The New York Times

Sandro Tonali officially became a Tottenham Hotspur player on July 6, but Roberto De Zerbi had laid the groundwork for this transfer months before.

After reading that Newcastle United expected to lose his fellow Italian this summer, De Zerbi made immediate contact with a mutual friend to help grease the wheels in his pursuit of the eventual club-record £100million ($133.8m at the current rate)signing.

“The story is very simple,” De Zerbi told reporters in Sydney during Spurs’ ongoing pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia. “I saw Sandro wanted to leave before the end of the season and we have one friend in common; the team manager of Brescia.

“I sent a message to my friend to say, ‘Hey, inform Sandro, if we stay up, I’ll go to him’. After 10 minutes, my friend answered me, ‘I said to Sandro, and he’s open’. I said, ‘Now we have to win one game to stay up!’

“I watched Newcastle’s game against West Ham, 90 minutes (indicates sweat coming down his face), and Sandro played very well in the first half. I said (to myself), ‘If I stay up, I come to you, I come to you, I come to you’.”

Tonali played his part as Newcastle beat Spurs’ fellow relegation candidates West Ham United 3-1 that day on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season, a result which meant De Zerbi and company needed just a point from their final two matches, away to Chelsea and at home against Everton.

After a 2-1 midweek loss at Stamford Bridge, Spurs confirmed their top-flight status for 2026-27 with a 1-0 win on the final Sunday.

In his post-match press conference afterwards, De Zerbi said that the work of assembling a squad for this season would start the very next day, and proved true to his word. Tonali was one of the first people he contacted to set up a meeting in Brescia, the northern city where De Zerbi grew up and where the midfielder spent more than a decade as a player before joining Milan in 2020.

“When we won the last game with Everton, the day after the game, at 4pm, I sent a message to Sandro, ‘Sandro, I want to speak with you’,” De Zerbi revealed. “After 10 minutes, we spoke, and after two days, I came back to Italy, and we met in his home.”

For Tonali, the move to Tottenham after three years at Newcastle made sense on many levels — for a start, there was that natural connection with De Zerbi.

While De Zerbi spent only half a season playing for Brescia while on loan from Napoli, he was born and raised there and still visits in the summer. His father used to organise away days for Brescia’s ultras, during which he watched Tonali develop from academy kid into one of the most in-demand and exciting midfield prospects in the world.

Tonali spends time there in the off-season too, and can’t help but run into local legends, not just De Zerbi, but perhaps the most iconic Roberto in Italian football.

“Brescia is so small,” the 26-year-old told reporters in a roundtable interview in Sydney. “I spent two weeks there, and (De Zerbi) as well. I met him two or three times in the city, with the car. But not just him. I met my old team manager in Brescia. (and) I met Roberto Baggio twice.

“I spoke with him (De Zerbi) when he was (managing) in Sassuolo, and at Brighton and Marseille; we spoke every time, because we are Italian, we are from Brescia, and it’s a mini-connection together.”

For Tonali, who describes himself as a “normal person” who likes “normal people” and is happiest spending time with those closest to him, including his grandmother and nephew in his hometown, his family’s happiness and contentment were top of mind.

He had considered a move back to Italy, but Serie A clubs could not afford the level of transfer fee Newcastle wanted. After feeling De Zerbi’s desire to work together and hearing Tottenham’s pitch, it became evident that this would be the best option for him, despite serious rival interest from Manchester City.

“I spoke with Tottenham,” he said. “When you speak with one team, the first impression is a big thing. My first impression was really positive. I spoke after two minutes with my wife and my family, and I said, ‘Probably it will be one of the best decisions of my career’. She told me, ‘You have 100 per cent control over this decision’. I wanted to speak with her because it’s our life.

“So my first impression was really positive. When you are happy after a 10-minute speech, it’s everything, everything is perfect. The gaffer was Italian, Roberto. I knew him. Roberto really cares about his work, his football. He said, ‘The project will be tough but will be perfect for me, for you, for the city, and we can do one of the best seasons, because we have big players. We just have to put a lot of work in’.”

The mini Italian revolution led by De Zerbi on the lilywhite side of north London certainly helped, as well.

Countryman goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is expected to leave Spurs in this window, but Tonali was accompanied on their long journey from London to Auckland by another compatriot in defender Destiny Udogie, who joked he was sitting next to “Mr £100m” on his Snapchat story. De Zerbi has Italians on his backroom team too in assistant Marcello Quinto, who he had as a player at Foggia in 2016, fitness coach Marco Marcattilio and new strength and conditioning coach Agostino Tibaudi.

Tonali grinned that he now hears as much Italian about the place as he does English.

“It’s nice,” he says. “So many staff, three Italian players… It’s funny because sometimes we speak more Italian than English. But it’s fine, because I was at Newcastle for three years and I spoke just English for three years! I only spoke Italian in my house with my wife. So it was a bit different.”

While at Newcastle, Tonali says he managed to head home twice a month, returning for two or three days when the players were given time off.

While the home comforts in north London provided by De Zerbi and his staff played a part in swaying him to Tottenham, Tonali has fond memories of Newcastle, a city that “lives for football”, and wanted to ensure he got the best deal for the club, who supported him through a 10-month ban in 2023 and 2024 for placing illegal bets on football matches.

“The first thing was to get the best deal for Newcastle. I met there some of the best people for football, for their work in the training ground,” said Tonali, speaking hours before it was revealed by The Athletic on Thursday morning that head coach Eddie Howe is to leave the club.

“When I decided to move, I told my agent and (sporting director) Ross Wilson that I wanted the best deal for Newcastle because they deserve everything, and if I have to move, then I can say hello to you or Eddie (Howe) in two or three years. If we meet in 10 years, I want to have a good dinner with the staff, with Ross, because they are very great people.”

While Tonali’s fee meant he overtook fellow newcomer Mateus Fernandes as Tottenham’s record signing mere days after the 22-year-old Portugal international joined from relegated West Ham, hopes are high at the club that they can become an outstanding midfield partnership on an equal footing. The pair have already hit it off away from football, which should only help their understanding flourish.

“(De Zerbi) wants our relationship to be 100 per cent, especially on the pitch, because off the pitch, our relationship is already top,” Tonali says. “We have to keep our football, our work on the pitch, because it’s tough. We played in two different teams last season, two different shapes, two different football (styles). Now we are together, and we have to find our shape, our football.

“Sometimes it’s not easy. Maybe you need two or three weeks. But after four or five days, me and Mateus said, ‘It’s not really difficult, this football, because we know the rules about this shape’. We played in the past with two midfielders, and if you play with two midfielders, you already know everything. You know the offensive phase, the defensive phase, and it’s a little easier. You need less time.”

Tonali spent much of last season operating as a No 6 for Newcastle due to team-mates’ injuries, but has often played his best football as a dynamic No 8. While Fernandes is also capable in both roles, Tonali thinks his new running mate’s qualities should allow him to have more influence higher up the pitch.

“I don’t know, we don’t decide already, but I think him,” he said, when asked who will be the sitting midfielder in their partnership. “For me, I played at No 6 last season, but for him, I think his characteristics are more No 6 than No 8.”

And if there’s any worry that Tonali now thinks he’s top dog at the club because of what Spurs are paying for him, he is very happy to allay those concerns. Then again, it’s no wonder that someone who is not interested in the glamour of being a superstar footballer could not care less about being one of the latest inductees into the Premier League’s £100million club.

“If I was another player, sometimes it’s tough, sometimes the pressure is different, but you have to understand that this is football,” he says. “The price is different now than 10 years ago. I know I have a lot of pressure, but I know I’m a football player, I know my responsibilities, I know this team, I know the people here. I have to play like I’m a normal player, a normal Tottenham player, with passion, putting my energy in every day.

“If you put this into the pitch every day, it’s different; it’s not £1million, £10m, or £100m. You just have to be a passionate player for this gaffer. Put everything onto the pitch.”

Tottenham Hotspur are working on “another bomba” transfer, according to head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who says he is “like a shark” when he wants a player in the transfer market.

Spurs have made six signings this summer, breaking their transfer record twice, first for Mateus Fernandes (£85million) from West Ham United, followed by a deal worth up to £100m for Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United. They are now focusing on attacking reinforcements to bolster a forward line weakened by long-term knee injuries to Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert and Dejan Kulusevski, and De Zerbi has suggested their big business is far from done.

“No, at the moment, no,” De Zerbi replied when asked whether there are any players on his list of targets that Spurs have not been able to sign. “But the transfer market, it’s not finished for sure. We have completed 60 per cent of our project in the transfer market. Now we have another bomba.”

When asked whether the “bomba” deal was close, De Zerbi said, “I hope, but it’s not finished, for sure.”

Manchester City winger Savinho is a long-term target, and Tottenham are confident that they can complete a deal for the 22-year-old Brazil international in the coming weeks. The “bomba” signing is expected to be separate to the pursuit of Savinho, and relates to another major attacking addition.

“In the transfer market, when I want one player, I become like a shark,” De Zerbi added. “No chance to say no.

“I love working in the transfer market. It’s not pressure; it’s one of the nicest parts of my work, my job.”

Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson were identified as free agent additions before De Zerbi joined the club, while Tottenham were also working on a deal to bring Jan Paul van Hecke before De Zerbi’s arrival.

“The list of the players for the transfer market was born before I joined Tottenham, he added. “Because after Marseille, I spoke with Vinai (Venkatesham, CEO), with Johan Lange (sporting director), but I didn’t want to come before, because I suffered on my way out from Marseille.

“But with Johan, we were working on the plan, so a lot of players you are watching now on the pitch started from March, mid-March. And then, normally, when you work with the players, you can change your opinion, maybe for the human quality, for the character, for the quality as a player also, because a lot of players are different than I thought.”

Robertson has joined Destiny Udogie, Souza and Ben Davies as options from the left, while Djed Spence, who impressed for England under Thomas Tuchel this summer, may serve as a back-up to World Cup winner Pedro Porro, whom De Zerbi rates as the “best right back in the world”.

“We have four, at the moment, great full-backs,” De Zerbi said. “Maybe the four most important full-backs in the world — because I think Pedro Porro is the best right back in the world — with Udogie, Robertson, and Djed Spence can play right and left.”

There are several expected outgoings this summer, including Cristian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario, following the departure of Luka Vuskovic, who joined Brighton & Hove Albion for a club-record fixed fee of £46m, plus add-ons.

Antonin Kinsky won the No 1 shirt from Vicario last term, impressing in De Zerbi’s seven matches while Vicario was sidelined after undergoing hernia surgery and helping Tottenham avoid relegation.

“At the beginning of my time, in April I had, I don’t know, one million individual meetings, and they told me their idea,” he told reporters, when asked whether any players had come to him and asked him to leave during that period. “I said: Yes, help me to stay up, and then I help you to leave. If you don’t help me to stay up, you stay underwater with me.”

Roberto De Zerbi says he would like Lucas Bergvall to remain at Tottenham Hotspur, but he cannot guarantee him a starting role and doesn’t want to “convince anyone to stay”.

Bergvall informed the club of his desire to seek a new challenge in June, and Tottenham have fielded interest from Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest for his signature.

Before Tottenham’s game against Auckland last Sunday, De Zerbi said he had not spoken to Bergvall, but after handing the Sweden international his first minutes of pre-season in their 4-2 (1-1 in regular time) penalty shoot-out win over Sydney FC on Wednesday, the Italian said he would like the 20-year-old to remain at the club.

“I’m always being very clear with him and with you,” De Zerbi said in his post-match press conference. “I would like that he stays with us. I think he’s potentially a top, top, top player. But then I don’t want to convince anyone to stay. Tottenham is already, without me, a top club and we are not to convince anyone to stay. He can find the space if he stays with us.

“The competition within the players will be very strong because we are Tottenham and we have to build a strong squad. Not just 11 players. Especially considering a lot of injuries we suffered in the last two, three seasons. Football is going in a clear direction – to compete for the highest places in the table, you have to manage 22, 23, 24 players. I don’t want 24, but 21, 22, of a high level, for sure.”

In an injury-hit season last term, Bergvall was in and out of the side under Thomas Frank, Igor Tudor and De Zerbi, and was used in various positions. Bergvall typically played as one of two players at the base of midfield under Ange Postecoglou in his debut season at Tottenham, where he won the club’s player of the year award, and after experimenting with him in several roles, De Zerbi says he now recognises that position as his strongest, but he cannot give him assurances over consistent starting minutes.

“It’s very clear, his idea,” says De Zerbi. “He wants space. He wants to play as a double pivot as a position. I can’t give, for any player in the world, the place in the first XI guaranteed. Especially for me. I want to be honest with the players. I want to be clear. I don’t want to make the first mistake. In terms of position, I can’t give guarantee. It’s right when he wants to play as a central midfielder. But to play as a central midfielder, sometimes it is to attack, sometimes to keep the holder, to move the ball faster.

“He has to improve. He’s a 2006 (born player). I would like that he stays. But if he doesn’t want, then what can I do? Nothing. He has to speak with (chief executive) Vinai (Venkatesham) or (sporting director) Johan Lange. To stay with us, we have to have the right spirit to stay. He’s a good guy. We will see in the next weeks.”

According to De Zerbi, Bergvall has not directly had a conversation with him about wanting to depart. He also added that they spoke during the World Cup, but having time together in pre-season, where they can talk face to face, is “better”.

“No, never,” De Zerbi responded when asked whether Bergvall had ever told him directly that he wants to leave. “I’m speaking with him before the end of last season and during the World Cup two times, but now we are speaking better. On the face (face to face). Without competition, in this moment, I have started to work like my style. Because in the last season we prepared the game working on the mentality more than the style of play.

“His position is very clear for me now, also because I needed time to understand the characteristic of the players, but I would like him to stay with us. He’s a very young, very good player. Good guy. It’s not so easy and so fast to find a young player of that level.”

Bergvall is one of many central midfielders Tottenham had at the club before the summer, and they have since broken their transfer record twice for Matheus Fernandes (£85million) from West Ham United, followed by a deal worth up to £100m for Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United.

Tonali was a second-half substitute and dispatched his penalty in the shootout, but Fernandes was left out of the squad, along with several senior players, including Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Jan Paul van Hecke and Dominic Solanke.

While the rest of the group could be involved in Saturday’s fixture against Chelsea, De Zerbi does not expect Fernandes back until they return to pre-season training in London next Wednesday due to a fatigue issue in his calf.

“(His injury is) just fatigue, the calf,” he said. “Also for him we took the decision to not take any risk and to recover. But next Wednesday when we start the pre-season in London, he will be ready to work.”

Tottenham Hotspur beat Sydney FC 4-2 on penalties after drawing 1-1 in regular time, continuing their positive start to pre-season.

Unsettled midfielder Lucas Bergvall was handed his first start of pre-season alongside Archie Gray, who captained the side for the second time in as many matches ahead of senior players like Ben Davies, Conor Gallagher and Richarlison.

Mathys Tel opened the scoring for Spurs with a free kick from 25 yards, before Takahiro Sekine levelled in the 55th minute for the A-League side after defender Kota Takai inadvertently poked the ball into his path. With the game drawn in normal time, starlet Luca Williams-Barnett ensured Tottenham started strongly in the shootout with a Panenka penalty, but Martin Dubravka was the hero, saving the decisive penalty from Alexandar Popovic.

The Athletic dissects the main talking points.

How did Bergvall do?

Bergvall has been heavily linked with a move this summer and boasts several suitors across the Premier League. Newcastle United had a £46million ($61.2m) bid rejected earlier this month, while Nottingham Forest have had multiple approaches rebuffed.

Despite the growing likelihood that the Sweden international will depart, Roberto De Zerbi included him in his 35-man squad for the pre-season tour, and he earned his first minutes of the trip in Sydney.

Bergvall started alongside Gray, who wore the captain’s armband for the second time in four days, and brought a sharp first touch and dribbling quality to the midfield before being taken off at half-time for Sandro Tonali.

The 20-year-old sees his best position as a No 8 and is keen to play there more often in the coming season after deputising in various midfield roles and on the wing last season. On the evidence of his performance at the Allianz Stadium, his desire to play more consistently in his preferred position is not without justification, though Sydney in pre-season is no comparison to Premier League competition.

But it seems likely those minutes will come away from north London. After being asked whether Bergvall’s inclusion indicates his future belongs at Spurs, De Zerbi told reporters he wanted “proud” players and those who are not “happy” or proud to stay at the club “have to leave”. But while Bergvall may be on his way out, his inclusion from the start suggests De Zerbi has not washed his hands of him completely yet.

What system did Spurs play?

Long-term injuries to Dejan Kulusevski and Xavi Simons, as well as a minor issue for James Maddison — who was sidelined for the majority of last season — mean Spurs are without any of their natural No 10s.

Gallagher deputised in that position under De Zerbi last season, and Williams-Barnett is among the club’s most exciting prospects from the academy, but there does not seem to be an obvious candidate to play that role if the Italian opts to stick with his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation next term.

De Zerbi went with a single pivot for Tottenham’s 2-0 win over reigning A-League champions Auckland FC on Sunday, with Gray sitting behind two No 8s — a system the head coach could revisit in the early weeks of the Premier League season. Rodrigo Bentancur asked to return for pre-season training a week later than originally scheduled after a demanding season last time round, but De Zerbi insists he is a crucial part of the squad and firmly in his plans.

There is a chance he sees the Uruguayan operating alongside or behind their two record-breaking midfield signings, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali.

De Zerbi returned to a double pivot against Sydney, using Gray and Bergvall in the first period before Tonali and Jamie Donley came on in the second half. As in the latter stages of last season, when Pedro Porro would invert and play high in the opponents’ half when Spurs had possession, De Zerbi instructed Rio Kyerematen and Tye Hall — both typically midfielders — to occupy a similar role, suggesting that dynamic will continue into the new campaign.

Where does Tel fit in?

De Zerbi has made no secret about his desire to add attacking reinforcements to the squad, with Tottenham currently prioritising additions in the wide areas.

Manchester City and Brazil winger Savinho, 22, is among their top targets, resuming their long-standing interest from last summer. But Tel, who started on the left wing today, showed why he shouldn’t be overlooked.

Tel started every game from the left wing after Xavi suffered an ACL injury in the 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in late April, and wowed and frustrated in relatively equal measure. It was his brilliant strike that opened the scoring in the 1-1 draw with Leeds United in Tottenham’s penultimate home game of the season, but it was also his wild attempted clearance that Ethan Ampadu threw his body in front of to earn a penalty and prevent Spurs from taking three much-needed points in the relegation fight.

A brilliant free kick in the first half opened the scoring against Sydney — another demonstration of his obvious talent and excellent ball-striking ability.

Should he improve his decision-making and consistency, there’s no reason why Tel should not continue as an important contributor under De Zerbi next term, regardless of potential additions.

Tottenham Hotspur’s pre-season campaign continues today as they face Sydney FC in Australia.

Spurs winger Mathys Tel scored a brilliant free kick to give the Premier League side the lead just before the half-hour mark.

Sydney striker Mathias Macallister's lob from long range and then a chip over Martin Dubravka both drifted narrowly wide.

Spurs XI: Dubravka (GK); Tye Hall, Hardy, Davies, Kyerematen; Gray (c), Gallagher; Solomon, Bergvall, Tel; Richarlison.

Watch: Paramount+, Spursplay

Join the conversation and email us at: live@theathletic.com

Despite Tottenham dominating that first half, they needed a moment of magic to get their noses in front.

That moment of magic came from Mathys Tel in the 29th minute as he whipped a superb free kick into the top corner.

Gus Hoefsloot had no chance of keeping it out.

And while we’re handing out credit, let’s give some to Sydney FC too. After barely getting a kick in the opening 15 minutes, they grew into the first half and seemed to shed some of their nerves to eventually start threatening themselves.

Mathias Macallister has led that threat, but it’s also fair to think that this Sydney side looks more passive and a bit short compared to what Western Sydney Wanderers were capable of last night against Chelsea.

Credit to Tottenham there. They dominated the early exchanges and Sydney barely had a kick.

High-quality chances have been in short supply, but the goal was an excellent free kick from Mathys Tel and Spurs’ hosts have been kept at bay mostly.

The passing has been neat too, with Spurs finishing the half on 69 per cent possession.

I’ve spotted Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall cycling around Sydney harbour together in recent days, and they have looked pretty tidy together at the base of midfield tonight.

Although Bergvall could depart, De Zerbi’s decision to stick with Gray as captain looks a smart one thus far.

And again from Macallister, who has come to life here. He races onto the lengthy through ball down the left, beats both Dubravka and the defender to it and prods the ball towards the empty net.

Sadly, it’s just wide and Ben Davies is on hand to watch the loose ball out of play.

A couple of chances for Sydney to respond here.

Oh my goodness. Mathias Macallister receives the ball on the halfway line, spots Dubravka off his line and goes for the ridiculous.

And I can tell you, I thought that was going in.

In the end, it just drifts past the right post — but what a moment and what an effort. Love that.

Conor Gallagher could have had a hat-trick already! He wipes his face with his hand, disappointed with his third miss of the match.

The first was a miscue from a very promising position with lots of space, blocked, the second that horribly ballooned effort with the goal gaping after Gus Hoefsloot’s slip.

That time, he got the right contact and shape on the ball, but it struck the base of the post.

He’s getting closer!

Woah! Conor Gallagher now strikes the outside of the post with a side-footed effort. So at least he’s getting closer, after fluffing his contact with a similar chance earlier.

Youlley then gets another look at goal from range but balloons his shot, before we do finally see the yellow card as Alexandar Popovic flies through Richarlison.

I’m sure Gus Hoefsloot is enjoying the experience but now he’s just slipped as he takes a routine clearance, sends the ball straight to Conor Gallagher — and the midfielder can’t take advantage under pressure as his shot flies over and behind the goal.

Meanwhile, I hope you’re enjoying the lack of hydration breaks!

What a wonderful goal that is. Mathys Tel takes the free kick from about 22 yards and central — and he hits it with bend and dip to fly into the top corner past Hoefsloot who was left diving for thin air.

Tel puffed out his cheeks at the sight too. I think he liked that! Stunner.

Well, after Tottenham’s early domination, Sydney FC have settled into this now and it’s all got a big bogged down in midfield.

Takahiro Sekine then tries to catch a piggy-back ride off Manor Solomon without his permission and that concedes the silliest free kick I’ve seen in a while.

Tel to take from a promising position outside the box.

Lovely effort from the busy Youlley, which forces Dubravka into a smart stop down low to his right.

It all came from Archie Gray being too slow on the ball in front of his back four and getting robbed of the ball.

Gray had been doing OK to that point, but you do need to be sharper than that, even in a friendly.

Sydney midfielder Rhys Youlley is enjoying throwing his legs around here. He catches Archie Gray’s ankles and then fouls Conor Gallagher as Spurs build again.

The free-kick delivery is poor but another chance arrives shortly after as the low cross from the right finds Gallagher on his own, 12 yards out.

And he completely fluffs the effort, which is blocked.

That should be 1-0. Or maybe we’re already at 2-0 in the ‘should be’ scoreline. Either way, it remains goalless.

Some have achieved greater heights at the club and elsewhere, but very few, if any, are more “Tottenham” than Ledley King.

Outside their part of north London, King is perhaps not spoken about as much as he should be, but around White Hart Lane, the street in the district that gave the club’s former stadium its name, he is as revered as anyone.

The 25-foot-high mural of him on nearby Tottenham High Road is a celebration of one of the finest players Spurs ever produced; a one-club man who played through the pain as a chronic knee issue that plagued his career, and eventually forced him into an early retirement in 2012, aged 31.

His name demands respect among the neighbours, too, with Arsenal icon Thierry Henry describing King as one of the best central defenders he ever faced, praising his ability to win the ball without committing a foul.

After a brief period as an assistant coach on Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham staff in 2020-21, the now-45-year-old is active in his role as a club ambassador.

King has travelled with the squad to Auckland, New Zealand, and Sydney, Australia, for their ongoing pre-season tour, and helped deliver a community football session in the latter, in partnership with social enterprise Creating Chances’ Football United programme. The initiative uses football to strengthen social cohesion, belonging and leadership among young people from culturally diverse communities.

Listening to him reflect on his career in a question-and-answer session with the children involved at the end of the session, it was evident that the love Tottenham fans shower King with to this day is reciprocated.

Speaking to local fans a few days earlier in Auckland, King admitted that he had spoken to other former Spurs players about what, if anything, they could do to help the club navigate the unthinkable and unprecedented prospect of a first relegation since the 1970s last season.

As it transpired, Roberto De Zerbi, Spurs’ fourth head coach in less than a year, kept them up via a 1-0 home win against Everton on the final day of the Premier League campaign, and King was pleasantly surprised by how straightforward survival was in the end, given the circumstances.

“Before the game, I was really nervous,” King tells The Athletic. “But actually, when we kicked off, and the game was in flow, I felt pretty comfortable. I felt like we handled the occasion pretty well. We kept Everton away from our goal and limited their chances. I think we were as comfortable as you can be in that situation.”

“It was a tough season, of course. For me, it showed how much a lot of the ex-players still cared about the club, because when things were not going well, so many people reached out to see if there was anything they could do, in any way, to try to support.

“It’s tough when you’re at every home game, and your home form is not good, and you’re searching for results. Everyone feels it at the club. It was a tough, tough season, but we got through it in the end, and things are looking a lot more positive now.”

Backed by the Lewis family, the majority owners who have ramped up their commitment to investing in transfers after sacking long-serving executive chairman Daniel Levy last September, Spurs have been one of the Premier League’s most active sides in the summer transfer window.

They twice broke their transfer record in early July, first signing West Ham’s Matheus Fernandes for £85million, followed by fellow midfielder Sandro Tonali (up to £100m) from Newcastle days later. Centre-backs Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth) and Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton) have signed to bolster De Zerbi’s options in defence, as has Liverpool stalwart Andy Robertson, a player who was recruited as much for his experience and standards as for his quality from left-back.

Ahead of Spurs’ 2-0 win over Auckland FC at the city’s Eden Park on Sunday in the opening match of the tour, De Zerbi said he believed the club needed more players in Robertson’s mould because, as the Italian put it: “We need to increase experience, we have to improve in mentality, we have to be stronger.”

The 97-time Scotland international and long-time captain had nine trophy-laden years at Liverpool, including winning the Premier League twice and a Champions League, before leaving this summer at the end of his contract, and King can spot some similarities with the impact Edgar Davids had when he joined Tottenham from Inter of Italy in summer 2005, also as a 32-year-old free agent.

“Edgar, in terms of what he’d won, definitely had an impact on us as a young group at the time,” King says of the Netherlands international, who won a Champions League with Ajax in the Netherlands and three Serie A titles with Juventus and also played for Milan and Barcelona before coming to England. “Andy, I’m sure, can have that on the group. You know what it takes to win, setting the standards, and Edgar definitely did that, so I can see that similarity.

“Edgar had been at (big) clubs and won trophies. Immediately when he came into the building, the first question that he asked me when we sat down at lunch was, ‘Can we win things?’ That was his mentality straight away. I think he helped a young group of players become better players by his standards on the training pitch and after training. He spent a lot of time with young players.”

Davids did not increase his silverware collection during the two years he spent with Tottenham (though many of the young players he helped nurture were part of Spurs’ League Cup-winning side of 2008), but Robertson will no doubt be keen to add more medals to his cabinet.

Few would have predicted the club would have to wait 17 years before they next tasted glory after King lifted that League Cup as captain in 2008. But with De Zerbi now at the helm, and a squad who finally reached the summit again with the Europa League triumph under Ange Postecoglou in May 2025, King believes they are not as far away from challenging for trophies again as back-to-back 17th-place finishes in the Premier League over the past two seasons might suggest.

“I think it was important to get one over the line,” King adds. “To have that feeling. We did it in 2008, and got to the (League Cup) final again the next season and lost on penalties. This group of players, the majority of them have done that, so I think that puts them in good stead going into any tournament. It’s an exciting prospect.

“Of course, there’s a lot of hard work to be done. There are a lot of good teams in the league thinking along the same lines. We believe we have a really talented group of players, and when they perform to their level, we can be right up there.”

Within the Tottenham fanbase, green shoots of belief that the club could be on to something special are beginning to sprout.

Several of the usual suspects at the top of the league table are entering transition phases with new managers, and while De Zerbi falls in that bracket having only been appointed in late March, he will benefit from the time spent on the training ground during those weeks at the end of last season and the strong bond he formed with many of the players as they dodged relegation.

“We made our change last season,” says King. “There are a few teams that made their change and are starting from fresh now. For Spurs, it’s just about starting the season as well as possible, trying to get some momentum off the back of last season, and then taking each game and month as it comes and seeing where you land.”

Reinforcements in attack, with De Zerbi publicising his desire for two or more “first-level” forward players to make a difference in the final third, will be essential if Spurs are to embark on a special season, but the squad looks stacked with difference-makers in defence.

Pedro Porro was a key player as Spain won the World Cup, while Senesi and Cristian Romero (albeit the latter is expected to leave the club in this transfer window) are scheduled back at Hotspur Way not long before the start of the season after reaching that July 12 final with Argentina. However, arguably none of them raised as many eyebrows in their home nation during the tournament as full-back Djed Spence, who was England’s breakout star of the World Cup as they finished third.

His standout moment, a tackle on Giuliano Simeone of Argentina in the semi-final, drew comparisons to one King made on Chelsea forward Arjen Robben in 2006. In King’s view, it was a challenge that typified Spence’s athletic quality and desire to dig in and defend.

“I thought Djed was really good,” King says. “He surprised some people away from Tottenham, probably. It didn’t surprise me, as I’ve seen him throughout the season, so I knew what he brings to the table. I thought he grew into the tournament and gained confidence, and the tackle was a great one. As defenders, you’re always taught to run back as hard as you can, and I think when you’re a defender of Djed’s speed, you always believe that there’s a chance to get back.

“I think that’s why he was picked for the squad. Especially his one-on-one ability. He can play on both sides; players like that are always important to the squad.”

Near-mastery of the art of defending is what endeared King to the Spurs faithful, and it’s what he enjoys looking out for now in young prospects.

Tottenham are blessed with an outstanding crop of academy-level youngsters who play at centre-back, with Malachi Hardy, 18, and Jun’ai Byfield, 17, considered two of the best in the nation among their age group.

And while King is understandably hesitant to put any undue pressure on their teenage shoulders, he can’t help but get excited by a future heir to his crown — perhaps even one worthy of his unofficially retired No 26 shirt.

“I love seeing it,” he says. “I take a big interest in young defenders at the football club. But at the same time, I realise how difficult it is. I don’t like to put any pressure on young players. We’ve always had great talent coming through, but a lot of it is up to them and their dedication and discipline. And of course, you need a good manager who has belief in you.

“So it’s up to them to put in the hard work now, and we’ll hopefully see them in the future.”

Roberto De Zerbi set out his criteria for a Tottenham Hotspur player early in his tenure. Passion, determination and dedication to the club and his cause are non-negotiables. Age, however, is not a factor.

“I’m used to working with young players,” De Zerbi said in his press conference before Tottenham’s 2-0 win against Auckland FC on Sunday. “I gave in my career big time and space for young players, but they have to show me they are able to play and they are good players.

“I never start from the age of the players. From the qualities? Yes. From the attitude and behaviours? Yes. But not for the age.”

The Italian named a remarkably young starting line-up in front of a New Zealand record men’s football crowd of 40,112 here at Eden Park, allowing his senior players time to acclimatise after a long trip. Archie Gray captained a team with an average age of just 20.

Academy graduate goalkeeper Brandon Austin, who has only made three senior competitive appearances for the club, was the oldest of De Zerbi’s starters at 27 — four years older than Antonin Kinsky, who is expected to be the Italian’s No 1 for the upcoming season. Ahead of him was a selection of Tottenham’s most exciting academy talents, as well as Gray, 21-year-old Kota Takai, and Manor Solomon, the oldest of the outfielders, who turned 27 this week after spending last term on loan at Villarreal and Fiorentina.

While Tottenham have targeted prime-age players this summer as they aim to put the nightmare of last season behind them, it would be unwise to lose sight of the future. De Zerbi’s 35-man travelling squad, propped up by youngsters, offers an early look at who could make an impact.

Though many of the starting line-up are his peers, Gray stood out on the team sheet and on the pitch. He made 35 appearances across all competitions last term but was an unfortunate casualty of De Zerbi’s need to strengthen the midfield with experience and seniority, eventually losing the spot he earned under Igor Tudor to Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha after starting the Italian’s debut 1-0 defeat at Sunderland in April.

Gray now appears to be De Zerbi’s fourth-choice central midfielder after the record-breaking signings of Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali. Still, De Zerbi backed Gray to be a future captain of the club in May, and his performance at the base of midfield against Auckland — helping set up Dane Scarlett’s opener with an outstanding pass to Solomon — should serve as a reminder that he is not just a long-term talent, but also a player who can make a big impression this season.

Gray may yet get his chance as soon as the opening game of the season, given Pedro Porro and Djed Spence are not due back at Hotspur Way until around a week before the start of the Premier League after their World Cup campaigns. De Zerbi may rely on Gray at right-back in the opening game against Brentford on August 22. While there is a development plan to help Gray specialise in midfield, his versatility remains among his most important attributes.

“It’s lucky when you have a player who can play in different positions,” De Zerbi said in his post-match press conference. “OK, it’s important for Gray to fix one favourite position, but he has to be open to covering different positions on the pitch. He can play as a right-back, a left-back, a midfielder. Nothing changes.

“He’s a smart player. He is improving his knowledge on the pitch because changing positions means you change your body shape and direction when you receive the ball and give the ball. But he is an important player, even if he can play in different positions.”

De Zerbi stuck with the young core for an hour before more experienced players came on in the second half, with Richarlison scoring Tottenham’s second in the 70th minute. Among the most impressive were 17-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett, whom De Zerbi described as a “big talent”, and 18-year-old Mikey Moore, who spent last term on loan at Rangers and has been linked with another loan move away this summer, with suitors including Borussia Dortmund.

Whether Moore will get his opportunity to make an impression in north London largely depends on the club’s summer business, with Tottenham targeting reinforcements in wide areas. Should Spurs land a couple of key attacking signings, another season-long loan could be best. Moore told reporters after the game that he “still (has) so much more to improve” after impressing in Scotland.

De Zerbi is wise to the importance of the academy in the modern game, reflecting its players’ values as assets for “financial fair play” and in keeping with “the rules of Champions League and Europa League”. “We have to help them to produce more players because we need it,” he added. “It’s important for the club.”

As much as the focus should be on ensuring Tottenham return quickly to competing at the top of the Premier League, the club has spent several years prioritising youth in the market, and it would be nonsensical to throw that away.

Roberto De Zerbi has said players who are not “happy” or “proud” to play for Tottenham Hotspur “have to leave”.

Tottenham rejected a £46million bid for Lucas Bergvall from Newcastle United earlier this month, and have rebuffed interest from Nottingham Forest after Bergvall informed Spurs of his preference to move on this summer.

The 20-year-old was included in De Zerbi’s 35-man squad for the pre-season tour of Auckland and Sydney but on Saturday De Zerbi said he has not yet had a conversation with Bergvall about his future, with plans to do so in “the next days”.

“Listen, I was very clear at the start of my time in Tottenham,” De Zerbi said ahead of Tottenham’s opening match here in New Zealand against Auckland FC (Saturday 11pm ET, Sunday 4am BST). “I said, ‘Who doesn’t want to stay in Tottenham, who is not happy, is not proud to stay here, has to leave’.

“I want proud players who are happy to stay here and to go on the pitch at Tottenham (Hotspur) Stadium with a big motivation. If you think also in the World Cup, the motivation makes the difference. The motivation is to be happy to stay in one team.”

Bergvall struggled for consistent game time at Tottenham last season and was used in several positions across the midfield and on the wing, as opposed to his preferred role as a No 8, which does not appear to be a stylistic fit within De Zerbi’s commonly used 4-2-3-1 formation.

He was a key part of Graham Potter’s Sweden team at the World Cup, making four appearances as they were knocked out of the tournament by eventual semi-finalists France in the last 32. Bergvall signed from Swedish club Djurgardens in 2024 for £8.5m, after the north London club beat suitors including Barcelona to his signature.

“I have not spoken with Lucas yet, I will in the next days,” said De Zerbi, “and we will make the best decision for the club, for Lucas, for me, for every one of us. Without problems, Lucas is a big, big talent.

“There will be a big competition to play (at Tottenham) because, at the end, I think we will be two players for each position. If he wants to stay, I will be happy. Otherwise, we have to find a new solution with (sporting director) Johan Lange, with Vinai (Venkatesham, chief executive). It’s not my business after the decision to leave (if that happens).”

Tottenham have not set an asking price for Bergvall, though David Ornstein told The Athletic FC podcast that interested parties believe the north London club are holding out for a figure closer to £60m.

Tottenham have made six signings this summer, breaking their transfer record twice: first for Mateus Fernandes (£85m) from West Ham United, and then for Sandro Tonali (up to £100m) from Newcastle United. Still, De Zerbi said he expects Spurs to continue working in the market, with a particular focus on attacking reinforcements.

“First of all I think it’s not finished yet our transfer market window.” he said. “We have to finish, we have to bring another couple, maybe more, maybe not less, but a couple of players. I’m very happy, I’m excited to work with the new players, with the old players.

“The target now is to complete the attacking positions. We want the first target, the first level, because we have already important players. But I think to start a new project we need another couple of important players for sure.”

Andy Robertson is one of four defenders who have joined Tottenham this summer. The 32-year-old made over 350 appearances for Liverpool before leaving as a free agent, winning the Premier League and the Champions League across a nine-year spell at Anfield. De Zerbi said experienced signings like Robertson are what the club needs.

“I think we are working very well with Johan and Vinai. We are working with a clear idea. We brought players with a great experience like Robbo (Andy Robertson).

“I think we need this type of players because we need to increase experience, we have to improve in mentality. We have to be stronger because in the last two seasons we didn’t do what Tottenham has to do. At the end of the transfer market we will make the point to close the transfer market session. But at the moment I’m very excited.”

Midfielders Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr have not travelled with the squad after being granted extended leave following the World Cup with Uruguay and Senegal respectively, but De Zerbi said there was “no problem” and that they are “crucial” players.

“I spoke after the World Cup with players, and for every one of them we take different ways,” added De Zerbi. “Bentancur asked me for one week more because he suffered a very tough season last season, and Pape Sarr has a personal problem, and he asked me for one week more. But nothing, no problem, nothing more than I said.”

Mohammed Kudus remained in north London due to injury. The Ghana international winger missed the World Cup after suffering a setback in his recovery from a thigh problem sustained in January, but De Zerbi says he expects him to be “available to start to work with us” when Spurs return to the United Kingdom.

“Kudus is very close, I think,” said the head coach. “When we come back to London, he will be available to start to work with us. It is a great thing for us. Because Kudus is another important player.”

Guglielmo Vicario was also kept back with a small injury, requiring him “to stay one week in London”. The Italy international goalkeeper is expected to depart this summer after losing his starting spot to Antonin Kinsky. Dejan Kulusevski has not played in over a year owing to an unusual knee injury and is continuing his rehabilitation at Hotspur Way.

“Kulusevski, we have to see in the next couple of weeks,” said De Zerbi. “He is another important player. But after one season, one complete season, without games, we have to analyse better and better and don’t take risks for sure. First of all, for him, and then for us.”

Woking have parted ways with manager Jermain Defoe with immediate effect after fewer than four months.

The coaching position was the former England and Tottenham Hotspur forward’s first senior managerial role but it has come to an end mid-way through preseason.

During Defoe’s time at the fifth-tier club, they won two times, drew three times and lost once to finish tenth. Woking won their first July friendly against Sholing, but proceeded to lose the most recent fixture against Portsmouth.

The 43-year-old released a statement later on Thursday evening saying he was “really disappointed” and “genuinely gutted” for the players about the decision, but that it was “impossible” for him to continue.

“Following recent discussions, I can confirm that I have mutually agreed to leave my position as manager of Woking FC,” he said on his social media. “Unfortunately, circumstances have ultimately made it impossible for me to continue in the position.

“I am extremely proud of the work undertaken during my time at the club and genuinely felt that we were building something special. I would like to thank Todd Johnson for giving me the opportunity to manage the club. I am incredibly grateful to the supporters and, most importantly, the players, who I am genuinely gutted for.

“The group is a fantastic one, and I wish the squad every success for the season ahead. Really disappointed the journey has ended so soon, but I leave with great pride in what Paul Bracewell, Karl Halabi and I were building at the club.

“My time at Woking FC has been an eye-opening managerial experience and one that will undoubtedly make me stronger for the next challenge in my career.”

Defoe, 43, had previous coaching experience at his former clubs, working in the academy structure at Spurs and as a player-coach for Rangers. He had not occupied a senior coaching role, however.

“We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Jermain for his contribution during his time at Woking Football Club, and we wish him every success in the future,” the club statement said.

“The club remains fully focused on delivering its objectives both on and off the pitch. We would like to thank our supporters for their continued support.”

As a player, the England forward made 363 appearances for Tottenham over three spells, also appearing for West Ham United, Sunderland (twice) and MLS side Toronto FC. He scored 163 goals over 496 games in the Premier League before retiring in 2022.

Defoe won 57 caps for England, registering 20 goals, and was picked for the squads to go to the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielders Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario will miss the pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Bentancur and Sarr were granted an “extended leave” following their involvement’s at this summer’s World Cup, representing Uruguay and Senegal respectively.

Goalkeeper Vicario, meanwhile, will also miss the tour, owing to a “minor knock in training”. The Athletic reported this week that Vicario is expected to depart this summer, with Antonin Kinsky set to assume the No 1 position.

Included in the squad are new signings Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Martin Dubravka, Andy Robertson and Jan Paul van Hecke. The latter is travelling with the side despite reaching the World Cup round of 32 with the Netherlands — the same stage as Sarr’s Senegal and further than Bentancur’s Uruguay, who were eliminated in the group stage.

Another high-profile inclusion is Swedish midfielder Lucas Bergvall, who also appeared in the round of 32 with Sweden. Bergvall informed the club of his preference to seek an opportunity elsewhere last month and has been the subject of bids from Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, both of which have been rejected.

Four players have been left out of the squad to continue their rehabilitation from injury at Hotspur Way. Among them is Dejan Kulusevski, who did not play a single minute last season due to a prolonged knee issue. Mohammed Kudus will also not travel due to a quad injury that has sidelined him since January, while Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are both out after sustaining torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries last campaign.

Club captain Cristian Romero, his Argentina team-mate Marcos Senesi — who joined Spurs this summer — and Spain right-back Pedro Porro will also not travel after playing in the World Cup final on Sunday. England’s Djed Spence is also not part of the squad after appearing in the third-place play-off on Sunday

Due to the absences, the 35-man travelling squad includes several academy players and products, including winger Mikey Moore, forward Dane Scarlett, attacking midfielder Jamie Donley and midfielder Luca Williams-Barnett.