Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi has called for a ruthless overhaul of his squad after securing Premier League safety on the final day of the season. A 43rd-minute strike from Joao Palhinha, the 30-year-old midfielder on loan from Bayern Munich, earned a 1-0 victory over Everton to ensure Spurs finished 17th. De Zerbi, who took over in late March as the club's third manager of a chaotic campaign, used his post-match comments to demand significant investment, claiming the current group lacks the depth required for the top flight.
De Zerbi’s brutal squad assessment
Speaking after the win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as reported by the Evening Standard, De Zerbi offered a candid evaluation of the players he inherited. "We have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay," De Zerbi said. "From tonight, we have to start to organise and to build a new team. I think we have now to change too many players." The Italian, who is committed to a five-year contract, made it clear that the narrow escape from relegation must serve as a catalyst for change. "We are Tottenham and we can't suffer like this until the last second of the last game to stay up," he added, noting his ambition to start pre-season with his "dream" squad.
Contextualising the Tottenham collapse
The 2025/26 season represents a staggering fall for a club that lifted the Europa League trophy in Bilbao just twelve months ago. The decline was accelerated by a chronic injury crisis; Dejan Kulusevski missed the entire season, while creative pillars James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, and Xavi Simons all faced lengthy spells on the sidelines. These absences exposed a recruitment gap that De Zerbi intends to bridge alongside Sporting Director Johan Lange. With Spurs having lost 10 home games prior to the Everton finale—a record low for the stadium—the focus now shifts to adding experience. Reports in Italy and England suggest the club is already targeting proven winners, including Roma's Paulo Dybala, to provide the leadership missing during their brush with the Championship.
Spurs officials must now decide whether to trigger a permanent move for Palhinha as they begin the promised rebuild.