De Zerbi Plotting Brighton Raid as Spurs Overhaul Squad After Escape Act

Tottenham's reprieve from relegation came at a cost. After steering Spurs to safety on the final day of the 2025/26 campaign with a 1-0 victory over Everton on Sunday, Roberto De Zerbi has made it abundantly clear that a complete overhaul awaits this summer.

De Zerbi, appointed in late March to replace Igor Tudor, wasted no time outlining the scale of the task ahead. "From tonight, we have to start to organise and to build a new team," he declared in the aftermath of their Goodison Park triumph. The Italian acknowledged the brutal reality facing his squad, estimating that only between 10 and 12 players currently meet the standard required to represent a club of Tottenham's stature.

"We have to complete the squad with the first level of players," De Zerbi continued, his frustration evident. "We are Tottenham and we can't suffer like this until the last second of the last game to stay up."

The solution, it appears, lies in a familiar direction. De Zerbi is planning to raid his former employers Brighton, with three key targets already identified. Carlos Baleba, Bart Verbruggen, and Jan Paul Van Hecke top the wish list as the Spurs hierarchy begins its summer recruitment drive.

Yet there's realism at the Tottenham boardroom. Securing all three Brighton players may prove unrealistic, so contingency plans are already in place. Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi, Liverpool's Andy Robertson, and Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford have all been scouted as alternatives. The club is even casting an eye towards Manchester City's John Stones, hoping his experience might provide the leadership Spurs desperately require.

It's a summer of reckoning for Tottenham. The close call with the drop has concentrated minds wonderfully.