Overview
- James Maddison, who spoke on Tuesday, said he is "really excited" to play for Roberto De Zerbi, described the coach as very attacking and is reported to be set to become Tottenham's new captain.
- De Zerbi took charge in March and guided Spurs to survival with a final-day 1-0 win over Everton after earning 11 points from seven games in charge.
- The club has pursued an assertive summer of recruitment with major fees paid for Sandro Tonali, Matheus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke alongside free transfers for Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka.
- Tottenham opened pre-season with a 2-0 win over Auckland FC and will play Sydney FC and a friendly with Chelsea as they prepare for the Premier League opener at Brentford on August 22.
- The immediate task is embedding De Zerbi's possession-based, attacking style while monitoring Maddison's fitness after an ACL injury and testing whether the new signings deliver a clearer identity and improved results next season.