De zerbi wants one more signing as tottenham eye “special” £100m star
Tottenham Hotspur could reportedly make another significant addition to their squad even after completing their move for Iliman Ndiaye, with the 26-year-old attacker now understood to be closing in on an official switch to North London.
Spurs have identified the left-wing position as an area that needed strengthening, and they are prepared to invest around £60 million to bring Ndiaye to the club. The potential arrival represents another major statement of intent from Tottenham as they attempt to rebuild the squad and move away from the disappointing results of recent Premier League campaigns.
However, Ndiaye’s arrival may not be the end of Tottenham’s summer spending.
The North London club have already committed more than £300 million to strengthening their squad, bringing in a number of high-profile players including Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul Van Hecke, Marco Senesi and Andy Robertson. Tottenham have also added Savio and Omar Marmoush as part of an ambitious recruitment drive designed to transform the team.
The scale of the spending underlines the club’s determination to recover from back-to-back 17th-place finishes in the Premier League. Spurs are desperate to return to the upper half of the table and eventually challenge for European football again after a period in which results have fallen well below expectations.
Yet despite the huge investment, Tottenham’s start to the new campaign has already raised concerns. They have suffered defeats in their opening two matches, meaning Roberto De Zerbi still has plenty of work to do to turn his collection of talented players into a consistent and competitive team.
De Zerbi has suggested that Tottenham’s problems are not purely about personnel and believes there is also a significant mental aspect that needs to be addressed. Nevertheless, adding another quality player could provide the Italian manager with more options and help him find the right balance within his squad.
The identity of Tottenham’s potential next signing remains unclear, but there are several positions that could benefit from additional competition.
One obvious concern is the centre-forward position.
Tottenham are expected to send Richarlison back to Everton once the Ndiaye deal is completed, which would leave Dominic Solanke as the club’s only recognised natural striker. That could leave De Zerbi short of options if Solanke suffers another injury or struggles to find his best form.
Omar Marmoush is capable of playing through the middle and could potentially lead the attack when required. However, De Zerbi may still want another proven centre-forward who can provide reliable competition and cover for Solanke.
Solanke has endured a difficult spell since arriving at Tottenham and has struggled to consistently produce the goals and performances that were expected of him. With the club hoping to climb the Premier League table, relying heavily on one recognised striker could prove to be a major gamble.
However, an even more urgent requirement could be in defensive midfield.
Tottenham are reportedly serious about improving their defensive structure, and one of the profiles currently missing from the squad is a specialist holding midfielder.
Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur and Tonali are all highly talented midfielders with different strengths, but none is a natural defensive midfielder whose primary responsibility is to sit directly in front of the defence and protect the back four.
That weakness could become particularly costly in De Zerbi’s system.
Tottenham’s full-backs are expected to push high up the pitch and contribute to attacks, which can leave considerable space in behind and expose the centre of the pitch when possession is lost. Without a dedicated player capable of immediately filling that space, opponents can exploit Tottenham through central areas.
A specialist defensive midfielder could therefore provide the missing balance.
De Zerbi needs someone capable of shielding the defence, winning loose balls, breaking up opposition attacks and providing protection when Tottenham’s full-backs move forward. Such a player would also allow the more attack-minded midfielders to express themselves without constantly worrying about covering defensive gaps.
The addition of that profile could make a significant difference to Tottenham’s structure.
While Ndiaye would give Spurs another dangerous attacking option and add quality to the wide areas, a defensive midfielder could arguably solve one of the team’s biggest tactical problems. Tottenham have spent heavily on improving the squad, but the next move could be about finding balance rather than simply adding another big name.
With the season already underway and pressure beginning to build after two consecutive defeats, De Zerbi will be hoping Tottenham’s recruitment team can identify the right solution quickly.
Spurs have already made their intentions clear with their massive summer spending. Now, the challenge is to ensure those investments translate into results on the pitch.
