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Tottenham Hotspur are looking to reunite their head coach with one of his key players from his final season at Brighton & Hove Albion

Tottenham are in talks with Brighton after having had a bid rejected for Jan Paul van Hecke and the centre-back is a player Roberto De Zerbi has had plenty to say about.

Van Hecke, who turns 26 this Monday, became a key player for De Zerbi in his backline in his final season at Brighton as the Dutchman became a mainstay of that Seagulls team alongside captain Lewis Dunk. It took some time for him to get to that point though, with loans during Graham Potter's tenure on the south coast to Heerenveen back home in the Netherlands and then Blackburn Rovers.

De Zerbi kept Van Hecke around though when he arrived and after frequently challenging him during his first campaign at the club it was in his second season that the centre-back blossomed and became the Premier League player he is today.

When De Zerbi left Brighton at the end of that campaign, Van Hecke wrote on social media: "Gaffer thank you very much! You changed my life! I’m really thankful for what you did for me. I’m really upset you are leaving."

But what have De Zerbi and others said about the Dutch centre-back, who has 12 months left on his contract with the Seagulls, and his ability and journey in the game? Here are just some of the things said about the Tottenham transfer target and you'll find one word in particular used a lot by the Italian.

De Zerbi on Van Hecke in September 2023

"Incredible. His performance was fantastic. I haven't got words to explain his improvement. He’s a serious player, a serious guy. I’m very, very pleased.

"“He has a big personality, big courage, great attitude and he deserves to play."

De Zerbi on Van Hecke surprising him ahead of facing Ajax in November 2023

"He's a great player. He has been a surprise for me and maybe also the club. His improvement is incredible and I hope he plays the same way in Amsterdam the same way he does in England."

Van Hecke's response

"My game has progressed a lot, from day one to now is incredible. Credit to the gaffer for making me a better player and I think myself for working hard to improve. I’m really happy and I love the way we play.

De Zerbi in December 2023 after Van Hecke signed his last contract

"I think the most important quality of JP is the balance between the arrogance and the confidence in himself. He is not arrogant but his confidence in himself is high, high, high.

“It is his secret to keep this level because he has an incredible personality, shows incredible leadership and he is so young. It's not common to see one young player with that level of personality."

He added on their early struggles: "Last season we fought... but we fought in a good way. We spoke a lot together. I am very proud of JP, and Billy [Gilmour]. They are both great guys and deserve to play in this level now. Their improvement has been fantastic.

"For young players, I think Brighton is one of the best teams to progress at, to play and improve. If they have the ambitions to reach the highest level, there are not many places better to be at than Brighton."

De Zerbi after Van Hecke starred against West Ham in January 2024

"He is improving in an incredible way. He’s older than his age. His level is high, higher than people think."

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Lewis Dunk on Van Hecke in January 2024

"Jan Paul's reaction to the own goal sums him up as a person. He will give you everything he’s got. His is the biggest improvement I have seen in a player since the manager arrived. I love it. It was a great assist after the own goal and I was buzzing for him."

Pep Guardiola on what he told Van Hecke in confrontation after the final whistle in November 2024

"That he [Van Hecke] was strong with Erling [Haaland] and when Erling then stands up, you have to stand up, he cannot go to the grass. Stay strong, no? You pull him all the game then after the fight you stay there. But he played a really good game and congratulations to Brighton."

Pierre van Hooijdonk, now an analyst on NOS television, on Ven Hecke's Netherlands debut

"He is the best of them all in passing. That says something. And covering, that is Van Hecke through and through.

“He is really crazy, positively crazy. You have to be that as a defender."

Bart Verbruggen on Van Hecke and his shared NAC Breda history

"He played one age group above me for Breda, and he went into the first team a bit quicker than I did. But I just remember when training sometimes with his age group that they had a very good team at the time, a very strong team. You could always see Jan Paul’s quality in possession. Obviously, he got a lot better, even though he was already good!

"Most people might not know this, but he used to take penalties at NAC. I remember him scoring some penalties in front of the NAC ultras – the celebrations were always nice! Their fans are really lively and obsessed with the club and the game. I remember him scoring some penalties and then celebrating with them.”

"I wasn’t shocked by Jan Paul getting the move to Brighton. He went on loan straight after – I think it’s one of the pathways you see more often now as well as here at Brighton, signing for a big team and then going out on loan. I’ve always been a fan of him as a player and as a person. I wasn’t surprised when he left, I could understand what a big team would see in him.

"If you see how his career worked out, I think all credit to him. He has taken the right steps at the right time and always had the right attitude and the right mentality. If you have those things, then the quality will take care of itself, but I think he maybe even surprised some people with how well he is doing now.

"It’s the same for JP – obviously when he was playing, everybody could see his quality, but I think to see how good he is now, maybe some people wouldn’t have expected it at the time because they didn’t really see him as someone destined for the top.

“It's really hard in any sport to be as consistent as he is. That’s one of his big qualities, but it could also be his ability on the ball, his quality in defence, his mental strength. There’s so many qualities about him that the national team coach would love about him. But the competition is high and the fact that he’s playing is a very, very big compliment to him.

"I think everybody can see how good of a player JP is, but what people maybe don’t always see because they don’t know him is how good a person he is. He really helped me a lot when I joined, in terms of showing me the way around Brighton, even teaching me about the culture at the training ground.

“I'm really grateful for how he and Joel (Veltman) helped when I first joined. We became really close. We are good friends. His wife and my girlfriend get along really well, and it’s just nice to have all the Dutch players here as we all get along really well. JP is definitely a big, big part of the great atmosphere in the squad we have."

Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman on starting Van Hecke

"Why did I choose Van Hecke? Well, you generally assume that Hungary will do the same as in the previous game," Koeman said.

"They will drop far back and keep the spaces small. That is why it is important to have a good build-up of reverse, and Van Hecke's very good at that.

"Of course it also has to do with how he plays at his club. If you have many good central defenders, you can also do something else to decide on details.

Fabian Hurzeler on Van Hecke's leadership

"I think every team needs leaders, someone with a voice in the dressing room. Jan Paul is a player who takes responsibility and naturally embraces that leadership role. He’s a player that others look up to, and that’s not just because of his performances on the pitch, but also the way he conducts himself off it.

"He has made incredible progress not just as a player, which is evident, but also as a person. He is increasingly aware of his role in the dressing room, speaking with many teammates, helping them, and pushing the team to give everything in every match. That’s what makes him special. He doesn’t just lead by example with his performances, but he actively engages with the squad to create a winning mentality.

"I’m very happy that he does things like this [dressing room speech]. He is great at using the right words to inspire his teammates. It’s not easy to find players who have that natural leadership ability, but Jan Paul has it. He keeps our team sharp, motivated, and even at halftime, he delivers the right analysis. Thanks to him, Brighton is constantly reminded of the things that need to be done right."

Hurzeler on Van Hecke deserving a new contract

"Of course, great players with great personalities are always welcomed at this club," said Hurzeler when asked about Van Hecke's contract situation ahead of the Manchester United clash.

"I think a prime example is Lewis. Players who are here for a long time who have built a legacy. I am sure Jan Paul van Hecke can be one of them. But the main thing is that we try to make sure that he can perform like he performed the last games for us, that the focus is here, the present.

"Don't try to focus on the future. Try to focus on the things he can influence now and his performances, his development regarding his role as a leader.

"I'm always pleased when I can work with great players, great people, and hopefully he has a long and bright future here in Brighton."

Sandro on why Spurs must sign Van Hecke

"They are talking about Marcos Senesi, at Bournemouth, but I really like the defender from Brighton, Van Hecke. I really like him. He's good on the ball, he played with De Zerbi before too. He's not only good on the ball, but he can be very aggressive and in a way that he’s not stupid, he's not doing crazy things without the ball, but I think he's mature," said Sandro, speaking exclusively to Reach PLC ahead of the World Cup thanks to betFIRST sport.

"For me, Van Hecke is ready. He's ready to play because he played under De Zerbi and he showed that he can play in the moment, that he's mature, and we need players that are already mature. I think we are now going to the market and have to buy players that are ready."

Tottenham are looking to rebuild their defence with Premier League proven players this summer and Roberto De Zerbi is glancing at his old club

Tottenham are looking to give Roberto De Zerbi want he wants this summer and that means trying to sign Jan Paul van Hecke, who once claimed the Italian changed his life.

De Zerbi's stock could not be higher at Spurs after saving them from relegation, having arrived in the final weeks of the season and led them to 11 points from their final six matches. In doing so he saved the north London club around £250million in lost revenue that the drop down to the Championship would have brought and earned plenty of gratitude in the process.

That will spill into this transfer window with Tottenham keen to fix football matters on the pitch, with the owners and those running the club making it clear publicly that too much focus had been on off the pitch matters in recent years. The Lewis family, who own Spurs, have pledged further funds to push through the required changes this summer.

One of the areas of priority for De Zerbi is reinforcing a leaky defence that has conceded 183 goals in the Premier League in the past three seasons alone.

Barring any late disasters, free transfers for left-back Andy Robertson and left-sided centre-back Marcos Senesi are expected to be pushed through to be announced after the Premier League transfer window opens on June 15. Both players currently have contracts with Liverpool and Bournemouth respectively until the end of this month.

Now Tottenham are trying to push through a transfer for a right-sided centre-back and a player De Zerbi knows very well in Van Hecke before the Dutchman begins his full involvement in the World Cup this summer.

Van Hecke, who turns 26 this coming Monday, became a key player for De Zerbi in his final season at Brighton and when the Italian left the south coast club at the end of that campaign, the centre-back wrote on social media: "Gaffer thank you very much! You changed my life! I’m really thankful for what you did for me. I’m really upset you are leaving."

Now Spurs are trying to reunite the duo who would clash in their early days together as De Zerbi pushed for more from the Dutchman.

In their first season together, with Van Hecke mostly on the bench, De Zerbi once admitted: "We fight. We fought, but we fought in a good way." Whatever was said between the two worked and the following campaign, with the centre-back hitting new heights, the Italian concluded: "He is improving in an incredible way. He's actually older than his age. His level is high, higher than people think."

Seagulls captain Lewis Dunk added: "It's the biggest improvement I've ever seen in a player since this manager arrived and I love it. He will give you everything he's got, every single day."

Spurs are believed to have had a bid rejected by Brighton and will continue talks for the Netherlands international hopeful that the move will happen. The key to their success will be just how realistic the Seagulls' valuation is of a player who is approaching the final 12 months of his contract. The defender's former club NAC Breda are also entitled to a 7.5 per cent cut of any fee according to Dutch reports.

It's clear that Tottenham's transfer policy has switched in the main to Premier League-experienced players after mistakes in the market in previous seasons. Joao Palhinha and Conor Gallagher ended up becoming key players in keeping the club up under De Zerbi, while Robertson, Senesi and Van Hecke all have years in the English game under their belt. Another transfer target, Manchester City winger Savinho, arrived in the Premier League two years ago.

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Senesi and Van Hecke will suit De Zerbi's style with their comfort on the ball and ease at playing in a style that baits the press of the opposition team. They also importantly fit the club's renewed commitment, after the injury crises of recent years, to signing players robust enough to deal with the physical nature of De Zerbi's football. Neither centre-back has missed much game time in recent years through injury.

The question will be what does it mean for Tottenham's current crop of centre-backs. Micky van de Ven looks set to be a big part of De Zerbi's team after the head coach called the Dutchman the best left-sided centre-back in the Premier League. Van de Ven and Van Hecke played alongside each other in the Netherlands' 1-0 defeat to Algeria on Wednesday night, the former at left-back.

Van de Ven put his injury problems behind him last season, with 45 appearances and 18 of those as captain in the absence of Cristian Romero.

The left-footed Senesi will provide a strong battle to push on Van de Ven, but what of the right side of the defence if Van Hecke were to arrive?

Tottenham currently have Romero, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin and on-loan star in the making Luka Vuskovic, who can play on either the left or right of a central pairing, or in the centre of a three.

Romero's future looks increasingly like being spent away from the club next season once the World Cup is done, despite the Argentine only signing a new contract last summer. De Zerbi was unable to confirm whether the club captain would be sticking around beyond this summer and with Tottenham looking for maximum value for players who either do not want to be at the club or are not part of the plans, this could be the best summer to get what they expect for the 28-year-old.

Radu Dragusin is also expected to depart this summer, with clubs in Serie A looking to take the Romanian back to Italy, and a big decision must then be made on Vuskovic.

After a season in Hamburg, in which he was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season, the 19-year-old has a queue of Europe's biggest clubs looking to sign him. Spurs must decide whether to continue with the longer road for him, as Arsenal did with William Saliba's three loans after they beat their north London rivals to sign the Frenchman in 2019, or bring Vuskovic back now.

The young Croatian, who will play at the World Cup this summer, has been addressing the only current concern about his Premier League readiness - his acceleration and pace - by working with former decathlete Josko Vlasic this season.

Those in the game say Vuskovic has a far higher ceiling than Van Hecke, but the problem is ensuring the teenager, who has a contract until 2030, gets the minutes he requires for his continued rapid development in a season in which Spurs do not have European football and therefore far fewer games in the schedule.

De Zerbi admitted to football.london that Danso is still getting to grips with his quick passing style but made it clear that "he will be here next season" after praising the rest of the Austria international's qualities.

That means the move for Van Hecke, with Danso also around, appears to suggest that Vuskovic will get a second loan move since arriving at Tottenham, with two more for the teenager before that while technically still a Hajduk Split player.

There are also a list of other young centre-backs for De Zerbi to decide on their next steps, with with the on-loan Ashley Phillips, Kota Takai, Alfie Dorrington as well as academy products Jun'ai Byfield and Malachi Hardy developing.

One thing at least that can be taken from the move for Van Hecke and others is that Spurs are trying to act quickly and decisively in the transfer window for De Zerbi, especially amid a summer when the World Cup will soon slow down the merry-go-round for many clubs.

Roberto De Zerbi looks to be having a direct impact on Tottenham's summer transfers with a move made for Brighton star Jan Paul van Hecke made

Tottenham have seen an opening bid for Jan Paul van Hecke rejected by Brighton. The central defender played under Roberto De Zerbi at the Seagulls with the Italian clearly keen to bring the central defender to north London.

Spurs' first offer for the Netherlands international fell below their valuation, with The Telegraph stating that is £70million, but talks are set to continue with the aim of striking an agreement.

The Lilywhites have already agreed deals for Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson following their departures from Bournemouth and Liverpool, respectively, as free agents.

Those two deals were all but finalised in April but depended on their Premier League status being confirmed as to whether or not they would both get over the line.

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Spurs ended up surviving on the final day with a victory over Everton while West Ham United were relegated to the Championship.

Staying in the top-flight was vital to how the upcoming summer transfer window would play out with Spurs able to target players like Van Hecke and Manchester City winger Savinho.

The Brazilian was strongly linked with a move to Spurs last summer and their interest has been reignited after another challenging season for the 22-year-old.

Pep Guardiola played a key role in keeping him at Etihad Stadium for the 2025/26 season but he has now left City which could prove pivotal. His reduced minutes over the last nine months also makes it likely Spurs won't have to pay the £70million they were quoted in the summer of 2025.

Spurs are in desperate need of a new winger with a striker addition also on the priority list after difficult seasons for both Dominic Solanke and Richarlison.

With Senesi already set to join and Van Hecke being formally pursued, it looks as though at least one of, but potentially both, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero will depart the club this summer.

Liverpool and Atletico Madrid appear as their most likely destinations while Manchester City are interested in signing Pedro Porro.

Another loan move for Luka Vuskovic also appears likely while Yves Bissouma, Radu Dragusin, Guglielmo Vicario could all move on permanently.

Tottenham have been linked with a number of centre-backs already and one of De Zerbi's former players has told him who he must sign

Sandro firmly believes that Jan Paul van Hecke is the perfect centre-back his old boss Roberto De Zerbi could sign this summer for Tottenham Hotspur.

There are expected to be plenty of personnel changes at Spurs after another 17th-placed finish and the north London club surviving relegation by just two points on the final day. Tottenham are closing in on the free transfer of Bournemouth's player of the season Marcos Senesi but the left footer could potentially be brought in to battle with Micky van de Ven for one centre-back spot while De Zerbi brings in another new face on the right.

Captain Cristian Romero and Ragu Dragusin have both been heavily linked with moves out of the club, which on the right of central defence leaves Kevin Danso and a decision to be made over Luka Vuskovic as the 19-year-old returns from his impressive loan in Hamburg, where he made the Bundesliga team of the season.

Sandro, who played for De Zerbi in Italy at Benevento, believes his old boss should go all out for one of his former Brighton players in 25-year-old Van Hecke, who is approaching the final 12 months of his contract.

"They are talking about Marcos Senesi, at Bournemouth, but I really like the defender from Brighton, Van Hecke. I really like him. He's good on the ball, he played with De Zerbi before too. He's not only good on the ball, but he can be very aggressive and in a way that he’s not stupid, he's not doing crazy things without the ball, but I think he's mature," said Sandro, speaking exclusively to Reach PLC ahead of the World Cup thanks to betFIRST sport.

"For me, Van Hecke is ready. He's ready to play because he played under De Zerbi and he showed that he can play in the moment, that he's mature, and we need players that are already mature. I think we are now going to the market and have to buy players that are ready."

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While Romero could depart this summer, despite signing a new bumper contract a year ago, Sandro has made it clear that Van de Ven must remain in north London.

"100 per cent, he needs to stay. He needs to stay, Van de Ven needs to stay, he needs to be the captain for next season. I think De Zerbi will build a strong squad and it will help Micky as well. He's so important for Tottenham and he's been there for three seasons and it's important for him to stay, I think," said the Brazilian.

"If we let him go, it will be losing Romero and him, so I hope he is at least there for three or four seasons. We need to keep him, I think he's happy now with De Zerbi because De Zerbi can put a smile on the players' faces and it’s so needed. Van de Ven needs to stay and I hope he does stay and build the team around him at the back and then around the midfielders. I think we are okay in the middle."

The former Tottenham midfielder even went as far as comparing Van de Ven with a certain much-lauded Brazilian centre-back down the road at Arsenal.

"Gabriel suits the Arsenal squad so well, and we need Van de Ven to become that same defender at Spurs. Micky is one of the top defenders, he just needs to have a team around him as well for him to grow, for him to shine. I just want De Zerbi to do his magical things, I'm a fan of his and I think he will," he said.

"Van de Ven has that ability to become that good. Yeah, 100 per cent. He's been there in the club for three seasons so he just needs the players, the squad to help him a little bit and, having a strong team around him, he will be even more effective in the squad. De Zerbi is the guy to build the team and he needs to build around Van de Ven."

There is expected to be plenty of transfer movement at Tottenham Hotspur this summer and football.london is going through each department of the squad to see what happens next

Roberto De Zerbi has a football club to rebuild this summer and that mean decisions aplenty when it comes to what his Tottenham squad will look like next season.

Spurs have already been linked with a string of incoming players such as free transfers Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi as well as returning for another run at signing Manchester City winger Savinho. There will be further arrivals this summer with new additions to the midfield and attack expected and potentially a new face between the sticks.

To make room for those new faces, current players must depart and football.london will be running a series of articles in the coming days with our verdict on every single first team Tottenham player and whether De Zerbi will decide to keep, loan or sell them.

Let's kick things off with the men who wear the gloves and decide what comes next for Spurs' three first team senior goalkeepers.

Guglielmo Vicario

Guglielmo Vicario has played 117 games for Tottenham since arriving from Empoli in the summer of 2023 and it feels like the 29-year-old is coming to the end of his tenure at the club.

In those 117 matches, the Italian has conceded 170 goals and kept just 29 clean sheets, although the blame for that cannot be laid solely at his door as he had mostly been the goalkeeper for a club that has leaked goals from everywhere.

This season Vicario appeared in 45 matches and we later found out he had been struggling with a hernia problem for months. The Italian struggled at times, particularly with his kicking, but did make some big saves. It's worth noting that Vicario was left so exposed by those Tottenham players in front of him that he faced more shots on target than most other goalkeepers in the Premier League.

It still was a season in which he was unable to impress as much as he would like and he could be one of those who exits this summer. There is interest from clubs back home in Italy and the main worry for him would be those kicking struggles, as De Zerbi needs his goalkeepers to be calm under pressure with the ball at their feet in order to bait the press and then pinpoint in their passing.

De Zerbi has only ever spoken highly of Vicario, who found himself jeered by the fans on a couple of occasions during this campaign, but this summer feels like a natural parting point for all parties if the interest in the Italy international results in a serious bid.

Verdict: Sell

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Antonin Kinsky

Had this been written a couple of months ago then it would likely have read very differently. That's because Antonin Kinsky has enjoyed a spectacular turnaround and ended up being one of the major reasons why Spurs are still a Premier League team.

The 23-year-old had only played two Carabao Cup matches before those disastrous 17 Champions League minutes in Madrid against Atletico. However, the Czech displayed incredible mental strength to star in the final seven matches of the season with Vicario out recuperating after his surgery.

Huge reflex saves against Wolves, Leeds and Everton ended up securing Spurs the points that eventually kept them up. Kinsky's points per game average was 1.40 compared to Vicario's 1.16 and it's worrying to think what might have happened if he had been loaned out to West Ham in January as reports suggested at the time.

Kinsky proved that he can be a wonderful shot stopper and his ability with the ball at his feet marks him out as a perfect goalkeeper for De Zerbi. The Italian could constantly be seen applauding him after most kicks. A new man will arrive if Vicario goes but Kinsky has now laid the groundwork for his own claim on the number one spot.

Verdict: Keep

Brandon Austin

Such is Brandon Austin's position as Spurs' sole club-trained player in recent seasons he became essential even if he has played just three senior competitive matches for the Lilywhites.

Austin joined the club 19 years ago and now 27, he did not play at all this season after getting his Premier League debut under Ange Postecoglou and two nights between the sticks in the Europa League.

Austin has a contract until 2029 and if there was ever a season when he could get a loan out of the club to play some minutes then it's this one because of the lack of European football and therefore no need to have him involved simply because he gets his own spot as a club-trained player.

However, it's difficult to get loans for goalkeepers, especially ones with so little first team football under their belt so Austin may just continue his role as back-up to the back-up, always ready to come in if needed.

Tottenham star Xavi Simons appears to retain a good relationship with Spurs transfer target Savinho

Xavi Simons appears to retain a good relationship with Manchester City star Savinho, as Tottenham appear set to make a move for the attacker. Spurs wanted the Brazilian last summer but failed to land their target as City rebuffed their attempts.

Simons, who is currently recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury that has ruled him out of the World Cup, posted a photograph of himself celebrating with Savinho. The pair played together at PSV Eindhoven in 2022/23, though the City winger made just eight appearances.

Savinho didn't take too long to provide a message of his own. Just minutes after that image was posted, the 22-year-old responded to another Instagram post of Simons.

The City ace posted "Papi" in response to Simons posting: "Privately winning."

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That post was accompanied by a carousel of photographs that showed Simons hard at work in the gym and with family. It also included a poignant picture of a message he received.

It read: "This is a very difficult moment in your career!! But we will get through this together as well, and know that we are here for you. Don't let anyone drive you crazy!!!"

Pep Guardiola, who has now left City, pushed to keep Savinho last summer before injury derailed any possibility of a transfer in January. The winger has dropped down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium after Antoine Semenyo's arrival.

He joined City from Troyes for £30.8million in June 2024 and has struggled for regular game time. But it is claimed that he is valued at around £60million, with five years left on his contract.

In addition to Savinho, Spurs are looking at some cheaper options too. They are poised to add Liverpool's Andy Robertson and Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi on free transfers to strengthen Roberto De Zerbi's hand.

Robertson is set to arrive as a veteran at left-back, despite the Italian having the youth of Destiney Udogie and Souza to call upon.

Senesi, meanwhile, has drawn interest from Manchester United and Liverpool but could arrive to improve Tottenham's backline with Cristian Romero linked with an exit from north London.

"From tonight we have to start to organise and build a new team," De Zerbi said at the end of the season. "I don't think we have now to change too many players.

"We have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay. Good enough. Like players, especially like people, and then we have to complete the squad with the first level of players."

The silly season is upon us as Tottenham Hotspur get linked with every possible transfer going in the summer window but they must not forget their own

The summer transfer window brings the chance of rebirth, a new dawn, but sometimes those within a club can get lost amid the excitement and it's no different at Tottenham.

Spurs need to be something different next season and there's no doubting that. Another 17th place finish in the Premier League and a woeful January window mean the north London club must strengthen in the weeks and months ahead. There is also a new head coach in the shape of Roberto De Zerbi, who will enter this summer window with all the power in his hands to get what he wants after saving the Lilywhites from relegation as well as their pride and that feared £250million or so in lost revenue.

New signings will arrive through the doors with Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi tipped to complete free transfers and Tottenham returning for Manchester City winger Savinho in an attempt to try to add him to their offensive weaponry.

With the potential move for the Brazilian and football.london reporting last week that Spurs are likely to add another striker to their ranks, with Richarlison's future in doubt as he approaches the final 12 months of his contract, the new additions are certainly needed and there will be others, but De Zerbi and the club must also be wary of blocking the long-term prospects of two of their own.

Savinho can play on either wing, but is more naturally a left-sided player. Tottenham's need for another left-footed attacker was clear last season but it's also worth pointing out that they have a big talent for the future in that very position in Mikey Moore.

The 18-year-old starred on loan at Rangers this season, picking up the PFA Scotland Premiership Young Player of the Year and Rangers' Young Player of the Year awards. Moore played 47 matches for the Glasgow giants across the season, with 11 goal involvements despite the team's inconsistent form as Danny Rohl used him in a left-sided playmaker role.

Rangers fans would love to have him back next season but football.london understands there's a lot of interest in the teenager from clubs both home and abroad.

It will be down to De Zerbi to decide whether the teenager needs another season away from N17. The absence of European football at Tottenham in the coming year means the new head coach will have fewer minutes to share around. You could say he needs a smaller, tighter squad but after the injury woes of the past three seasons, that's a dangerous route to take.

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De Zerbi will have a similar decision to make when it comes to Will Lankshear. The 21-year-old striker caught the eye with 12 goals despite Oxford United's struggles in the Championship as they were relegated. He took home a double at the club's end of season awards with the men's Golden Boot and Young Player of the Year prize after he played 47 matches with 16 goal involvements in all.

The striker also bulked up this season with the physical demands of the Championship and De Zerbi will surely want to take a look at him in pre-season to decide whether he's ready for the Premier League.

There's always the dilemma to be had when it comes to transfer windows. Fans naturally want exciting new signings but they also want to see their homegrown products given minutes. Unfortunately the former often cancels out the latter.

Tottenham's problems with club trained players will not affect them this coming season as it's in European football where it hits them. However, they must start thinking about the future and ensuring they do not get into the same problems as previous campaigns with numerous expensive players left out and unable to be registered.

There's also the simple fact of having an academy but not having a clear pathway from it. You'd struggle to count enough Spurs academy players who have broken through for regular football over recent seasons to fill one hand, if you can think of any at all. There's a couple of others like Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp in the past, but let's be honest most people are probably only going to think of Harry Kane.

Not a single academy product started a senior competitive match this season for the north London side. A handful like Dane Scarlett, Jun'ai Byfield and Callum Olusesi got about half an hour of football each amid the depth of the injury crisis, mainly because there was nobody else available, while Luca Williams-Barnett and James Rowswell got a couple of minutes from the bench each at the end of games.

It's not good enough. The academy must do better in what it produces but there's also evidence that when they do produce good players, there's no route through for them.

Noni Madueke will head to the World Cup this summer with England having decided as a teenager that he was not going to break through at Spurs, leaving for PSV Eindhoven instead. Troy Parrott is a wanted man by many European sides this summer after 43 goal involvements in 49 matches for AZ Alkmaar this season. He was desperate to make it at Tottenham but they had no place for the Republic of Ireland international.

This summer Alfie Devine is expected to depart north London, with many of those clubs chasing him holding Premier League ambitions and the expectation is that he will play at that level. The 21-year-old midfielder, Spurs' youngest ever goalscorer, has been continually farmed out on loan each season with no pathway to break through at his own club.

Ashley Phillips, albeit signed at 18 from Blackburn, has just been nominated for Championship Young Player of the Year while on his second season on loan at Stoke, but has never played a game for Tottenham and it's difficult to see that happening.

The excuse that the pressure is too much for young academy players bears little weight when you look at other bigger clubs using their youngsters in high pressure games and finding a way through. They've also found it clear that using more of your own is a surefire way to build a connection back between the fans and the team.

If Moore and Lankshear are loaned out again this summer then it may well benefit them personally with more regular starts but it's just kicking the can down the road for Spurs. It's the same for Luka Vuskovic, who is not an academy product but is seemingly wanted by everyone outside the north London club, and by many bigger sides, so by logic he must be finally ready to start matches in the Premier League?

It's a problem that Tottenham must address and at least in De Zerbi they have someone who will take a look at young players and has done so in the past. Transfers are much needed at Spurs this summer and they will happen, but it's important that the club's own future is not discarded at the same time.

Figures have been released showing a big drop in value for the Premier League club's sponsorship on their shirts and stadium

Tottenham have lost almost £20million off the value of their front of shirt sponsorship value after recent struggles, according to a new study.

Spurs will have a new front-of-shirt sponsor from the 2027/28 season with insurance firm AIA switching to become their training wear sponsor at that point. The north London club's long-term partnership with AIA began in 2013, in a deal that is currently reportedly worth £40million a season, and has now been extended until 2032 but with that major scaled down change.

AIA will remain as the club’s Global Principal Partner and front-of-shirt sponsor until the end of this coming campaign but then the company will switch to becoming the Global Training Partner from July 2027 through to June 2032.

The north London club will be looking to tie up a new lucrative front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2027/28 season but it comes amid a new report from The Sponsor, with their fifth annual Premier League Fair Market Value Index of all 20 Premier League clubs' front-of-shirt and sleeve sponsorship assets.

The outlet claims that as their figures are grounded in commercial market evidence, the index provides brands, rights holders and agencies with an independent assessment of sponsorship value.

The news is not good for Tottenham as the index suggests that their front of shirt sponsorship value has fallen from £49.1million last season to £29.8million - a 40 per cent drop - after yet another 17th-place finish but without the counterbalance of winning the Europa League and the subsequent Champions League qualification. Some sponsors have reportedly signalled their intention to end their sponsorship of the club.

"The 40 per cent decline in Tottenham Hotspur’s front-of-shirt sponsorship value is the cumulative effect of two consecutive 17th-place finishes," said The Sponsor.

"Last year, losses were mitigated by qualification for European football and the increased exposure that came with it. A second relegation battle, coupled with the loss of exposure for club sponsors in European competitions, has exposed a significant decline in sponsor value as the club enters the final year of its partnership with shirt and sleeve sponsors AIA and Kraken."

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The report says that as well as the £29.8million fair market value for the front-of-shirt, there is also a new figure of £7.2million for the sleeve and £11.2million for stadium naming rights.

Spurs are yet to find a suitable naming rights partner for their ground seven years on from when it was opened. The club have maintained that the unexpected benefits of using the club's name in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium have offset some of what would have been earned by a sponsor.

With £11.2million far lower than the annual sums often associated with what former chairman Daniel Levy was reportedly asking from stadium sponsors, that search for a new name for their home ground could go on for a while longer.

With improvement expected under new head coach Roberto De Zerbi, Tottenham remain sixth on the Premier League list of front of shirt sponsor values but with half the value of Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United, who all remain at £60million or above, with Arsenal on £59.2million and Chelsea fifth on £33.6million after their own drop through poor performances.

"Over the last three years, Tottenham’s sponsorship value has fallen from £49.3m in 2024 to £29.8m in 2026. That fall in value is predominantly driven by on-pitch performance, the loss of star players Harry Kane and Son Heung-min and lack of sponsor exposure through European competitions," concluded The Sponsor.

"Despite this, Tottenham remains one of the most valuable sponsorship opportunities in English football. The club’s fanbase, infrastructure, global recognition and reputation for quality still carry enormous weight with sponsors. Those attributes do not disappear after a couple of difficult seasons."

The Tottenham Hotspur teenager's future has been the subject of plenty of speculation this season but has made it clear what needs to happen for now

Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic has instructed his agent to halt any talks about his future while he concentrates on his first World Cup with Croatia this summer.

The 19-year-old centre-back has caught the eye over the past 12 months with his performances on loan for Hamburger SV, helping them stay up and earning him a spot in the Bundesliga Team of the Season. Vuskovic has been linked with all of Europe's big clubs, including Barcelona, Bayern Munich and PSG, while it is likely that Spurs will offer him a big contract to reward him for his enhanced status in the game.

Vuskovic, who currently has a long contract with Tottenham until 2030, has seen his form recognised by a call-up to the Croatia squad for the World Cup and he could be involved in their warm-up match against Belgium in his homeland on Tuesday.

According to Croatian media, the teenager has made it clear to his agent that all talks with Spurs and potential suitors must be halted as he concentrates on the World Cup and his international commitments.

Croatian media outlet Sportske Novosti, as relayed by Sport Witness, wrote: "We received information from a reliable source about what Luka told his managers and Tottenham. He told them that he is now concentrating only on the national team, that all talks and negotiations should be stopped immediately and postponed until after the World Cup.

"He does not want anything to distract him from his focus on Croatia and the World Cup, and when he returns from America, he will decide where he will play next. The option of continuing to play for HSV does not seem likely."

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The report went on: "Are there offers and interest from big clubs? There are, it's not just letters, that's true, but he put them all on hold. Vuskovic is only 19 years old, he has his first big competition ahead of him, which he dreamed of, but it's clear that no one, not even him, can dictate everything.

"We often used to see players receive offers that make their heads spin during the World Cup or just before it, and that's how some of our players signed, for example Ivan Rakitic for Barcelona in Brazil, but the young stopper wants to avoid that and return to club matters when he's done with the [World Cup]. He made that clear to Tottenham and the people who represent him. It remains to be seen whether this will be possible given the pressure of the market, but it is clear that Vuskovic, although young, thinks very maturely."

Ultimately, with that long contract, Vuskovic's future is in the hands of Tottenham and his new head coach Roberto De Zerbi.

"Playing with my brother at HSV would be a dream and a dream come true for me, but it's hardly possible. I don’t know what else to say except - impossible," the young centre-back said last week.

"I think he's [De Zerbi] a top-class coach. He likes attacking football, he likes build-up play, and I really like that. I hope we’ll work well together in the future."

A former Republic of Ireland international has made his prediction about what comes next for a Tottenham youngster he believes is gifted

Tottenham youngster Mason Melia could become an exciting story for the club if Roberto De Zerbi gives him a chance, believes former Republic of Ireland international Shane Long.

Melia joined Tottenham in January from St Patrick's but injury and illness prevented him from getting to work for the club's U21s until last month. Even though the 18-year-old striker is yet to play a senior game for the north London club, he is so highly thought of back home that he has already made his Irish debut as he came off the bench late on against Qatar on Thursday.

The youngster, who has trained at times with De Zerbi's first team in recent weeks, will be hoping for another international appearance in the early hours of Saturday morning with Ireland's friendly in Canada.

Long believes that Melia, who was used to playing senior football with St Pat's with 98 games under his belt despite his age, needs to either head out on loan next season to the Championship or be given his chance by De Zerbi.

"It depends on the manager. It could be an exciting story for Tottenham, having a player from the academy break into the first team, it could give the club a lift.

"I don't know if De Zerbi is known for bringing through younger players, he might just make a few signings. If that's the case, then a loan option is the best thing," Long told Boyle Sports.

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Spurs escaped relegation on the final day of the Premier League season with their victory against Everton although Long admits the drop might have been the best thing for Melia.

"Relegation would have been amazing for him because all the big players would have left. I was the same at Reading when I first came over. We went down one season, and then all the senior players left. That's when I kind of broke through, around 20 or 21, and it opened up that opportunity for me," he explained.

"It would have been the same for him. He's a goal scorer, and I'm sure being called up into the Ireland squad is brilliant for him, putting his name out there and letting people see what he's about. He's playing with the U21s at Tottenham as well. It's a big club.