Roberto De Zerbi has agreed to become Tottenham head coach and faces a huge summer ahead after the club secured Premier League survival on the final day of the season. The Italian has admitted he wants to keep only “11 to 12” of the current players as he looks to challenge again for a top-four finish. A squad overhaul is expected, with captain Cristian Romero weighing up his options, while Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson are close to completing free transfers to north London.
One key decision involves teenage centre-back Luka Vuskovic, who has yet to make a competitive appearance for Spurs. The 19-year-old Croatian impressed on loan at Hamburg and is regarded as one of Europe’s brightest young talents. However, Vuskovic has expressed a desire to play alongside his brother Mario at Hamburg, and interest from Bayern Munich and Barcelona could tempt him to leave permanently. De Zerbi must decide whether Vuskovic is ready to step in if Romero departs.
Another issue is the goalkeeping situation. Antonin Kinsky recovered from a nightmare performance against Atletico Madrid in March to play a pivotal role in Spurs’ survival, picking up 11 points from the final six games. With Guglielmo Vicario’s future uncertain amid interest from Italy, De Zerbi must decide whether Kinsky can become first choice or whether to pursue Manchester City’s James Trafford.
Finally, De Zerbi must address the attack. Technical director Johan Lange was criticised for failing to bring in sufficient reinforcements in January, leaving Spurs short of options. Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons are out with ACL injuries until the new year, while Dejan Kulusevski and Mohammed Kudus face uncertain returns. De Zerbi must decide whether to wait for injured players or enter the market for new signings.
