Spurs Web

Cristian Romero made a telling statement about Roberto De Zerbi’s methods and how he found working with the Italian, but the Tottenham centre-back may not get his wish after his recent injury setback.

It has been widely reported that the Tottenham players had raved about De Zerbi’s training sessions, having been extremely impressed by the newcomer.

It was claimed that De Zerbi’s arrival had transformed the mood at Hotspur Way and injected fresh enthusiasm into the club.

However, that positive feeling did not translate to a good performance on the pitch, with De Zerbi starting his reign at the club with a bruising loss, which has left the Lilywhites in the relegation zone.

Cristian Romero was looking forward to working closely with Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham

Spurs captain Romero is among those who appear to have been won over very quickly by the 46-year-old, with the Argentine making some very interesting comments in the lead-up to the Sunderland game.

Romero may have played his final game for Spurs, as the centre-back could be ruled out of the rest of the season due to a knee injury at a time when there is talk of his exiting the club in the summer.

The World Cup-winner’s comments from last week now make for sad reading, as the defender was clearly very excited about the prospect of working with the new Tottenham boss.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Speaking before the Sunderland clash, Cristian Romero told Sky Sports: “Many of my teammates on the national team who had him told me about him. My first impression was that he has the personality of a very strong-willed coach, and we’re learning.

“He knows a lot, he seems like a football professor, so I, as well as all my other teammates, listen to him because he teaches us things. So, I always come here with the mindset of wanting to keep learning, of wanting to keep growing, and well, I think he’s going to be a coach who has taught me a lot individually, so, well, I’m very happy that he’s here at the club today.

“I’ve had all kinds of coaches in recent years, and well, this one is a coach with a lot of passion, but as I said, aside from the passion he puts into everything on the field, he’s a coach who knows a lot. In these few days that I’ve been with him, you can already see the difference on the field, you can see the smiles again.”

Romero is confident Spurs will get out of relegation trouble

Romero may no longer play a part in Tottenham’s quest to stay up after his latest injury blow, with the Argentine in tears as he came off the pitch in the North East.

However, the Spurs captain was certainly confident in the lead-up to Sunday’s game that his side had the tools to stay up.

Romero added: “As I said, a great coach has arrived, and I’m sure we’re going to get out of this bad situation we’re in. First, because I think we have very good players, we have a squad that I think will get us out of this. So I am the first to trust all my colleagues, the first to give my life to change this situation, and I am sure that my colleagues will do the same.”

Glenn Hoddle’s past comments about Tottenham Hotspur still ring true to this day, with the club continuing to struggle in the transfer market.

Many Tottenham Hotspur fans will point to the club’s higher-ups as the reason for the Lilywhites’ struggles in recent seasons.

Spurs find themselves currently in the relegation zone following their latest defeat at the hands of Sunderland and are now at risk of becoming a Championship side next campaign.

However, many fans will point out that the relegation scrap could well have been avoided had Spurs dipped into their cash reserves and strengthened their squad during the winter window.

Glenn Hoddle reflects on his biggest Tottenham regret

In January, Tottenham only signed Conor Gallagher and Souza, spending a net of £15 million as Brennan Johnson was sold for £35 million, the same fee they paid for Gallagher.

The club’s director, Johan Lange, explained that Spurs opted against spending heavily because they did not want to make any panic buys.

However, those decisions are set to come back to haunt them, with the squad struggling through an injury crisis and now on the verge of losing their Premier League status, one they have held for 48 years.

MORE SPURS STORIES

But these challenges are not new at the club. In an interview with The Guardian in 2021, Tottenham legend Glenn Hoddle reflected on his struggles to build any meaningful relationship with majority owner Joe Lewis, while also highlighting the limited investment during his tenure.

Reflecting on that period and why it remains a major regret, he said: “No. I’ve never met Joe Lewis. Never even had a phone call. Never had a conversation with him and Spurs were always my club. That was the happiest I should have been but it was probably the most disgruntled I felt – at Tottenham.

“It was such a shame because I wanted it so much. I wanted to build a side to win the league like we did at Monaco. That was one of my big regrets but the money was not there.”

Spurs spending contrasted as Glenn Hoddle reveals missed transfer chance

Spurs, who were 12 points clear of the bottom three back on matchday 19, have now lost that cushion to West Ham United, who leapfrogged them in gameweek 32 after their 4-0 win over Wolves.

The Hammers, whose relegation fate looked sealed at the time, have fought their way out of danger, having spent a significant amount bolstering their squad in the winter window.

In January alone, Nuno’s men splashed the cash, completing six transfers, with new signing Taty Castellanos’ brace helping the London side secure their victory over Wolves.

Tottenham Hotspur have now been linked with a Barcelona midfielder who is struggling for game time, but there is a big obstacle in the way.

Tottenham Hotspur find themselves in a dire situation in the Premier League this season as they could well lose their English top-flight status.

However, the Lilywhites are aiming not to go down without a fight, having hired former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi ahead of the Premier League run-in.

Sadly, the Italian was in for a rude awakening on his Spurs debut as his side suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat at the hands of Sunderland, leaving Tottenham in the bottom three with six games to spare.

Tottenham linked with Marc Casado as his Barcelona future is uncertain

But De Zerbi is expected to have a big task on his hands regardless of Tottenham’s league position next season.

A rebuild is very much needed, with the new Spurs boss handed the task of keeping a few Tottenham players at the club before he then goes on to strengthen the squad.

Bringing in players with experience could bode well for Tottenham, and Tuttomercato have now linked Spurs with Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado.

MORE SPURS STORIES

The Spanish international, despite being 22, has featured 71 times already for the La Liga side, although most of his appearances came last season.

This campaign, he has struggled for game time, making just 901 minutes of appearances in the Spanish top flight as he finds it difficult to secure regular minutes. Spurs are well aware of this and are among the clubs showing interest in the midfielder.

Spurs face competition for Marc Casado as Saudi interest emerges

But Tottenham are sure to face stiff competition if they are to secure the services of Casado, who in January declared, “Barca is the club of my life.”

West Ham United are also said to be interested in landing the Barcelona midfielder this summer, while Atletico Madrid are also in the race for the 22-year-old.

However, it is explained that Saudi Arabia is the more concrete option for Casado, as the PIF fund is reportedly ready to put around €40 million (£34m) on the table. That in itself is a significant sum which could push Barcelona, struggling with financial difficulties, to consider a sale.

Tottenham Hotspur’s summer transfer window is already uncertain with the threat of relegation, and now Manuel Neuer could complicate things further.

It is difficult for Tottenham Hotspur to plan for the summer when they are currently on course to be relegated from the Premier League.

Nevertheless, Spurs are drawing up plans for new signings, with some first-team players likely to depart at the end of the season.

Guglielmo Vicario is one member of the Tottenham first-team squad who could be on the move. The Italian has been linked with Inter Milan, which means a new goalkeeper may need to be brought in.

Already, the club hierarchy have been working to identify a replacement for Vicario and reports a few months ago claimed Tottenham were admirers of Bart Verbruggen.

Tottenham must wait for Manuel Neuer before Bart Verbruggen move

Team Talk have reported that Tottenham will have to be patient before learning whether or not signing the Brighton shot-stopper is a possibility.

This is because Bayern Munich are also interested in securing his services, should Manuel Neuer retire at the end of the season.

MORE SPURS STORIES

However, the German legend will not make up his mind until after a potential Champions League final at the end of May.

Speaking to Sky Deutschland this week, ex-Bayern goalkeeper Oliver Kahn said: “Isn’t now the perfect time to win all trophies with Bayern one last time and then retire at the very highest point possible?

“If he wins the Champions League again with Bayern, that would be his third title. He’s already a World Champion. Then it would be smart to say: ‘That’s it.’ – that’s quite an art for an athlete.”

Spurs face competition to sign Verbruggen

Brighton are looking to make a significant profit on Verbruggen, who cost them £16m when he was signed from Anderlecht three years ago.

Bayern would surely be the 23-year-old’s potential destination, but even if Neuer does not retire, Tottenham may have to compete with Inter. Of course, selling Vicario to the Italian side could solve that particular problem.

The Serie A club are also keen on Verbruggen, and if they won the race, Spurs would need to find a new buyer for Vicario.

Still, now that Roberto De Zerbi is the Tottenham manager, perhaps that will work as an incentive for the goalkeeper, considering their history together at the Seagulls.

Bruno Fernandes has praised Harry Kane for making the switch from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich, but there is a level of irony in his comments.

Tottenham Hotspur have been without Harry Kane for almost three seasons, and the loss of his presence is still very much felt. The likes of Richarlison, Dominic Solanke, and Randal Kolo Muani have far from lived up to his mantle this season.

Kane not only became his boyhood club’s top all-time scorer, but he has also continued to net goals for fun at Bayern Munich despite now being in his thirties.

In 41 appearances this season, Kane has scored an astonishing 49 goals, a record which will surely put him in contention for the Ballon d’Or.

Bruno Fernandes says Harry Kane was right to leave Tottenham

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been speaking about his time at Old Trafford, lamenting the fact that he has only won two pieces of silverware since signing from Sporting CP.

The 31-year-old discussed the topic of loyalty, which prompted him to mention Kane ditching Spurs to join Bayern, a move which Fernandes respected.

He told The Times: “If he [Kane] had stayed [at Tottenham Hotspur] another one or two seasons, he’d have been the best goalscorer ever in the Premier League. So, would he have been a legend or not? He would.

MORE SPURS STORIES

“He decided to go to Bayern and the decision is good because he knows he has a big chance of winning trophies. And now we’re talking about Harry Kane that is scoring the same amount of goals he was scoring at Tottenham, but he might win a Ballon d’Or now because he’s going to win trophies.”

Spurs won a trophy after Kane left anyway

Kane may have experienced success in the Bundesliga, but Tottenham won a trophy shortly after the Englishman’s first.

Ironically, Spurs did so by beating Man United, which somewhat invalidates Fernandes’ comments, at least to some degree.

Plus, if Kane had stayed in North London, Tottenham would certainly not be in their current state of affairs.

Ultimately, Kane made a decision which could result in him winning the Champions League this season. However, this does not mean he would have continued to never win anything at Spurs, had he decided to sign a new contract.

Tottenham Hotspur are once again battling injury setbacks, with Roberto De Zerbi facing mounting selection concerns ahead of a crucial clash against Brighton and Hove Albion.

Roberto De Zerbi has not had any luck on the injury front since taking charge of Tottenham Hotspur a few weeks ago.

While the new Tottenham manager was hoping to have Mohammed Kudus available for selection during the Premier League run-in, he was dealt a major blow just before the Sunderland clash.

Kudus is ruled out until the summer after injuring his thigh and is now set to undergo surgery, racing against time to make the World Cup.

Tottenham injury list grows as Cristian Romero setback confirmed

De Zerbi’s woes were further compounded in the match against Sunderland as he watched club captain Cristian Romero pick up an injury following a collision with Antonin Kinsky.

Romero’s MRI scan has since come through, and the Argentine is set to miss 5-7 weeks, consequently bringing his Premier League season to an end, although he should be back for the World Cup.

Those injuries have only reduced De Zerbi’s options heading into the game against Brighton at the weekend, with eight players still sidelined going into this encounter.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr, who were doubts heading into the Sunderland game, made the bench on Sunday.

However, this still leaves James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Wilson Odobert, Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus, Guglielmo Vicario and Cristian Romero all out or doubts ahead of this fixture.

Spurs relegation battle intensifies amid poor results

While this serves as a big blow for Tottenham, securing a win remains the focus as Spurs run the risk of being relegated this season.

As it stands, the Lilywhites find themselves in the bottom three after failing to beat Sunderland on Sunday, with results elsewhere not going their way either.

All of Tottenham’s relegation rivals picked up points last weekend, which is a big blow for Spurs, who ended with zero points.

West Ham United beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0, Leeds United beat Manchester United 2-1, while Nottingham Forest drew 1-1 with Aston Villa.

Tottenham Hotspur are one of two Premier League clubs plotting a move for a forward who has taken Turkish football by storm since his January switch.

Tottenham’s forward line requires major surgery in the summer, and we saw evidence of that again in Roberto De Zerbi’s first game in charge, with the Lilywhites struggling to produce moments of quality in the final third.

If De Zerbi somehow manages to keep Spurs in the Premier League, one would expect the Italian to prioritise adding firepower upfront ahead of his first full season in charge at N17.

It has now emerged that Spurs have set their sights on a 25-year-old striker who has been prolific across two different European leagues this season.

Tottenham battling Premier League giants for Oh Hyeon-gyu

According to a report in Turkiye, Tottenham are considering a summer swoop for Besiktas striker Oh Hyeon-gyu, who has hit the limelight in Turkey over the last couple of months.

Besiktas paid €14m (£12.1m) to land the South Korean from Gent in January after he managed 10 goals and three assists for the Belgian side in the first half of the campaign.

Since his move to Istanbul, the forward has netted seven goals, bringing his total tally for the season to 17 strikes and five assists across the whole campaign.

MORE SPURS STORIES

His performances at Besiktas have attracted the attention of clubs from the Premier League, with Tottenham and Man United ‘in particular’ monitoring him closely.

Spurs have a lot of work to do to secure Oh Hyeon-gyu

The report says that while both the Lilywhites and Red Devils have been impressed by Oh’s displays, they have only watched the youngster so far.

Neither Premier League club has made contact with Besiktas or the striker’s agent regarding a summer transfer.

The report further adds that the Turkish club expects Oh’s value to go up this summer as he is expected to play an important part in South Korea’s World Cup campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur could be heading into a defining summer, with uncertainty over their league status casting doubt on the futures of several senior players already sidelined or facing unclear paths at the club. We have now highlighted five players who could have played their last game for Spurs.

Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping they can beat the drop this season as they plan for a rebuild in the summer transfer window.

Of course, the nature and extent of that rebuild will be determined by the division Spurs are in next campaign.

Going down to the Championship will bring severe financial repercussions and could also bring forth a mass exodus, while staying in the Premier League could see a few marquee additions as Spurs aim to bolster their squad.

With that in mind, we have now highlighted five Tottenham stars who may have already played their last game for the club ahead of the summer transfer window.

Cristian Romero’s injury could end Tottenham stay amid Atletico Madrid interest

Cristian Romero is one player who quickly comes to mind, especially because of the latest injury the World Cup winner picked up in the game against Sunderland.

Following an MRI scan, it has been confirmed that Romero is expected to miss five to seven weeks of action, which effectively rules him out for the rest of the season.

MORE SPURS STORIES

He will return in the summer just in time for the World Cup with Argentina, but given the transfer speculation involving him, he could well be headed to a new club afterwards, with Atletico Madrid still keen on signing the Spurs centre-back.

Romero’s dad also revealed that his son has a release clause in his Tottenham deal, which will make things even more interesting in the summer.

Ben Davies contract uncertainty raises doubts over Tottenham’s future

Ben Davies is another player who could have played his last game for Spurs this season. The Wales international is currently the longest-serving player in the Tottenham Hotspur ranks, having spent over a decade in north London.

However, this season could be his last, with his contract set to expire this summer, allowing him to walk away on a free.

With Davies nursing an injury, it is very unlikely he will take to the field in a Tottenham shirt again this campaign, especially with his return date unknown.

There have also been no reports of a possible contract renewal for the 32-year-old ahead of next season, and with Spurs keen on landing Robertson, it could well signal the end of the Davies era.

Yves Bissouma expected to leave Spurs as contract winds down

Unlike the rest, Yves Bissouma could still feature once more this season for Tottenham, having returned from an injury setback in the game against Sunderland.

The Mali international made the bench in that encounter and has featured a few times already this season.

However, the consensus is that this could be his last year at Tottenham, with Bissouma’s contract expected to expire in the summer.

Spurs are not planning to renew Bissouma’s deal, but the Malian is not short of interest from a number of clubs.

James Maddison faces an uncertain Tottenham future if relegation happens

James Maddison will not feature for Tottenham again this season as he continues to recover from an ACL injury.

Maddison has returned to first-team training, but even then, a return has been pencilled in for June, which confirms no games until next season.

His situation, however, hinges on whether he will remain at Tottenham should they go down to the Championship this season.

If Spurs are relegated, Maddison could depart, and his last appearance for the club may end up being the pre-season encounter in which he picked up his injury.

Dejan Kulusevski’s absence sparks concerns over long-term Spurs role

Dejan Kulusevski’s case is a rather disappointing one, given that he has been out since last season, having last played in May 2025. That is a long time on the sidelines, with his recovery far from straightforward.

Many Tottenham fans are even beginning to speculate whether Kulusevski will play again, although Kulusevski has reassured supporters that he is recovering well.

Tottenham have had a disastrous weekend of results, and their misery continued on Monday as relegation rivals, Leeds United, pulled off an unlikely win away at Old Trafford.

Spurs dropped into the relegation zone for the first time this season following West Ham’s win over Wolves last Friday, and they were unable to get out of the bottom three on Sunday as they fell to a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland.

After the latest round of results, for the first time, Opta considered Tottenham the favourites to go down alongside Burnley and Wolves this season.

The data analysis platform gave the Lilywhites a 46.5 per cent chance of going down, considerably higher than West Ham’s 38.78 per cent, and they have now revised their prediction again following Monday’s result at Manchester.

Leeds further dent Tottenham’s hopes of Premier League survival

Leeds emerged with a 2-1 win from Old Trafford on Monday, courtesy of a first-half brace by Noah Okafor and a sending off in the 56th minute for Man United centre-back Lisandro Martinez.

Following that result, Opta’s Supercomputer have reduced the likelihood of Daniel Farke’s side going down and has increased the chances of Tottenham’s relegation.

MORE SPURS STORIES

The algorithm now says that Tottenham are 49.5 per cent likely to be in the Championship next term, which means that they believe that survival and relegation are now almost equally as likely for the Lilywhites with six league games left.

What is the likelihood of relegation for Spurs’ rivals?

The website has reported no change in their likelihood of West Ham’s relegation after Monday’s result, with the Hammers continuing to be given a 38.78 chance of going down.

Nottingham Forest have been given just a 10.1 per cent chance while Leeds have been given a paltry 1.6 per cent chance of relegation after their win on Monday.

Opta’s probability rating seems to suggest that the Hammers are the only team Tottenham are likely to catch as De Zerbi’s men attempt to get out of their relegation mess.

Tottenham Hotspur must respond after a damaging defeat against Sunderland, and we expect several changes to the starting XI this weekend as Spurs take on Brighton and Hove Albion.

Tottenham Hotspur now need to pick themselves up after their 1-0 defeat to Sunderland on Sunday afternoon.

That loss leaves Spurs in the bottom three for the first time this season, with just six games left as they fight to avoid relegation to the Championship.

As the season reaches its end, Tottenham will be aiming to pick up at least ten more points as they push to hit the 40-point mark, which could guarantee their safety.

The clash against Brighton this weekend presents an opportunity to begin that push, and we have highlighted the XI we want to see Roberto De Zerbi put out.

Tottenham XI vs Brighton as Pedro Porro and Richarlison decisions made

Of course, Injuries remain a factor for Spurs, and that will affect the players De Zerbi can field on Saturday. Guglielmo Vicario is still recovering from hernia surgery and is a doubt, which should allow Antonin Kinsky to retain the goalkeeping spot after a solid display on Sunday afternoon.

However, lining up in front of him, we expect to see a back four comprising Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso and Destiny Udogie.

MORE SPURS STORIES

While Porro at times struggled and was caught out in the first half against Sunderland, the full-back still put in a solid shift, offering attacking threat, and we would like to see him continue on the right.

Danso is expected to come in for Cristian Romero – who is set to miss the rest of the season, and given that he is more reliable than Radu Dragusin, it is almost a no-brainer.

Van de Ven still has qualities that are valuable to Spurs, so he should start, while Udogie was good against Sunderland, offering both defensive and attacking cover, and should retain his role at left-back.

Midfield balance and attacking tweaks needed

In midfield, Spurs surely need more defensive cover, so Joao Palhinha should return to the side, replacing Connor Gallagher, who was far from perfect against Sunderland.

Alongside him in the pivot role is Archie Gray, who was among the highest-rated players, according to Jamie O’Hara, and given his form, it is hard to see who would bench him.

Rounding off the midfield three should be Lucas Bergvall, who still brings energy and allows Tottenham to press from the front.

Now, in the front three, we want to see something different from what was attempted against Sunderland, where De Zerbi played all three of his strikers.

We would like to see natural wingers come into this game and, to accommodate that, Mathys Tel should be shifted to the right to offer width and a greater threat from that area.

Leading the line should be Richarlison, who had a couple of good chances against Sunderland but fluffed his lines; he still remains the most prolific option for Spurs.

On the left, a more fluid setup is needed, with Xavi Simons coming into the side. He is most dangerous in central areas, and if deployed on the left, he should be given the licence to drift inside, where he can do the most damage.

That will allow Udogie to hold the width on the left, overlapping the midfielder to give Spurs an added attacking outlet.

Tottenham starting XI: Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Palhinha, Gray, Bergvall; Tel, Richarlison, Simons.