London Evening Standard

Manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed the appointment on Friday, on the eve of Spurs’ first game of the new Premier League season.

Van de Ven has recently been rewarded with a new contract, and replaced Cristian Romero who joined Atletico Madrid earlier in August.

De Zerbi told reporters: “The new captain is Micky van de Ven. The second Pedro Porro, the third Ben Davies, the fourth James Maddison and the fifth Archie Gray.

“Why five captains? Just because I want many captains inside of the pitch and to be clear in the position.

“Every one of them deserves to be captain or in the group of the captains, but personality and passion is not if you are captain or not captain.”

World Cup winner Porro and versatile midfielder Gray are new additions, replacing Romero and Guglielmo Vicario, who has joined Juventus on loan and is unlikely to return.

The new season mark a fresh start for Spurs and De Zerbi after narrowly avoiding relegation on the final day of the previous campaign, but the manager wants to keep the pain of those days in mind heading into the new term.

He said: "[It’s been a ] very intense three months, but I think we can't forget what happened. Last season is a big lesson for us. We have to go on another page and start an important season.

"We're building a new project. The first two targets is very clear in ourselves is to find the soul of the team. Second target to improve in our organisation with and without the ball. Our style has to be the key of our season."

Fans may not have to wait long to see £85m man in action

Eye-watering sums have been spent on a midfield rebuild in Roberto De Zerbi’s image, with the Spurs boss playing a pivotal role in the deals to bring Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes to north London.

The early signs have been promising, with Spurs’ new double pivot showing glimpses of quality during pre-season. But the real test comes this weekend, with Brentford boasting a centrepiece signing of their own in the middle of the park.

Mamadou Sangare, a club-record £41m arrival from Lens, will be the man tasked with putting the pinch on two of the Premier League’s most press-resistant midfielders in what looks set to be a tantalising matchup.

Brentford went all out to get Sangare from under the nose of his former boss, Pierre Sage, who wanted to take the Mali international with him to Crystal Palace.

It was their relentless pursuit that seemed to speak to Sangare’s personality. “Addicted to getting better”, according to Rapid Vienna’s sporting director Markus Katzer, the 24-year-old bites at the heels of his opponents.

If he does not get the ball the first time round, he will snap straight back into another challenge until he comes out on top - no outfield player in Ligue 1 made more ball recoveries than Sangare last season.

Sangare is not a one-dimensional player, either. He finds solutions in tight spaces, can carry the ball up field and make telling contributions in the final third.

As with any player, though, there are of course limitations. An erratic disciplinary record highlights an occasional overzealousness in pursuit of the ball, and he has openly admitted his concentration can elude him. These are the shortcomings Spurs will need to capitalise on if they are to gain control on Saturday.

Physically, Brentford’s squad are in a good spot. They spent a week at a training camp in Portugal focusing solely on their physical preparation and intentionally did not schedule any friendlies until their return to London.

Double sessions at the Portuguese Football Federation's National Training Centre combined time on the pitch and gym work, with summer signing Jannik Schuster describing the training camp as far more intense than anything he had experienced at his former club, Red Bull Salzburg.

Now, Sangare did not arrive at Brentford until after they had returned from Portugal. Yet his dominant performance in the Bees’ 7-0 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt suggests he has had no problem adapting to the team’s intensity over the last couple of weeks.

While not the cleanest in possession, Sangare’s energy suffocated an admittedly under-strength Frankfurt side, and he capped an impressive unofficial debut with a goal from the edge of the box.

The Italian, whose swivel and drive set in motion Richarlison’s opening goal, played with grace but also tenacity as Spurs swept aside Hoffenheim 3-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs will hope that Fernandes can overcome the calf issue he has struggled with in pre-season to take some of the pressure off Tonali, but regardless, a fascinating battle awaits this weekend.

With both teams vying for European qualification this season, their prospects look set to be defined by the success of their statement midfield signings.

There is also a message in there about the identity of both clubs right now. Where Spurs opted for control and composure as they look to restore calm after crisis, Brentford signed a disruptor to help break the glass ceiling and secure their place in Europe for the first time in the club’s history.

Tottenham have confirmed their shirt numbers for the new season, but hope to confirm a few more ahead of the summer transfer deadline.

It has been a summer of upheaval and overhaul at Spurs, with more than £300million spent on new signings, headlined by Sandro Tonali’s £100m arrival from Newcastle.

Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, who cost £85m, will form the base of Spurs’ new midfield, while the likes of Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson come into defence.

All five have had their shirt numbers confirmed, and Savinho, who will cost at least £75m, will soon follow.

Spurs hope to add at least Omar Marmoush to their ranks, and there are around six realistic options for the Manchester City pair if, or when, they both make the move to north London.

There is otherwise little surprise in the confirmations, with new first-choice goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky sticking with his no31 shirt despite the no1 being free following Guglielmo Vicario’s loan move to Juventus.

Tottenham have seen their hopes of signing Savinho boosted even further, with Manchester City reportedly working on a deal for a replacement.

Standard Sport understands Spurs are in talks with Man City for Savinho, in addition to his team-mate at the Etihad Stadium in Omar Marmoush as they look to bolster their attack.

While nothing has been finalised ahead of Tottenham’s first game of the new Premier League season against Brentford, the double deal is gathering pace and there appears to have been a fresh breakthrough.

As reported by the Athletic, Man City have lined up Palmeiras winger Allan Elias as one of many options to replace Savinho.

Palmeiras, though, are aiming to keep hold of the 22-year-old, who has an €100million (£85m) in his release clause at the Arena Palmeiras.

Elias has previously been linked with a move to Liverpool and is widely expected to be the next big Palmeiras sale following the likes of Endrick and Estevao to Real Madrid and Chelsea respectively in recent years.

If Man City are able to reach an agreement for the winger, then it’s assumed that the door will be open for Savinho to finally make the switch to north London.

Savinho has been a long-standing transfer target for Tottenham after they initially failed to secure a move for the winger last summer.

After falling out of favour under former City boss Pep Guardiola, Savinho expressed his desire to leave the club and he was subsequently left out of new head coach Enzo Maresca’s squad for the Community Shield defeat by Arsenal last weekend after missing training through illness.

Tottenham are advancing in talks with Manchester City over a sensational double swoop for Omar Marmoush and Savinho.

Standard Sport understands that while nothing has yet been finalised, the deal is gathering pace as Spurs look to bolster their attack ahead of the new Premier League season.

Savinho has been a long-standing transfer target for Tottenham after they initially failed to secure a move for the Brazilian winger last summer.

After falling out of favour under former City boss Pep Guardiola, Savinho expressed his desire to leave the club and he was subsequently left out of new head coach Enzo Maresca’s squad for the Community Shield defeat by Arsenal last weekend after missing training through illness.

Marmoush has also been heavily linked with a move away from City after struggling for minutes last season.

The Egyptian forward played just 21 times under Guardiola in the Premier League last term, scoring three goals.

Big-spending Spurs have been in the market for attacking reinforcements all summer, with head coach Roberto De Zerbi stating that he wants two or three further additions before the end of an ambitious transfer window on September 1.

Supporter expectations then reached fever pitch when De Zerbi said during Spurs’ pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia that a “bomba” attacking signing was close to completion.

Now, with the revelation that the club are in talks with City over a double deal for Savinho and Marmoush, Spurs look set to overhaul their attacking options.

It is believed that Tottenham also still hold an interest in signing Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo. However, a move for the Dutch international is expected to be more difficult to pull off.

Gakpo has four years left on his contract at Anfield, while Liverpool insist there have been no club-to-club talks over a deal.

Roberto De Zerbi begins first full season at helm

Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham start their Premier League campaign away to Brentford on Saturday evening.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side have made waves in the transfer market, splashing £237million on new players this summer.

But the real test comes this weekend with a tricky opening game in store at the Gtech Community Stadium.

After successive 17th-place finishes, Spurs are determined to embark on a new era under the Italian.

Familiar injury issues, though, continue to hamper their preparation for the new season, leaving De Zerbi to sweat over the fitness of several key first-team players.

Micky van de Ven, who recently signed a bumper new contract, did not play at all during pre-season after returning from extended leave following the World Cup.

It is unclear what is wrong with the Dutch international, but he was not pictured in training on Tuesday.

There was some positive news, with Destiny Udogie, James Maddison and Mateus Fernandes all training ahead of Spurs’ trip across the capital.

Udogie, though, remains a doubt, having not played during pre-season as De Zerbi carefully manages his minutes after a succession of muscular issues.

Maddison, who is in contention to be named club captain after the departure of Cristian Romero, is another player seeing his minutes managed.

The England midfielder is still working his way back to full fitness after returning from an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the end of last season.

Although he has been pictured in training, his involvement against Brentford is also in doubt.

Striker Dominic Solanke is another doubt for the weekend, having been used sparingly in pre-season.

The 28-year-old missed the majority of last season with a recurring ankle injury and was absent from the relegation run-in due to a hamstring problem.

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Summer arrival Fernandes, signed from West Ham for £85million, has been struggling with a calf issue since linking up with Spurs on their pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia.

It is hoped he will be available for selection, but De Zerbi has so far opted to be cautious with Spurs’ injured players so as to avoid a repeat of last season’s injury crisis.

That means winger Mohammed Kudus, who has returned to training but has not played a single minute since January, is unlikely to be risked as he continues his recovery from a serious quad injury.

Without Kudus in the team, De Zerbi may hand Mikey Moore an opportunity on the right wing.

Moore is expected to leave Spurs on loan but not until they can bring in their own attacking targets.

Their drawn-out pursuit of Savinho has dragged on all summer, and Spurs appear no closer to an agreement with Manchester City for the Brazilian winger, leaving Moore in limbo.

There are also slight concerns that World Cup winner Pedro Porro may not yet be ready, having only recently returned to training.

The Spanish right-back is not carrying an injury but is potentially lacking sharpness and match fitness heading into this weekend.

Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert and Dejan Kulusevski remain long-term absentees.

Tottenham predicted XI: Kinsky; Gray, Van Hecke, Senesi, Robertson; Fernandes, Tonali; Moore, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison

Injured: Simons, Odobert, Kulusevski

Doubts: Maddison, Solanke, Porro, Fernandes, Udogie, Kudus

Venue: Gtech Community Stadium

Date and time: 5.30pm BST on Saturday, August 22, 2026

How to watch: Sky Sports

MORE ABOUT

Thomas Frank and Toby Alderweireld have joined the BBC Match of the Day lineup ahead of the new season.

Robbie Keane and Ashley Young will also join the show, with BBC Sport launching four new YouTube formats for the new men's football season.

The BBC Football YouTube channel will host the four new shows - FANS², The Truth About Football, Golden Goal and Football Hub.

Frank has appeared previously on the BBC’s flagship football highlights show, but former Tottenham and Belgium defender Alderweireld is a new addition to the lineup.

The future of the show, which has been running since 1964, has been thrown into doubt following the explosion of podcast content over the last few years.

Lineker’s The Rest is Football was brought by Netflix ahead of the World Cup, and has agreed a deal with the streaming service for the next two Premier League seasons.

Gary Neville and Disney+ have also agreed a deal for The Overlap’s podcast content, while Wayne Rooney, who was one of the stars of the BBC’s World Cup content, has started a new podcast called Stick to United with YouTuber Mark Goldbridge.

For now, the core pundit panel that were on Match of the Day last season are set to continue their duties, with Alan Shearer, Micah Richards and Danny Murphy all expected to remain on BBC screens.

Shearer and Richards are also key parts of The Rest is Football, which is owned and produced by Lineker’s Goalhanger production company.

Tottenham are reportedly in talks over a deal to sign Omar Marmoush, and it appears that the striker has already made up his mind.

David Ornstein reported on Wednesday evening that Spurs were looking into a double raid at Manchester City, eyeing moves for both Savinho and Marmoush as Roberto De Zerbi continues to try and strengthen his squad.

The north Londoners have been after Savinho, the Brazilian winger, for an extended period, but their interest in Marmoush is fresh.

The Egyptian has struggled for game time since his arrival from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025 for £59million.

He has had to play backup to star striker Erling Haaland, whose goalscoring feats have meant that the Norwegian has become nigh-on impossible to displace.

Now, The Athletic report that Marmoush has already decided to leave City this summer, despite Pep Guardiola’s departure and Enzo Maresca’s instalment as his replacement in the hotseat.

The 27-year-old played 21 times in the Premier League last term, scoring three goals, which had followed his seven strikes in 16 appearances the season prior.

Spurs are still in the market more signings despite spending £237m already in this summer transfer window.

De Zerbi has landed the likes of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes for £100m and £85m respectively, while Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Jan Paul van Hecke have all arrived to bolster the backline.

Now, the head coach wants reinforcements in the final third, with a long list of injury absentees leaving Spurs short.

Mateus Fernandes, James Maddison and Destiny Udogie have trained ahead of Tottenham’s Premier League opener against Brentford, but Micky van de Ven remains a doubt for this weekend’s trip across the capital.

Roberto De Zerbi has been left to sweat over the fitness of several first-team players ahead of the new season, with Maddison and Fernandes having their minutes managed during pre-season, while Van de Ven and Udogie did not feature at all.

Udogie is being managed carefully after a succession of muscular injuries last season, as is Maddison, who is still working up fitness from an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered last summer.

The pair, though, are pushing to be involved against Brentford, as does summer signing Fernandes, who has been dealing with a calf issue during the last few weeks.

There remain concerns, however, about Van de Ven, who was not spotted in training at Hotspur Way.

The Netherlands international, who recently signed a bumper new contract, was not involved in any of De Zerbi’s pre-season squads after returning from the World Cup and now seems unlikely to feature against Brentford.

Dominic Solanke is also a doubt, having been used sparingly during pre-season after missing the majority of last season with ankle and hamstring issues.

Spurs travel to the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday evening looking for a statement victory after an aggressive summer of spending.

The north London club, who have spent £237million on six new players this summer, are determined to put last season’s 17th-place finish behind them.