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Tottenham's ideal 2026/27 squad - Rashford chance and £21m man joins De Zerbi rebuild

Tottenham Hotspur's squad could be hugely different next season if the club avoid Premier League relegation

Tottenham Hotspur face a string of major decisions in the summer transfer window, provided the club manage to secure Premier League survival. New boss Roberto De Zerbi may look to shake up his squad significantly to ensure Spurs don't find themselves embroiled in another relegation battle.

It has been a thoroughly miserable season for Tottenham, who claimed their first league victory since December only last weekend. The side sit two points from safety with four matches remaining to preserve their top-flight status.

Should Spurs accomplish their goal, De Zerbi will be eager to reshape his options. Here, Mirror Football takes a look at how a dream Spurs squad could line up for the 2026/27 Premier League campaign.

Goalkeepers

Guglielmo Vicario has been first choice since his arrival in 2023, but Spurs could be poised to ring the changes in goal. The 29-year-old is reportedly on Inter Milan's radar and De Zerbi may put his trust in another pair of hands.

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Antonin Kinsky has looked composed in his recent outings, recovering well from his major setback against Atletico Madrid earlier this term. The 23-year-old would be handed the opportunity to step up as number one should Vicario choose to depart.

The Daily Mail has linked Spurs with an interest in Freiburg and Germany U21 international Noah Atubolu, who could offer genuine competition for Kinsky. Meanwhile, Brandon Austin holds on to his place as third-choice goalkeeper.

Defenders

Securing Premier League survival would enable Spurs to retain key defensive figures such as Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie. However, the club could look to cash in on Micky van de Ven, linked with both Liverpool and Manchester United, having fallen short of their seasonal targets and missed out on European football.

Offloading Van de Ven would create a gap in De Zerbi's team for Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi, who is expected to become a free agent. The 28-year-old has emerged as a top target and securing top-flight status would be crucial in getting that deal over the line. Similarly, Andy Robertson could link up with De Zerbi's squad following his departure from Liverpool.

Young loanee Luka Vuskovic will return from Hamburg to provide defensive cover alongside Kevin Danso, while Radu Dragusin finds a move elsewhere. At full-back, Djed Spence offers an alternative option to Porro, while promising young left-back Souza will head out on loan following Robertson's arrival. Spurs maintaining their Premier League status would also see Ben Davies depart at the end of his contract this summer.

Midfielders

Avoiding relegation would pave the way for Joao Palhinha's loan move from Bayern Munich to be made permanent for around £21.7million. De Zerbi is already well-equipped in the middle of the park but is unlikely to sanction moves for the likes of Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall as part of his rebuilding project.

Pape Matar Sarr is reported to be in discussions over a switch to Fenerbahce and would be permitted to depart, while Yves Bissouma is approaching the final months of his contract. The Spurs manager will ideally be strengthened by the return of duo James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski following lengthy spells on the sidelines.

The pair will offer competition for Xavi Simons, who sustained his own injury setback at the weekend. Meanwhile, Rodrigo Bentancur and Conor Gallagher provide further options in the centre of the park.

Forwards

Spurs could be poised to make multiple alterations in attack following a frustrating season. Randal Kolo Muani is unlikely to stay beyond his loan spell while Richarlison and Mathys Tel have struggled to propel Spurs towards safety.

The club have been linked with a surprise swoop for Marcus Rashford should he be unable to secure a permanent transfer to Barcelona. The England international would establish himself on the left wing, with Wilson Odobert offering another alternative.

Spurs could retain their Premier League status at West Ham's expense, which would create an opportunity for De Zerbi to capture Hammers captain Jarrod Bowen in another statement signing. A fully fit Mohammad Kudus would have competition on the right wing.

Dominic Solanke would remain as the focal point in attack. However, Al-Hilal striker Marcos Leonardo may emerge as a fresh backup option after being linked with a switch to Spurs. The 22-year-old Brazilian previously played for Santos and Benfica before joining the Saudi Pro League side.

Spurs' 25-man squad: Kinsky, Atubolu, Austin; Porro, Spence, Romero, Sensei, Vuskovic, Danso, Robertson, Udogie; Palhinha, Bergvall, Gray, Gallagher, Bentancur, Simons, Maddison, Kulusevski; Bowen, Kudus, Rashford, Odobert; Leonardo, Solanke.

Tottenham were already facing a monumental task to escape relegation from the Premier League before Roberto De Zerbi lost another two key attacking players to injury

Tottenham won their first game of 2026 on the weekend - and yet, somehow, their hopes of escaping relegation from the Premier League still took a downturn. Spurs laboured to a 1-0 win over bottom side Wolves on Saturday, only for a late West Ham winner and two injuries to conspire against them.

Roberto De Zerbi now has just four games left to save Spurs from the previously unthinkable of playing the 2026/27 season in the Championship. And he will have to do so without two key attacking players, with Xavi Simons out until 2027 with an ACL injury and Dominic Solanke unlikely to return this season with a hamstring issue.

Solanke was forced off in the win at Molineux before Simons had to be stretchered off in agony. De Zerbi likely had a great deal of hope placed in the attacking duo as he tries to navigate a way out of their perilous situation.

Spurs sit 18th, two points behind West Ham, who are the only realistic target for the north London side to aim at after both Leeds and Nottingham Forest pulled clear of trouble thanks to impressive unbeaten streaks. Tottenham face a trip to fifth-placed Aston Villa this weekend before facing Leeds, Chelsea and Everton.

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Having previously gone 15 league games without one, they realistically need to win two of their final four games to leapfrog the Hammers. And they will have to do so with the longest injury list of any side in the Premier League.

After Solanke and Simons went down on Saturday, Spurs now have 10 unavailable players in their squad - a number which only Liverpool, with eight, come close to. Wilson Odobert, Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies, Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr are all also suffering from injuries of differing levels of severity at the worst possible time.

The lack of creativity and goalscoring threat is the most obvious issue, with Richarlison, Randal Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel the only recognised attackers currently fit. James Maddison has returned to the bench for the last two games but has not played a competitive match since last May after rupturing his ACL in pre-season.

Nevertheless, Jamie Carragher believes Maddison could prove crucial to keeping Spurs up. "He is the only one I can think of in terms of doing something special. He's got that quality I mention in terms of Jarrod Bowen and Morgan Gibbs-White," he said on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.

"He is coming back from a big injury and we might only be talking about 15 to 20 minutes off the bench, but he is the only one when I look at that squad and think he could produce that little bit of magic Spurs need, especially in the away games at Aston Villa and Chelsea.

"When I think of the Spurs players and that little bit of fear of going down, and it may have gone a little after the win at Wolves, but Maddison would continue to take the ball. He'd still want to take it no matter what the situation. For Spurs to stay up, I feel he has a role to play."

Former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood feels that injuries could end up being the deciding factor, with West Ham only missing veteran goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski by comparison. "Injuries have derailed Tottenham all season, and it can't be bad luck," he told Sky Sports.

"They need to review and [have] a good look at what's happening to their players because we can all get injured from contact, but a lot of these injuries are not contact. They are twists and soft tissue injuries. And ultimately, it looks like they might have to pay the price for it, the ultimate price, which is relegation."

De Zerbi can't use injuries as an excuse. Using his depleted numbers, he must find a way to turn the tide.

Arsenal face Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday, with the La Liga side hoping to continue their impressive home record

Arsenal will be braced for another pitch battle at Atletico Madrid.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta faces a tough semi final against Atletico on Wednesday night as the Spanish giants have turned their home into a fortress this season.

Tottenham complained the pitch was watered too heavily before their last 16 tie in March and that led to players slipping on the wet surface. Barcelona boss Hansi Flick said the grass was too long before their quarter final to try and slow the game down.

It will be a genuine concern for Arsenal ahead of their semi-final tie as Atletico are underdogs but their 70,000 capacity Metropolitano Stadium could be a huge weapon. The crowd will be passionate and lively while manager Diego Simeone has vast experience of making life difficult for opponents.

There are strict UEFA rules on the state of the pitch which say “the home club must make every reasonable effort to ensure that the pitch is in the best possible condition” and they will undergo strict pre-match checks.

UEFA’s Article 34 also states: “The home club must respect the pitch-cutting guidelines for natural grass pitches. The height of the grass must not exceed 30mm and the entire playing surface must be cut to the same height.

“The height of the grass should be the same for both the training sessions and the match. If deemed necessary by the referee or the UEFA match delegate, the home club may be required to reduce the height of the grass for the match and training sessions.

“The pitch-watering schedule must be communicated by the home club at the organisational meeting. The pitch must be watered evenly and not only in certain areas.

“As a general rule, pitch watering must finish 60 minutes before kick-off. However, upon the decision of the home club, pitch watering may also take place after that time: between 10 and 5 minutes before kick-off; and/or during half-time, for a maximum of 5 minutes.”

That states that Atletico can water the pitch just before kick-off and therefore Arsenal are certain to keep an eye on what happens.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are still waiting on defender Jurrien Timber to return to fitness. The Dutch defender has been a big miss for the Gunners because of a groin injury and he has yet to step up his training levels.

But Timber has done some work and the hope is that he will be able to kick on and be available for the run-in even though his continued absence is a worry for Arsenal and also Holland ahead of the World Cup.

Eberechi Eze has insisted that he expects to be fit after a scare against Newcastle but Kai Havertz is likely to be out for longer but it is not expected to be a serious lay-off.

Tottenham and West Ham are both scrapping for Premier League survival and have only four games remaining before the season comes to a close

Tottenham and West Ham have just four matches left before their Premier League fate is decided. But who would be facing relegation if their upcoming results mirrored the reverse games?

The battle for top-flight survival will soon reach its conclusion, with Wolves and Burnley already down. One relegation place remains and it is currently occupied by Roberto De Zerbi's Tottenham.

Spurs were winless in 2026 before overcoming Wolves 1-0 on Saturday and despite this victory, remain in 18th, destined for the drop as things stand. Both Leeds United and Nottingham Forest have put together results in the last few matches and while they could be dragged back into the scrap, West Ham find themselves in 17th.

The Hammers left it late to beat Everton 2-1 over the weekend and they have two more points than Tottenham. With only four games left, Mirror Football has a look at Spurs and West Ham's run-in and what happened the last time they faced their remaining opponents.

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Beginning with Tottenham's schedule, they travel to Villa Park on Sunday to face the top-five-chasing Aston Villa. Unai Emery's side currently occupy fifth spot.

Villa are in action midweek as they face Forest in the first leg of a Europa League semi-final, having beaten Spurs 2-1 in the reverse fixture. The two teams also came to blows in the FA Cup and it was Villa who sent Tottenham packing from this year's competition, beating them 2-1 again in January.

Next up for De Zerbi's men is a home match against Leeds United on May 11. When Tottenham visited Elland Road in October, they beat their upcoming adversaries 2-1.

Spurs close out their season with an away clash against Chelsea and a match on home soil against Everton. Tottenham lost 1-0 to their London rivals in November, after dismantling the Toffees 3-0 a month earlier.

If Tottenham mirrored these four results, two losses and two wins, they'd finish the campaign on 40 points. West Ham's next opponents are Brentford, who beat them 2-0 in the reverse fixture in October.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side then take on the current Premier League leaders in Arsenal on May 10. The reverse of this match-up saw the Gunners prevail 2-0.

The Hammers then face a trip to Newcastle United and a final-day home match against Leeds that could hold major relegation implications. West Ham beat the Magpies 3-1 in November but did lose to Leeds 2-1 in October.

So, if the results of these reverse games repeat, West Ham's season would end with three defeats and one win, meaning they'd hypothetically be relegated on 39 points.

Of course, both teams could play out different results than the reverses, for better or for worse, as both did on Saturday. Spurs had drawn 1-1 with Wolves in the reverse match before their win and West Ham did the same, being held by Everton when they met in September.

Tottenham will see their clash with Chelsea rearranged due to the Blues making the FA Cup final - leaving them with the prospect of being relegated at Stamford Bridge if results go against them

Tottenham's penultimate Premier League game of the season against Chelsea will need to be rearranged after the Blues made the FA Cup final - and could leave the north Londoners in a do-or-die situation.

The two sides had been due to meet at Stamford Bridge on Sunday May 17, but the FA Cup final is the day prior and the west London side will face Manchester City at Wembley. It leaves them and Tottenham needing to find a new date before the final day of the season on Sunday May 24.

A date for the rearranged fixture between Tottenham and Chelsea is expected to be announced imminently, but it is likely to take place after the FA Cup final. Tottenham themselves are playing a home to Leeds on Monday May 11, which makes it almost impossible for the game to be played in that midweek.

If it is rearranged for the days leading up to the final day, where Tottenham face Everton at home, then they will play after relegation rivals West Ham have taken on Newcastle at St James’ Park.

It means a situation exists whereby Tottenham, who are already two points off the Hammers, may need to respond to West Ham's result and anything but a win at Chelsea could relegate them.

It adds further spice to a fixture that has previously seen tensions boil over. It was in 2016 that a draw with the Blues saw Tottenham miss out on the title and crown Leicester. They had led 2-0 that night before conceding twice as tempers flared with Tottenham receiving a record nine yellow cards.

Tottenham only have four games to save their season and head to Aston Villa this weekend before hosting Leeds. Saturday saw them win a first league game in 2026 as they narrowly saw off already relegated Wolves, Joao Palhinha scoring a second-half winner.

The blow for Tottenham was a stoppage time strike for West Ham, which saw them pick up three points at home to Everton. It leaves Roberto De Zerbi's side on 34 points, two shy of the Hammers. A thumping win for Nottingham Forest on Friday means they are five points clear of the north Londoners.

De Zerbi said after their win at Molineux: "I'm happy for the result. I hope this result can change something in our head, in our mentality for the other results. It's already very tough to win a game for us. If we put our heads on the other teams, it becomes too tough for me."

The battle for survival at the bottom of the Premier League continued on Saturday afternoon with West Ham and Tottenham both fighting for points after Nottingham Forest's huge win

The games are running out for Tottenham. And the dramatic events of Saturday afternoon underlined why even an upturn in form might not be enough to save them as a late West Ham winner condemned them to another week in the relegation zone.

Spurs did their part: they beat already relegated Wolves 1-0 courtesy of an 82nd minute goal from Joao Palhinha. Minutes after his goal, Everton even equalised against West Ham to propel Spurs to safety, for a few minutes at least.

But Callum Wilson struck right at the death to clinch a 2-1 win for West Ham - leaving Tottenham two points adrift of safety with just four Premier League games remaining.

Both teams suffered a blow before a ball had even been kicked with Nottingham Forest beating Sunderland 5-0 on Friday night. That statement victory put Vitor Pereira's men on 39 points, seven clear of Spurs and five of West Ham.

If Nottingham Forest's stunning result did light a fire under either team, then it failed to translate on the pitch initially. Both sides went in goalless, with Tottenham losing striker Dominic Solanke to injury in a first half where they failed to overly trouble Wolves.

Things got even worse for Spurs not long after play got back underway with West Ham taking the lead against Everton through Tomas Soucek.

The midfielder's header from a corner, given after penalty appeals were waved away moments earlier, piled even more pressure on Tottenham in their bid to bring points back from Molineux.

Xavi Simons was then stretchered off with what looked like a serious injury as Tottenham's afternoon took another devastating twist. But with time running out, Palhinha popped up to put Spurs on their way to what looked to be a priceless victory.

Wilson, however, had other ideas: his intervention in added time wiped out Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's 88th minute goal to lift the roof from The London Stadium. A complete contrast to Molineux.

After weeks of damaging results, Tottenham can at least take solace from the fact that winning keeps them in touch of West Ham and, to a degree, Nottingham Forest, even it it was not enough to lift them out of the relegation zone.

Defeat would have been disastrous. Instead, Tottenham stay alive - for now.

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Tottenham head to Molineux in a must-win match against already-relegated Wolves as Roberto De Zerbi seeks his first win since returning to the Premier League

Molineux stages a major relegation clash on Saturday as already-relegated Wolves welcome a Tottenham side sinking deeper into trouble.

Wolves’ drop into the Championship was sealed on Monday night and Rob Edwards’s men now play out the season with pride on the line. Their brief three-game unbeaten spell sparked hope of a late escape, but it quickly evaporated as they were thrashed in back-to-back defeats to fellow strugglers, losing 7-0 on aggregate. A 3-0 loss to Leeds last time out was their 22nd league defeat of the campaign, and another heavy setback this weekend would see them lose three straight top-flight matches by three or more goals for the first time since 1983.

Tottenham, though, are hardly flying. Roberto De Zerbi’s side remain below the safety line and are still searching for their first league win of 2026, stretching their winless run to 15 games. They looked set to end that drought against Brighton, with Xavi Simons curling home after setting up Pedro Porro, only for Georginio Rutter to strike late and snatch a 2-2 draw. Spurs sit just two points behind West Ham after the Hammers were held by Crystal Palace, but failure to win at Wolves would match the club’s longest ever league winless run — 16 games, set in 1934-35.

Wolves can at least take encouragement from the head-to-head, having gone six games unbeaten against Spurs, and Tottenham’s season-long struggles give the hosts a chance to end their Premier League campaign with a rare high.

Wolves vs Tottenham Prediction

Tottenham to win and both teams to score - 21/10 ( BetGoodwin )

Xavi Simons to score anytime - 5/2 ( BetGoodwin )

Wolves vs Tottenham Team News

James Maddison was back in Tottenham’s matchday squad against Brighton for the first time this season, but he stayed on the bench and is not yet ready to start.

Roberto De Zerbi is still without Guglielmo Vicario, Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies, Dejan Kulusevski, Cristian Romero and Wilson Odobert, while Destiny Udogie is a fresh doubt. Changes are possible after a poor showing last week, with Lucas Bergvall pushing for a midfield start.

Wolves have new injury worries after losing to Leeds, with Angel Gomes (toe) and Ladislav Krejci (whiplash) both doubts, along with Jose Sa and Matt Doherty. Enso Gonzalez and Sam Johnstone are out, as is suspended Yerson Mosquera. If Gomes misses out, Mateus Mane is likely to step in, while Krejci’s fitness could force a defensive reshuffle.

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Manchester United are reportedly weighing up a move for Tottenham star Micky van de Ven, who's also said to be a target for Liverpool during the summer transfer window

Liverpool would be Micky van de Ven's preferred destination if he leaves Tottenham, despite interest from Manchester United. Van de Ven, 25, is considering his future after three years with Spurs, who are fighting to avoid a shock relegation to the Championship.

The Netherlands international made a good first impression when he arrived from German side Wolfsburg for £43million. His pace and ball-playing ability with his left foot quickly made him one of the most coveted centre-backs in the Premier League, although a series of hamstring injuries blighted his second season.

Van de Ven has only missed one game through injury this term, Tottenham's worst campaign in recent history, and he remains a top target for some of England's elite clubs. But in bad news for United, Van de Ven would turn down a move to Old Trafford if a switch to Liverpool was also on the table, according to talkSPORT.

A departure from Spurs isn't guaranteed, though. It's added that if Roberto De Zerbi's side avoid relegation, Van de Ven could extend his stay in north London, especially if Tottenham sell captain Cristian Romero, who's been linked with Atletico Madrid.

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Both United and Liverpool are expected to be in the market for central defenders. United's current crisis at centre-back has highlighted concerns over squad depth as they prepare to return to playing European football next season.

Matthijs de Ligt has been sidelined since November while Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire are also prone to injuries. For Liverpool, it's a similar situation.

Ibrahima Konate is out of contract at the end of this season, although he's expected to sign a new deal, while summer signing Giovanni Leoni has only made one appearance to due a serious knee injury. Their only other recognised centre-backs, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, sees their contracts expire in 2027.

Who should Micky van de Ven join - Liverpool or Man Utd? Have your say in the comments section.

Liverpool have already signed two centre-backs ahead of the summer - 20-year-old Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes and Austria Wien starlet Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who's 18. But Arne Slot may want a more senior figure who can be Van Dijk's successor.

As for United, they'll need to decide how much to spend on a defender, with Van de Ven likely to cost in excess of what Tottenham paid for him in 2023. The Red Devils are set on buying at least one midfielder while they also want to sign an experienced striker and potentially a new backup goalkeeper.

Referee Rob Jones came under fire after deciding not to send Brian Brobbey off for a shove on Tottenham captain Cristian Romero during Spurs' recent 1-0 loss against Sunderland

The referee who failed to send Brian Brobbey off against Tottenham has been at fault for FIVE key match incidents this season, a Premier League panel has ruled. Rob Jones took charge of the clash between Sunderland and Spurs on April 12, during which Brobbey made a late challenge on Cristian Romero.

In the 63rd minute, the Sunderland striker tried getting on the end of a pass from team-mate Nordi Mukiele. Romero, however, shielded the ball which ended up in the hands of Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.

Brobbey then nudged Romero in the back, sending him into Kinsky. In the process, the Spurs captain suffered a knee injury which will keep him out for the rest of this season.

Although Jones gave a foul against Brobbey, the Dutchman - who was crucially already on a yellow card - avoided a sending off. VAR are unable to intervene on potential second yellows.

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The Premier League's key match incidents (KMI) panel have now voted 3:2 that Jones made an error, with the majority concluding that 'there was a two-handed push which was an unnecessarily reckless action'.

Of the 12 KMI errors relating to second yellow cards not being shown this season, Jones has been responsible for five. Newcastle's Malick Thiaw (versus Bournemouth), Manchester City defender Ruben Dias (vs Nottingham Forest), team-mate Rodri (vs Tottenham) and Chelsea star Cole Palmer (vs Leeds United) are the other four incidents.

Over the past two seasons, Jones has the joint-most mistakes on second bookings. The Merseyside-born referee, who also overturned a Tottenham penalty earlier in the game, is culpable for 10 of the 42 errors.

When Jones' mistake against Tottenham was revealed to Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi during a press conference on Friday, he replied: "Can we play that game again or not? I think not. It was clear but no problem. We have to move on."

Should Brian Brobbey have been sent off? Have your say in the comments section.

Tottenham will move on when they travel to face already-relegated Wolves for vitally important game at 3pm on Saturday. De Zerbi's side remain in the relegation zone, languishing two points adrift of West Ham, who host Everton at the same time as Spurs are in action.

"It's a tough game because they have nothing to lose," the Tottenham manager said. "It's an important game for us, for sure, but we have to be able to play with not too much pressure.

"Sometimes when one team is losing too many games the rumours are not nice and behaviour and the people speak about not too much serious players, but no, it is not like this in this case."