Spurs splash over £350m but how does Roberto De Zerbi’s squad shape up?

Here, the Press Association looks at the new and improved squad depth at the disposal of De Zerbi, who titled himself a “shark” in the transfer window and has certainly made a splash this summer.

Significant signings

Sandro Tonali (Newcastle) – £100m
Savio (Manchester City) – £85m
Mateus Fernandes (West Ham) – £85m
Omar Marmoush (Manchester City) – loan with £60m obligation
Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton) – £52m
Tosin Adarabioyo (Chelsea) – £7m
Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea) – loan with £75m option
Andy Robertson (free transfer)
Marcos Senesi (free transfer)
Martin Dubravka (free transfer)

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It has been an extraordinary summer window for Tottenham, with the previously prudent transfer model of ex-chairman Daniel Levy thrown out of the window and replaced with big fees along with excessive wages. Spurs have broken their record signing twice and no doubt overpaid in certain areas, but £100m man Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes are instant upgrades in midfield. Jan Paul van Hecke has arrived already accustomed to De Zerbi’s demands and the Italian got his attacking reinforcements when Savio and Omar Marmoush signed from Manchester City late in August, but the loan addition of Mykhailo Mudryk from Chelsea does represent a gamble. Now how long will this new-look Spurs take to gel?

Summer departures

Luka Vuskovic (Brighton) – £50m
Cristian Romero (Atletico) – £34.2m
Djed Spence (Inter Milan) – £30m
Kevin Danso (Sunderland) – loan with £22.5m obligation
Radu Dragusin (Fiorentina) – loan with £21.4m obligation
Will Lankshear (Middlesbrough) – £20m
Ashley Phillips (Middlesbrough) – £20m
Manor Solomon (West Ham) – £7m
Pape Sarr (Juventus) – loan with £25.7m option
Mikey Moore (Cologne) – loan

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An annual revenue of £500m plus has helped Tottenham splash the cash, but they have also recuperated sizeable fees for a number of talented young players and also let some key figures depart. Cristian Romero finally secured a move to Atletico Madrid after five years in north London, Djed Spence departed to Inter Milan despite a fine World Cup, and highly-rated centre-back Luka Vuskovic went to Brighton in a £50m package. Spurs may regret selling Vuskovic and exciting forward Will Lankshear, along with Kevin Danso’s late window exit to Sunderland, but they had to raise funds to compensate for a big summer of spending.

One to watch – Savio

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Spurs waited all summer to pull off the £85m transfer of long-term target Savio and, even though it feels a big sum of money for a player with a reputation for minimal end product, the 22-year-old immediately tried to address those concerns with a debut goal during a sparkling 19-minute cameo against Charlton. De Zerbi has wanted Savio for a number of years and will believe the Brazil attacker can blossom under his coaching, along with the assurance of being the main man at Tottenham.

Squad strength

In spite of a chaotic finish to the summer transfer window, Spurs have improved their squad. De Zerbi finished last season with a front three of Mathys Tel, Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani. Former Manchester City attackers Savio and Marmoush provide an instant upgrade along with fit again duo Dominic Solanke and Mohammed Kudus. In defence, Romero and Spence have been moved on for more reliable figures in Van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson. While the jury will remain out on Tonali and his fee, Fernandes could quickly become one of the best Tottenham midfielders in recent years. The deadline-day signings of Tosin Adarabioyo and Mudryk from Chelsea raised eyebrows, but if Mudryk can rediscover his best form under old boss De Zerbi, it would solve the club’s troublesome left wing position. This window should at least ensure that, if another injury crisis hits Spurs, they have the depth to cope better.