Roberto De Zerbi is hoping to raid his former club Brighton to reignite Tottenham Hotspur's rebuild, with Carlos Baleba, Jan Paul van Hecke, and Bart Verbruggen at the top of his transfer wish list. The ex-Seagulls boss, who took over at Spurs in April, sees these players as ideal fits to quickly internalise his tactical style.
Triple Brighton Raid
De Zerbi is keen to reunite with midfielder Carlos Baleba, goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, and defender Jan Paul van Hecke, all of whom he worked with during his Brighton tenure. However, there is an acceptance that Tottenham may not secure all three, with Baleba particularly difficult given Brighton's asking price of over £100 million and competition from Manchester United.
Alternative Targets
To cover their options, Tottenham are also looking at Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi, Liverpool's Andy Robertson, and Manchester City's James Trafford. A deal for Manchester City's John Stones is under consideration to bring much-needed leadership to the squad. The club's hierarchy is fully backing De Zerbi after his "Hail Mary" appointment kept them in the Premier League.
De Zerbi is intent on a new goalkeeper despite Antonin Kinsky's recent heroics, with Verbruggen familiar with his methods. In defence, both Van Hecke and Senesi are targets. Highly-rated teenager Luka Vuskovic is expected to sign a new deal and return on loan to Hamburg, where he impressed in the Bundesliga.
Micky van de Ven wants to stay and form a strong centre-half partnership key to De Zerbi's approach. Stones would come under stronger consideration if other targets fall through, while interest in Robertson remains after his emotional Liverpool exit. The club has found new opportunities opening up after securing Premier League safety, including potential football leadership roles.
