Roberto De Zerbi has identified between 10 and 12 Tottenham players capable of competing at the required level next season, signalling a major overhaul at the north London club. Fresh from securing survival on the final day against Everton, the Italian manager wasted no time outlining his blueprint for rebuilding the squad after a disastrous campaign that nearly ended in relegation.
Tottenham's 1-0 victory over Everton proved decisive as West Ham's defeat to Leeds United confirmed the Hammers' drop to the Championship. De Zerbi's intervention rescued Spurs from an unprecedented crisis, but the scale of the reconstruction required became evident in his post-match assessment. Speaking to reporters, De Zerbi laid bare his thinking on squad composition and the timeline for completing transfers.
Building a New Spurs
"From tonight, we have to start to organise and to build a new team," De Zerbi explained. "I think we have now to change too many players. We have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay. Good enough as players. Especially like people. And then we have to complete the squad with the first level of players." His emphasis on character alongside ability reflected the mentality shift Tottenham requires after enduring relegation-form football.
The Lilywhites manager stressed that the club's stature demands immediate action. "We are Tottenham and we can't suffer like this until the last second of the last game to stay up," De Zerbi said. "I will be stronger." His commitment extended to a clear objective for the summer window: completing his ideal squad before pre-season training begins. De Zerbi acknowledged collaboration with the sporting director, scouting department, and CEO as essential to achieving that target.
Van de Ven the Cornerstone
Among the squad, Micky van de Ven has emerged as a player Tottenham must retain. Former Spurs defender Alan Hutton identified the Dutch centre-back as non-negotiable, describing him as someone "they have to keep" this summer. Van de Ven's development into a top-tier defender provides a foundation upon which De Zerbi can construct his new project.
The scale of Tottenham's transformation will define the coming months. De Zerbi's arrival halted the free fall, but consolidating survival into a genuine challenge for European qualification demands wholesale improvements across the squad. With pre-season approaching, the race to assemble a competitive Tottenham team capable of restoring the club's ambitions begins in earnest.
