Tottenham’s summer no longer looks like a normal rebuild. It looks like a deliberate attempt to hand Roberto De Zerbi the kind of influence Spurs managers have not always enjoyed.
Sky Sports reports that Tottenham could target up to eight signings this summer as De Zerbi reshapes the squad for the 2026/27 season, with Sandro Tonali among the high-profile names linked and several current players facing uncertain futures.
That matters because this is not just about volume. Spurs have already moved for Jan Paul van Hecke, a defender De Zerbi knows from Brighton, and the wider pattern suggests the head coach’s tactical preferences are now driving recruitment rather than sitting in the background.
De Zerbi’s Pull Is Already Changing Tottenham’s Window
The key line from Sky Sports News reporter Michael Bridge’s Tottenham transfer update is not simply that Spurs want bodies. It is that De Zerbi is described as unusually hands-on and expected to have the final say on players who fit his football.
That is a sharp shift in tone. Spurs have often been accused of waiting too long, shaving down prices, or landing compromises late in the window. This time, the Van Hecke deal points to a club trying to give the manager players early enough to make pre-season meaningful.
ReadTottenham has already looked at how Van Hecke and Micky van de Ven could shape De Zerbi’s defensive plan. The bigger point now is that Van Hecke may only be the first clear sign of a more manager-led squad rebuild.
Tonali Shows The Ambition, Even If The Deal Is Difficult
The most eye-catching name remains Sandro Tonali. Tottenham have already seen a major bid rejected by Newcastle, but the pursuit still tells supporters plenty about the profile De Zerbi wants in midfield.
Tonali would not be a cosmetic signing. He is a tempo-setter, a ball-winner and a player with the engine to operate in a demanding structure. Spurs’ interest therefore fits the idea that De Zerbi wants midfielders who can receive under pressure, move the ball early and still protect the centre of the pitch when possession breaks down.
That also explains why the story cannot be viewed in isolation from the earlier Tottenham bid for Tonali being rejected by Newcastle. Even a failed bid can be revealing when it shows the level of player Spurs are prepared to chase.
Tottenham’s summer rebuild is being framed around Roberto De Zerbi’s influence and the club’s willingness to back him early.
— ReadTottenham analysis
Sales May Decide How Far Tottenham Can Go
The awkward part is that a rebuild of this size needs exits. Sky’s report names several players with uncertain futures, including Pape Matar Sarr, Guglielmo Vicario, Luka Vuskovic, Cristian Romero, Lucas Bergvall and Richarlison.
That does not mean all of them will leave. It does mean Spurs have to make some cold decisions. A thinner season without European football changes the squad equation, and expensive fringe players become harder to carry when De Zerbi wants specialists for a more defined style.
The Vuskovic situation is especially delicate. Brighton’s improved bid and the player’s desire for regular football have already created a live decision for Spurs, while the Mateus Fernandes interest also points toward a midfield reshuffle.
For Tottenham, this is the real test of the new direction. Backing De Zerbi is not just about buying players he likes. It is about clearing space for a squad that makes sense together.
If Spurs follow through, the eight-signing plan will be remembered as more than a transfer splash. It will mark the moment De Zerbi stopped being a survival appointment and became the central football voice of Tottenham’s next phase.
The timing is important too. With pre-season still ahead and the Premier League opener at Brentford not until August, Tottenham have a window to make this rebuild feel planned rather than rushed. That may be the biggest change of all.
