the team.

“Securing Pedro's future was an important priority for us this summer," Lange said.

“During the past three-and-half years, he has made huge progress to become one of the best full-backs in the game, and the fact he is about to play in the World Cup for Spain is testament to that."

With Porro sidelined, Archie Gray is likely to get the nod as his replacement in the first-team, with Spurs desperate for their first win of the season. His absence will be a blow to the manager, who has described him as 'very important'.

"Pedro is a very important player for us, who has consistently shown his ability to influence matches in both defensive and attacking situations.

“As well as his technical quality, I also love his mentality. Every day he wants to work, to learn and to improve, and these are the characteristics that help players reach the highest level."

Tottenham Hotspur's disappointing start to the season continued as they were beaten 3-2 at home by Aston Villa on Saturday, increasing the pressure on Roberto De Zerbi.

After a £300m+ summer spend and following a positive end to the 2025-26 campaign in terms of performances and results, Tottenham were expected to be fighting towards the top end of the Premier League table again.

Instead, they have taken two points from their opening five matches, with their only two goals coming against Villa on the weekend, and they lie bottom of the top flight standings just months after they escaped relegation to the Championship on the final day of the campaign.

With the club also knocked out of the EFL Cup by Liverpool, the pressure is already mounting on De Zerbi, with Spurs showing little sign of making progress under the Italian this term.

There is no doubt that there were some misses in the summer transfer window despite 10 new faces arriving, with the main one being Liverpool's Cody Gakpo, who ended up staying at Anfield after Manchester City looked to have hijacked the north London outfit's move for the Netherlands international.

Elsewhere, De Zerbi appeared to largely land all the players he wanted, and now he is tasked with getting them to gel together and start performing as quickly as possible.

So far, the likes of Savinho, Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali and Omar Marmoush simply aren't performing to the level they were expected to following big-money transfers.

Tottenham's Top 10 Rated Players in 2026-27 (Fotmob):

Jan Paul Van Hecke (7.30)

Savinho (7.23)

Mohammed Kudus (6.97)

Micky van de Ven (6.93)

Sandro Tonali (6.92)

Andy Robertson (6.82)

Mateus Fernandes (6.75)

Rodrigo Bentancur (6.70)

Archie Gray (6.66)

Pedro Porro (6.52)

Immediately after the three-week international break, Tottenham face another club who has made a poor start to the season in Manchester United, with pressure also mounting on Michael Carrick.

An update from former United chief scout Mick Brown claims that both clubs are 'very keen' on Brighton and Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler if they do decide to make a change, with the 33-year-old German just masterminding an impressive 3-0 win against Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, who had a 100% record from their opening seven matches this term.

The young coach would be an intriguing choice, but there is potentially a much better option on the market who would make an immediate impact at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Eddie Howe is Man to Turn Tottenham Around

What Eddie Howe achieved in five years as Newcastle manager was quite incredible.

He arrived at St James' Park in November 2021 with the club 19th in the Premier League table, and looking destined for relegation following a disappointing spell under Steve Bruce.

Magpies fans were furious with the direction of the club at the time and Howe, helped by the investment from PIF, galvanised the whole club.

He led them to safety in 2022 and then the following season, Newcastle finished in fourth position in the Premier League to return to the Champions League for the first time since 2023.

The Tyneside outfit were playing exciting football on the front foot, but Howe also proved he knew how to set his teams up to get points in more difficult matches too.

Howe was responsible for some memorable European nights at St James', including beating Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 in 2023, with the French giants going on to win the whole competition since in 2025 and 2026.

Howe has drawn praise from his peers and pundits too, with former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola describing him as 'incredible'.

"I think as a team, from outside, they make smart decisions. [Anthony] Gordon, Harvey Barnes, now Lewis Hall. They buy what they need in that moment and they know exactly what they have to do.

Eddie Howe has done an incredible job and it’s a pleasure to watch them. They’ve arrived to stay.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher clearly agrees with Pep, believing Howe should be the next England manager.

He said: "I've championed Eddie Howe as the next England manager. I think he's a wonderful coach, the best English coach by a million miles.

"I love him to bits. But now that we're four years in, I don't think Eddie Howe can do any more than what he's done at Newcastle."

Howe has proven he can take a big Premier League club from the bottom to the top, and get them performing at the top level in Europe too, and he is the man that Spurs club chiefs must go and appoint if De Zerbi is to leave in the coming weeks.