Is Tottenham making big moves? 6 players have already cost 237 million pounds! De Zerbi still wants to buy more

Last season, Tottenham narrowly escaped relegation, a situation that made the club's top brass fearful. Hence, this summer, Tottenham has been splashing cash wildly, indeed not short of funds.

According to Sky Sports, De Zerbi has already made his intentions clear in an interview. The transfer market isn't closed yet, and recruitment is not finished. This statement carries more weight coming from the manager. It's not "there might be more," but rather "we must finish the job," which clearly means: this team is not the final version yet.

Let's take a look at what Tottenham has already done. Six new signings for 237 million pounds — a figure that is insane for any club. Among them, 100 million pounds was spent to sign Tonali from Newcastle, directly breaking the club's transfer record. 85 million pounds was splashed on Matheus Fernandes, and 52 million pounds on Van Hecke. These three alone amount to 237 million pounds. Additionally, there are three free-agent signings: Robertson, Senesi, and Dubravka. Although no transfer fees were paid, the signing bonuses and wages together are not a small amount either.

When he took over the team in April this year, De Zerbi made it very clear that he spent a lot of time understanding the club's plans. In other words, he knew before he came that the owner was willing to spend money to build the squad, and he also knew where to spend it.

Looking back now, the thinking behind Tottenham's summer window operations is actually quite clear.

The Tonali deal is the most stunning. Signing a midfielder for 100 million pounds — Tottenham has never had such a high-profile signing in its history. But fans familiar with De Zerbi know that in his tactical system, the midfield is the engine. When he was at Brighton, midfielders were always the busiest players. They had to cover defense, organize the build-up, and occasionally make forward runs. Tonali's all-round attributes perfectly meet these requirements. It's no exaggeration to say that Tonali is the key cog in De Zerbi's new system.

M. Fernandes attracted attention from several Premier League giants, including Manchester United. In the end, Tottenham splashed 85 million pounds to sign him, and losing Fernandes caused Manchester United's management to be heavily criticized. However, De Zerbi's willingness to spend this money shows that he is confident in the player's tactical fit. M. Fernandes is also a very versatile player, capable of playing multiple positions in the midfield and attack. His dribbling and ball-carrying abilities are outstanding, which are exactly the elements Tottenham's front line needs.

Signing Van Hecke for 52 million pounds addresses the issue of playing out from the back. De Zerbi's teams never blindly hoof the ball forward; center-backs must have good footwork. Van Hecke's passing success rate and progressive carries from the back last season ranked among the top in Europe, so this money was well spent on a key area.

The three free transfers — Robertson, Senesi, and Dubravka — are also not to be underestimated.

Robertson needs no introduction — he was the starting left-back during Liverpool's recent glorious period. Although he is 32 years old, he is still a ready-made player with rich experience. Senesi has been a starting center-back for both Feyenoord and Bournemouth, has Premier League experience, and made 37 Premier League starts last season for Bournemouth, providing 5 assists. Dubravka, as a backup goalkeeper, is experienced and can step in immediately.

The signal from these three free transfers is clear: Tottenham wants results now. De Zerbi doesn't have time to wait for young players to develop slowly; he needs ready-made players who can contribute immediately.

Is 237 million pounds enough? De Zerbi says it's not over yet.

This is interesting. Spending over 200 million in one summer, and the head coach still says "we need to buy more" — Tottenham fans are lucky.

The "finishing touches" that De Zerbi mentioned are likely focused on two areas.

One is the striker position. Currently, Tottenham's forward line is not deep enough; if a starter gets injured, options off the bench are limited. The other is full-back depth. Although they signed Robertson on a free, the right-back position still has uncertainties, with rumors that Tottenham is eyeing other targets.

De Zerbi said "whether it's incomings or outgoings" — this indicates that the squad clearance is not finished either. Having spent over 200 million on signings, the team's wage structure needs to be balanced, and some fringe players will inevitably leave.

From De Zerbi's appointment to now, the entire club's rhythm has completely changed. The owner is willing to spend, the coach has a clear tactical plan, recruitment targets are precise, and the clearance work is also progressing simultaneously.

Big investment means high goals. The ambition of this Tottenham team is actually on the table. Qualifying for the Champions League is just the baseline; winning the Premier League is the ultimate goal. With 237 million pounds spent, De Zerbi's hand is indeed much stronger than last season. But the money has been spent, and whether the results will follow depends on the performances on the pitch.

But one thing is certain: this summer, Tottenham is serious. And the show is not over yet — let's wait and see.