adminIf Roberto De Zerbi manages to steer Tottenham away from relegation, he could be rewarded with a significant transfer budget to rebuild and strengthen a squad that has underperformed for several seasons.
Currently sitting 18th, Spurs face five critical matches in their Premier League finale, with the real threat of dropping out of the top flight for the first time since 1977.
Keeping the club up would give De Zerbi major leverage in the summer market, while a relegation could throw everything into question—including whether the Italian remains in charge.
De Zerbi Faces a Major Overhaul
Most areas of the pitch are likely to need restructuring. If Spurs survive, underperforming players from the past year-plus could be moved on; if they go down, many may seek exits themselves.
The forward line is a particular concern. Richarlison has long been linked with a departure, though his focus has been on the 2026 World Cup rather than transfer talk. Randal Kolo Muani is set to return to PSG, with a permanent move to north London looking unlikely. Mathys Tel, who joined permanently from Bayern Munich last summer, has struggled for starts under three different managers this season, leaving his future uncertain. Meanwhile, Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert are injured and may not be fit for the start of next season.
That leaves Dominic Solanke, who has been De Zerbi’s first-choice No. 9 in his opening two games. De Zerbi has voiced support for him, saying, “I’d like to push with Solanke, because he is one of the best strikers in the Premier League. I want him stronger as a personality and character on the pitch.”
However, after those two matches—including a 0/10 rating from ex-Spurs player Jamie O’Hara following the loss to Sunderland—there’s a case that Solanke should be dropped. Against Sunderland, he had just 18 touches (fewest of any player who played 90 minutes), completed only four of six passes, won half his duels, missed a big chance, and failed to score from an xG of 0.56.
Little Improvement at Brighton
At home to Brighton, Solanke saw more action with 34 touches—still the fewest among full-game players. He completed 14 of 18 passes but lost 13 of 20 duels, managing an xG of just 0.05, highlighting his lack of impact.
Solanke performed better under Igor Tudor after returning from injury than he has in De Zerbi’s system so far. While it’s still early, he could find himself leaving before the Italian truly gets started. The question remains whether he fits De Zerbi’s plans—despite the manager’s early comments, Solanke may not be the right fit for the rebuild ahead.
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