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Spurs are bottom after a £175m rebuild, with poor finishing, defensive errors and a 3-2 Aston Villa defeat deepening scrutiny on Roberto De Zerbi's side.

Tony Pulis says Tottenham's £400m rebuild needs time on the training ground, arguing the international break is poorly timed and Roberto De Zerbi should not be under pressure yet.

Martin Ho blamed nine changes as Spurs Women lost to West Ham on penalties in the Subway Players Cup, lamenting weak connections and missed late chances.

Financial filings show former Spurs chairman Daniel Levy earned about £88m in nearly 25 years, including a £27m severance package on departure.

With injured players due back, Roberto De Zerbi faces squad calls at Spurs and several senior players could soon find themselves out of matchday plans.

Tottenham and Manchester United are tracking Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic before January, with Spurs considering adding goals mid-season as Richarlison's future looks unclear.

Luka Vuskovic's comments on his Spurs exit have fuelled questions over Roberto De Zerbi's role in selling the defender, who has started strongly at Brighton.

Luka Vuskovic said he holds no bitterness over his £46m move to Brighton, saying Tottenham had invested in him and that club decisions are not for him to judge.

Spurs target Andreas Schjelderup has joined Jorge Mendes' agency as Benfica wait on a new deal. Lost starts and just 26 minutes in two big games keep his future open.

Dejan Kulusevski could return after the international break, possibly at Manchester United on 10 October. Tottenham's medical staff remain cautious after minor setbacks in his recovery.

Will Lankshear's 8 goals in 11 games for Middlesbrough have sharpened scrutiny on Dominic Solanke, who is yet to score or assist for Spurs in the league this season.

Lucas Bergvall has signed a new deal until 2031 after summer speculation, securing his Tottenham future with a pay rise.

When Roberto De Zerbi insisted upon reuniting with his former Brighton star center back as the new foundational piece of the build up play for Tottenham Hotspur from out of the defense, Spurs knew that they would have to lose Luka Vuskovic. Or, at least, the thinking was that Vuskovic would insist on leaving for more minutes, and while Spurs were able to convince Lucas Bergvall to stay in a similar situation with the Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes signings, De Zerbi was all too happy to let the younger and better Vuskovic go to Brighton for just as much money as what he paid for Van Hecke.

While Van Hecke hasn't been perfect to start his career at N17, he has been as advertised and quite good after adjusting from a rough start to life with Spurs, especially when he got torn up on Matchday 1 by Brentford at the Gtech Stadium in a 3-0 loss.

Van Hecke has been arguably the best progressive passer - and maybe even the best overall passer - in the Premier League, picking up where he left off for the Netherlands national team during the 2026 World Cup.

Luka Vuskovic was no fluke at Hamburg

So signing Van Hecke isn't the big problem of losing Luka Vuskovic, who is also having a great start to the 2026/27 Premier League season for Brighton and is already proving that his elite season in the Bundesliga was no fluke.

Right now, if Tottenham Hotspur are regretting any addition that kept Vuskovic out of getting minutes, then it is the free agent signing of Argentinian international Marcos Senesi. Last season, Senesi was the best ball playing center back in the Premier League and a massive breakout star for Bournemouth, proving to be one of the keys to the Cherries rise to European football and a legitimate Team of the Season candidate.

But in his starts for Tottenham this season, Senesi has been poor, and both times Roberto De Zerbi wrote his name in the starting 11, Spurs lost and gave up a season high three goals. His marking, mental concentration, and overall defensive quality have been horrendous, and it's not like he has made up for it on the ball.

There is no way Marcos Senesi has been anywhere near as good as Luka Vuskovic so far this season, and Tottenham may even have to consider him the fourth center back behind Tosin Adarabioyo if this keeps up. Between Vuskovic and Senesi, Spurs have to be regretting the "free" agent move.

Today's best reads

Luka Vuskovic said what Tottenham fans don't want to admit about Roberto De Zerbi

Tottenham are realizing what they neglected about Luka Vuskovic

Jan Paul van Hecke has fulfilled Roberto De Zerbi's Cristian Romero prophecy

Jan Paul van Hecke and Micky van de Ven have surpassed Bruno Fernandes and Martin Odegaard in unexpected fashion

Luka Vuskovic is benefiting from what Lucas Bergvall, Mathys Tel, and Archie Gray don't have

Andy Robertson has admitted he did not want to face Liverpool at Anfield so soon after leaving the club. The former Reds full-back returned to his old stomping ground far earlier than expected following Tottenham Hotspur’s League Cup third-round 3-1 defeat earlier this month.

Robertson departed Anfield on a free transfer at the end of his contract after a decorated nine-year spell on Merseyside.Having completed his move to Tottenham over the summer, he stepped onto the pitch as a 57th-minute substitute during Spurs’defeat at Anfield.

Cup draw disruption

Speaking in a detailed interview on Stick to Football, Robertson explained how he immediately checked Tottenham's fixture schedule after completing his move to North London. The Scotland captain had initially hoped his return to Anfield would fall much later in the campaign.

"Yeah, it was strange," Robertson said. "Obviously I looked at the fixtures when they first came out, you look at Liverpool away."

The Premier League calendar set that fixture for December, giving Robertson time to adjust to his new surroundings. "And it was December, and I'm thinking I'm quite happy with that, I can get my feet under the table with Tottenham," he added.

However, the League Cup draw upended those plans. After Tottenham overcame Charlton Athletic in the second round, the draw sent Spurs straight to Anfield for the third round.

"And then the cup competition, we beat Charlton at home and everyone's running around the changing room going, 'You're going back!' (groans)," Robertson recalled.

Despite his reluctance to face his former side so quickly, Robertson expressed gratitude for the reception he received from the Liverpool supporters upon stepping onto the pitch.

"But no, it was great, you know what I mean?" he said. "In terms of reception I got off the home fans. It was a long time there, and to go back and be in another colour but still get that reception, it was nice."

Fresh impact down the flank

Robertson’s introduction after 57 minutes injected directness down Tottenham’s left flank as Roberto De Zerbi’s side chased the game. His familiarity with the Anfield pitch and knowledge of his former teammates' pressing traps offered Spurs valuable tactical awareness, even though Liverpool ultimately controlled the closing stages to seal a 3-1 victory with goals from Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.

The match emphasised just how quickly Robertson has transitioned into his new role in North London, where he already provides vital experience and squad depth alongside Destiny Udogie.

The winter approach and summer move

Reflecting on his departure from Anfield, Robertson revealed that he first realized his nine-year stay on Merseyside was drawing to a close midway through last season.

"I'd say probably January time (is when I realised I'd be leaving), I nearly left in January," Robertson revealed.

Tottenham lodged an approach during the winter window while struggling near the bottom of the table, but Robertson opted against a mid-season departure.

"I didn't want to leave but Tottenham came in for me," he said. "Obviously they were bang in trouble at that point. I just didn't feel… it was never in my plan to leave in January. I had six months left, and I think I had the World Cup and things like that. I think in January time it started becoming real that I was going to leave, and that's when I kind of came to peace with it, really."

Once he accepted that his time at Liverpool was concluding, Spurs remained his primary destination provided they secured their top-flight status.

"It was always Tottenham, as long as they stayed up," Robertson explained. "Do you know what I mean? At that point, it was like, I didn't want to go to the Championship with Tottenham. So, that was the thing, I ended up getting invested in Tottenham games, I like watching Tottenham's results. No, 'I didn't think they'd go down'. Especially when De Zerbi came in, I was fully confident (they'd stay up). But yeah, as long as they stayed up, it was going to be Tottenham. They showed their interest first, they really wanted me, and I was happy with how much they wanted me, really."

Robertson will not face his former club again until Tottenham make their scheduled Premier League trip to Anfield in December the very fixture he originally hoped would mark his first game back on Merseyside.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly decided against making a move for Mauro Icardi despite suggestions that the experienced striker could be an option for the club.

According to Football Insider, Spurs are not considering the Argentine a viable target at this stage, with their current squad situation making a deal particularly difficult.

Mauro Icardi not viewed as an option for Tottenham

Icardi is currently available as a free agent after leaving Galatasaray, where he enjoyed a productive spell over the past four seasons. The 33-year-old scored 16 goals in all competitions last term and has extensive experience in Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Champions League.

However, Tottenham’s attacking problems have not convinced the club to change its stance on the veteran forward.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side have struggled for goals at the start of the campaign, but the club reportedly believes there are enough attacking options in the squad to improve their fortunes.

The registration situation is another major obstacle. Tottenham have already submitted their 25-man Premier League squad, meaning Icardi could not be registered until the January transfer window.

Spurs could look at other attacking options

Tottenham invested heavily during the summer, bringing in several attacking players as De Zerbi continues to reshape his squad.

Savinho arrived from Manchester City, while Omar Marmoush has also joined the club on a deal that could eventually become permanent. Those additions mean Spurs are unlikely to rush into another short-term solution despite their difficult start.

Icardi, meanwhile, is attracting interest from clubs in Italy, with Lazio reportedly among the teams monitoring his situation.

For now, Tottenham appear prepared to continue with their existing options and reassess their needs when the January window opens.

Given Icardi’s goalscoring record and experience, the striker could still attract offers elsewhere, but a move to north London currently appears unlikely.

Tottenham Hotspur fought hard to sign Savio in the summer transfer window, and after literally more than a year of negotiating with Manchester City, Roberto De Zerbi was also so on board with signing the Brazilian star that he made sure the club spent the 85 million pounds that Man City wanted in order to land one of the most talented dribblers in world football.

And whlie Tottenham have yet to win a game in the Premier League and are literally in last place in the league at the September international break, Savio has quietly been the only real bright spot in the attack, and the poor performances of his teammates, particularly in terms of their finishing, are really the only thing holding him back from more recognition.

Because the objective analytical data is overwhelmingly in the favor of Savio being one of the best wingers in the Premier League, which is a destiny he was supposed to fulfill when Manchester City signed him from partner club Girona a couple of years ago, back when Savio had Girona dreaming of a fairytale title run; that's how good he was.

Savio had a better Matchday 5 than many seem to think

Squawka released their Premier League Team of the Week for Matchday 5, and with an analytic rating of 83 percent, Savio squeezed into the right wing spot of the XI alongside former teammate Antointe Semenyo, Matchday 5 opponent Jonathan Manzambi of Aston Villa, and Sunderland breakout striker Brian Brobbey to fill out the attack.

Everyone recognizes how brilliant Semenyo, Manzambi, and Brobbey were on Matchday 5, but it is actually really impressive that Savio squeezed into the XI as an attacker despite not contributing to any goals in the 3-2 loss to Aston Villa. Conor Gallagher and center back Jan Paul van Hecke were the scorers, while Mohammed Kudus and Andy Robertson had the assists for Tottenham Hotspur.

But Savio, once again, led the team with four key passes and four dribbles completed as the only real consistent danger on the pitch for Tottenham. Sure, his influence faded too much after the first half, but, again, the objective data continues to show not only how valuable Savio is to his team, but also how good he is compared to his peers on the wings.

Savio is one of the few things going right for Tottenham in the 2026/27 Premier League season, and it is fair to say he is the only thing truly going right for this attack, which makes you wonder how good he would be as a creator if the rest of the forwards were even up to par.

Today's best reads

Roberto De Zerbi quietly made it clear who Tottenham fans should blame

Savio is quietly in company that only Lamine Yamal can match

Tottenham are noticing a disturbing Savio pattern

Tottenham fans are worried about a Savio decision Roberto De Zerbi might make

Jan Paul van Hecke has hit out at Andy Robertson for his blunder in Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday.

Johan Manzambi, Nicolas Jackson and Emi Buendia scored the goals for Unai Emery’s side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in a result which leaves Roberto De Zerbi’s side bottom of the Premier League table with just two points from their opening five games of the season.

Robertson’s error led to the Villa opener as the former Liverpool star kept the ball in play with Micky van de Ven off the pitch, handing possession straight back to the visitors rather than conceding a corner, with Manzambi scoring seconds later.

It was a baffling decision by the Scotsman in any circumstance, but particularly given Spurs were down to 10 men at the time, and Van Hecke appears to be as confused as the rest of us.

“It couldn’t get any worse,” he told Dutch publication Algemeen Dagblad. “You know you’re down to 10 men. Then it’s smarter to kick the ball out, so you can wait until Micky gets back.”

Speaking generally about Spurs’ winless star after a £300m summer spend, Van Hecke admitted: “We had imagined it would be different. The way we play and concede goals is unacceptable.

“The way the energy drained away from the team is simply not right.”

Van Hecke in no place to criticise anyone

And Van Hecke himself, signed from Brighton for £52m, endured a difficult afternoon against Aston Villa and striker Jackson, who gave him a torrid time.

England legend Stuart Pearce was left unimpressed with what he saw from the Dutch international.

“What is Van Hecke doing? He sold himself completely,” Sam Matterface said on talkSPORT commentary.

Co-commentator Pearce agreed as he questioned Van Hecke’s big-money summer move from Brighton.

He replied: “He certainly did. Was that £52million worth of central defending?”

Matterface then added: “Honestly, I wish everybody could see the look on your face.”

Pearce responded: “Honestly, when he moved for the summer money that he did it raised an eyebrow or two in my head.

“And his performance today has done exactly that again.”

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly preparing to revive their interest in Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, but the Premier League club are determined to prevent their star player from leaving.

Spurs have maintained their admiration for the England international, with reports suggesting they could return with a fresh approach. However, Forest’s reluctance to lose one of their most important players could make negotiations particularly difficult.

Tottenham Hotspur face resistance in Gibbs-White pursuit

According to Football Insider, Tottenham remain convinced that Gibbs-White would be an excellent addition to their midfield. The attacking midfielder has established himself as an influential figure at Nottingham Forest, offering creativity, energy and the ability to operate in several attacking positions.

The North London club previously came close to signing the 26-year-old during the summer of 2025. That proposed transfer ultimately collapsed following a dispute surrounding his reported release clause, with Gibbs-White eventually signing a new contract at the City Ground.

Tottenham’s continued interest indicates that the failed move has not changed their assessment of the player.

Gibbs-White remains central to Forest plans

Nottingham Forest have little interest in letting their influential midfielder leave, especially after already losing key players in recent transfer windows.

Gibbs-White’s performances have continued to attract attention, and his ability to create opportunities between the lines makes him an appealing target for Tottenham as they look to strengthen their attacking options.

The midfielder contributed one goal and two assists in his opening four Premier League appearances of the 2026/27 season, reinforcing his importance to Forest’s attacking structure.

Tottenham, meanwhile, must determine whether they are prepared to make a significant financial commitment to secure his services. The club invested heavily during the summer transfer window, but reports of renewed interest suggest that further attacking reinforcements could remain on their agenda.

Forest’s position will likely be a major factor in any potential negotiations. With Gibbs-White contracted to the club until 2028, Tottenham may face a challenging task if they decide to pursue a deal.

It's fair to say that Roberto De Zerbi and Tottenham have made a mess of the Richarlison situation. The Brazilian, unlikely to play for the club ever again after he was left out of De Zerbi's Premier League squad, would be pretty handy for a side that desperately lacks a finishing touch.

The Spurs asserted when the situation got messy that Richarlison had made it clear at the start of the summer that he wanted to move on. If that was the case, why did he go on tour with the Lilywhites, and end up in De Zerbi's XI for our first outing of the 2026–27 season at Brentford?

The club seemingly weren't actively trying to sell the forward until the final week of the window, when interest from Everton surfaced amid our pursuit of Iliman Ndiaye.

A return to the Toffees didn't transpire, thrusting us into scramble mode. Trabzonspor and Vasco da Gama each made a play after the Premier League's transfer deadline passed, but no dice. Richarlison is currently in limbo, watching on as Dominic Solanke masquerades as a top-flight centre-forward.

Dominic Solanke currently looks miles off the pace

It's worth remembering that Tottenham signed Solanke for an initial £55m three years ago. We knew Harry Kane was irreplaceable, but after a year of using Son Heung-min centrally, Ange Postecoglou pivoted to a recognised No 9.

Solanke was coming off a 19-goal Premier League season with Bournemouth and was regarded as a tried-and-tested option capable of leading Ange's press. I hope you appreciate me staying away from "Premier League-proven".

We've thus entered the third season of the Solanke experience, and it's worsening with time. 2024/25 was actually quite promising, despite a relatively modest output of 16 goals in all competitions. Since then, his brittleness has irked supporters, and a lack of a killer instinct means the striker has consistently underwhelmed in front of goal.

And this is the worst we've seen the 29-year-old. The iteration of Solanke that sauntered around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday was a sorry one, fumbling his lines in the Aston Villa penalty area and offering close to no physical threat. He was miles off the pace, and De Zerbi made that clear post-match.

“His [Solanke's] physical condition is not good enough. Maybe he is not good enough in the confidence at this moment, but many, many things can be better than this moment,” the Italian bluntly assessed.

Perhaps the major ankle injury and subsequent muscle injuries mean we'll never see the best of Solanke in Lilywhite again. Unfortunately, Spurs have got to rely on him until January at the earliest as a result of De Zerbi's Richarlison decision and Omar Marmoush's preference to operate as a Robin rather than a Batman.

These next three weeks are significant for the striker, with the break giving Solanke, who had more fitness issues in pre-season, to reset and work his way back to 100%.

Today's best reads

Tottenham vs. Aston Villa: Predicted starting 11 as Spurs aim to score first Premier League goal

Roberto De Zerbi is about to make a decision that will doom Tottenham to lose to Liverpool

Tottenham can't credit Dominic Solanke for his biggest fluke

Liverpool vs Tottenham is what will define Roberto De Zerbi in North London

Cristian Romero is a player who will always carry mixed feelings from the Tottenham Hotspur faithful, because while he was a great player on his day and instrumental to Spurs winning the Europa League in 2024/25 as the literal Player of the Tournament, he was a horrible captain who quit on the team, caused drama, and nearly led Spurs down a path to relegation.

Even after getting the dream transfer he flirted with for years in Atletico Madrid, Romero can't help but continue to antagonize Spurs fans. His latest snafu was betraying his former Tottenham teammate Harry Kane, who scored 73 goals in the 2025/26 season in all competitions and is the clear best pick to win his first career Ballon d'Or and finally get rewarded for being under recognized as an elite all around striker.

Instead of backing Kane to win the Ballon d'Or, Cristian Romero has thrown his hat in the ring for Lionel Messi. Now, while it is understandable, on some level, for an Argentinian player to support Messi no matter what, there is no way Messi justifiably wins the Ballon d'Or when he spent the 2025/26 season in MLS. No MLS player has ever been a serious Ballon d'Or candidate, nor should they be, and as good as he was at the World Cup, it's not like he did anything against Spain in the Final that he lost.

Cristian Romero's argument makes no sense

Instead of giving Harry Kane huge support and backing a former teammate of his who 100 percent deserves his first career Ballon d'Or, Romero has betrayed the England international by backing a player who already has the record of Ballons d'Or (many of them totally undeserved, especially in his latter years) and clearly does not merit it this season while in MLS.

Romero said of Messi, via Fabrizio Romano, “The Ballon d'Or should be given to Leo Messi. Until he retires, that’s clear. There is no one like him. Surely when he decides not to play anymore, then we will have to see who to give it to!”

Basically, Romero's argument boils down to the same lazy, illogical argument that is always given in support of Lionel Messi winning the Ballon d'Or: Messi should win because he is Messi and there is no other Messi than Messi. And until he retires, it should only be Messi.

That's what makes it even worse. Romero can overlook Kane like this and not even have a logical argument, but, well, that's because there is no logical argument for taking Messi over Kane.

Tottenham Hotspur could revisit their interest in Morgan Gibbs-White, with a possible £125m January move for the Nottingham Forest and England midfielder reportedly on the table.

Gibbs-White, 26, nearly joined Spurs during the 2025 summer transfer window before that deal collapsed. Now, according to Football Insider, Tottenham have set their sights on going back in, this time with a reported £125m price tag attached.

Source Attribution

Worth being precise here: this is a reported valuation, not confirmed club action. There’s no suggestion in the primary reporting that a bid has actually been submitted, and given how the 2025 saga ended in acrimony rather than a signature, a little caution feels earned rather than cynical.

Spurs have already spent heavily this year rebuilding the squad under Roberto De Zerbi, a spending pattern explored in more detail here, so any fresh nine-figure pursuit would need context against what’s already gone out the door.

Why Tottenham Still Want Gibbs-White

The appeal isn’t hard to trace. Gibbs-White operates centrally and in advanced roles, the kind of creative, ball-carrying profile Spurs have chased before – see also their reported interest in Matt O’Riley as a similar type of midfield solution. That Tottenham nearly got the Gibbs-White deal done last summer tells you the interest was never a passing whim.

The Fee and Timing Obstacles

£125m is a serious number for a January window, and the primary report doesn’t spell out how Forest would react to it. Separately, other reporting has floated Tottenham circling back in 2027 rather than this winter – a different timeframe entirely, and not something to conflate with the January figure being discussed here. Forest’s general reluctance to sell key players adds another layer of difficulty, whichever window ends up being relevant.

Outlook

For now, this sits as a reported possibility rather than an agreed pathway. Whether Tottenham push in January, wait longer, or the £125m figure proves accurate at all, remains genuinely open. Given the history here, Spurs fans have every reason to file this under “watch and see” rather than “book the medical” – a lesson De Zerbi’s recruitment approach has already taught this window.