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Tottenham Hotspur started the Premier League with a defeat that left a mark: 3-0 against Brentford. The result was not only painful due to the scoreline but also because it reminded them of old defeats, such as the one suffered against Manchester United in the 2011-12 season by the same scoreline on the opening day. The contrast with the preseason, which had generated positive expectations, was evident and set off alarms within the club's environment. Since Roberto De Zerbi took over in March, the Spurs have barely managed three victories in eight official matches, although they managed to avoid relegation in the final stretch of last season.

The Italian coach was clear in setting the course: "For me, it's like the Premier League. We are not in a position to make differences. We need to get used to winning matches. We need to change the mood. We can do it because we already did it last season." De Zerbi emphasized that the problem is not just football-related, but cultural: "I heard that the last victory was in December. I believe the environment needs to change, the players and the people within the club must alter that mentality. It's a challenge. When I say we have to become a team, I mean this."

The next match will be against Charlton Athletic in the second round of the EFL Cup, a tournament that De Zerbi considers vital for establishing the habit of winning. The statistics are in their favor; Tottenham has been eliminated in only one of their last 19 series against lower-tier opponents, that time by penalties against Colchester United in 2019-20. Moreover, they have won six of their last seven home matches in this competition, with the only loss being against Chelsea in the 2021-22 semifinals. The pressure is clear, De Zerbi needs Tottenham to start winning, and the Cup could be the ideal stage to initiate that much-needed change in mentality.

Tottenham Hotspur made the arrival of Savinho from Manchester City official in a deal that shook the transfer market. The deal, which could reach $116 million, represents one of the largest outlays in the London club's history. The commitment to the young Brazilian confirms the Spurs' intention to reinforce their attack with fresh and explosive talent, seeking to establish themselves as leaders in the Premier League and internationally.

Tottenham's interest in Savinho dates back more than a year, a period during which the club closely followed his development. The opportunity to work under the guidance of Roberto De Zerbi was a decisive factor in the player's choice. Recognized for his offensive style and his ability to develop young players, the Italian coach is a key figure in the project that convinced the Brazilian. “I am very happy to join Tottenham. I see it as an opportunity to reach the highest level," said Savinho, making clear his enthusiasm for the challenge that lies ahead in his career

Sporting director Johan Lange emphasized that Savinho was a long-term target and that his profile fits the evolving style of play the team is looking for. “Savinho is a player we've had in our sights for a long time. We believe he can bring the quality and intensity we need on the wings," he said. With his arrival, Tottenham adds a winger capable of bringing verticality, overflow, and freshness to the attack. The signing not only strengthens the squad, but also sends a clear message to the rest of the league: the Spurs are willing to invest heavily to compete at the top. Now, all eyes will be on how Savinho adapts to the breakneck pace of the Premier League and the impact he will have on the team's collective performance.

Roberto De Zerbi revealed his ultimate goal at Tottenham is to "bring the club to the top of the Premier League."

De Zerbi took charge of Spurs at the end of March and helped them avoid relegation from the English top flight with victory over Everton on the final day of the season.

Overall, the Italian won three of his seven games in charge (D2 L2) and is now preparing for his first full season at the helm.

Spurs begin their Premier League season on Saturday, when they face Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium, and De Zerbi believes this campaign is just the start for the north London side.

"I think in football you need to be humble. Keep your eyes on your plan," De Zerbi told TNT Sports.

"Our plan, our project is not just focused on this season. This is the first season; in the first season you need to build a base to create something in the future.

"[Our ultimate goal] is to bring the club to the top of the Premier League.

"Obviously, it is very tough to win the trophy, but we are Tottenham. We have to arrive in the right moment to fight and compete to win the trophy because of the history of the club."

Brentford closed out their pre-season campaign in style, thrashing Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt 7-0.

Kevin Schade and Igor Thiago both scored twice, while record signing Mamadou Sangare, Keane Lewis-Potter and Dango Ouattara also got on the scoresheet.

Schade was pleased to see both him and his attacking partners score ahead of the start of the new season.

"It was a really good win – we're ready for next week [Tottenham match]," said the forward.

"A clean sheet and we were offensively really sharp. Me, Dango and Igor... all three of us scored. So I'm very happy."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Brentford – Igor Thiago

Thiago boasted the best shot conversion rate of any player to take 25 or more shots in the Premier League last season (26.2% - 22/84).

Similarly, among those to score 15+ goals across Europe's top-five leagues in 2025-26, only Harry Kane (30.3%) and Joaquin Panichelli (27.1%) had a better conversion rate.

Tottenham – Sandro Tonali

New Spurs signing Sandro Tonali won possession overall (147) and in the middle third (87) more times than any Spurs or Newcastle United player in the Premier League last season.

He also averaged 16.8 forward passes and 3.3 progressive passes per 90 minutes, more than any Spurs midfielder in the top flight last term.

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

From the beginning of March until the end of the 2025-26 season, only Burnley (0) won fewer Premier League games than Brentford (W1 D7 L2).

However, their sole victory came at home to West Ham, and the Bees went unbeaten in home league London derbies last term (W1 D5).

Nevertheless, Brentford have only won one of their 10 Premier League games against Spurs (D4 L5), their joint-lowest win percentage against any side (10% - level with Arsenal).

Spurs are one of only two sides, along with Chelsea, to have played more than once at the Gtech in the Premier League and never lost (five each). Four of their five trips there have ended in draws, however, winning just once in February 2025 (2-0).

Only Burnley (46.5%) and Wolves (44.6%) spent a larger proportion of their total Premier League game time in a losing position last season than Spurs (36.4%), who were also one of only two teams that failed to win a game from behind in 2025-26, alongside Wolves.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Brentford – 40.9%

Draw – 24.9%

The future of Omar Marmoush could become one of the biggest moves of the final days of the transfer window in England.

Tottenham are in talks with Manchester City over the Egyptian forward, who has emerged as one of the main targets for Roberto De Zerbi’s side as they look to strengthen their attack before the window closes.

The Egyptian forward’s stance

According to reports, the Egypt international would be willing to become a new Spurs player and has reportedly given the green light to a potential move to North London.

The attacker’s stance clears one of the key hurdles in the negotiations, although the clubs still need to reach an agreement over the financial terms of the deal.

Manchester City set their conditions

The forward joined from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025 for around £59 million, meaning the English club would look to recoup more than that investment if they agree to let him leave.

Reports also suggest talks between City and Tottenham could involve a potential joint deal for Marmoush and Savinho, with the two attackers valued at close to £150 million combined.

Growing competition in Manchester

Marmoush remains under contract with the club until 2029 and recently showed his attacking quality again during preseason, including a brace against Atlético de Madrid.

However, competition for minutes in attack continues to increase, and Tottenham believe the Egyptian could become an important part of De Zerbi’s project.

With the player seemingly open to the move, the next step will depend on Tottenham’s ability to get closer to Manchester City’s financial demands.

Tottenham are looking to significantly strengthen their attack before the transfer window closes, and one name gaining momentum is Omar Marmoush, the Manchester City forward.

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Spurs are working on a potential deal with the Manchester club for Marmoush and Savinho, two players Roberto De Zerbi wants to bring in to reshape his attacking options.

The information has also been backed up in England. The Guardian reports that talks between Tottenham and Manchester City are underway, while The Times says Spurs have made progress in their attempt to sign both attackers before the transfer window closes.

Marmoush Has the Profile Tottenham Need

The interest in Omar Marmoush makes plenty of sense from a sporting perspective.

The Egyptian is not a striker who needs to remain inside the penalty area waiting for the ball. He has pace, can attack space, start from wider positions and move inside to finish chances.

That mobility could give Tottenham something they need after the attacking problems they experienced last season: greater dynamism and more alternatives around the opposition’s penalty area.

Marmoush also already knows the Premier League, meaning adapting to English soccer would not be an unknown. For a team that needs to rediscover its scoring touch quickly, he would be a signing capable of competing for a place from the start.

The Times adds that the forward initially made an important impact after joining City from Eintracht Frankfurt, although he later lost some prominence because of the enormous competition within the squad.

Haaland Makes Regular Minutes Harder to Find

One of the biggest obstacles preventing Marmoush from becoming the main attacking reference at Manchester City is obvious: Erling Haaland.

As long as the Norwegian continues to occupy the center-forward position, Marmoush will have to compete for minutes in other areas of the attack or take advantage of opportunities when rotations are made.

The Egyptian has the benefit of being able to operate in several attacking positions, but the competition remains extremely demanding.

Enzo Maresca recently addressed the forward’s situation and acknowledged that players want to play and are naturally not satisfied when they do not receive the minutes they expect.

Days later, Marmoush responded on the pitch by scoring twice in Manchester City’s 3-1 preseason victory over Atlético Madrid. Reuters also highlighted his performance and his promising attacking connection with Antoine Semenyo.

Tottenham Also Want Savinho

The operation could be even more ambitious.

Savinho is also part of Tottenham’s plans, with Spurs potentially looking to take both players from Manchester City. According to The Guardian, talks over the double move are progressing, while The Times reports that City would be willing to consider the departure of both players under the right financial conditions.

For Roberto De Zerbi, strengthening the attack has become one of the priorities for the final stretch of the transfer window.

Spurs need to rediscover their scoring touch and create greater competition in attacking positions after a very difficult campaign.

Taking Omar Marmoush away from Manchester City will not be easy, but he is no longer simply a name on a list of possibilities.

David Ornstein, The Guardian and The Times all report that talks are taking place over the Egyptian forward and Savinho. The big challenge for Tottenham will now be finding a formula capable of convincing City.

And in terms of his characteristics, Marmoush appears to have many of the qualities De Zerbi’s new-look attack needs: pace, movement and, above all, the ability to score goals.

Atletico Madrid have confirmed the signing of Cristian Romero, with the LaLiga club paying a reported €40m (£34m) for the former Tottenham captain.

Romero's future has been in doubt all summer, with Spurs signing centre-backs Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi ahead of their first full season under Roberto De Zerbi.

Having been ruled out due to injury in the midst of Spurs' relegation battle last season, Romero was roundly criticised for deciding to return to Argentina instead of attending their crucial final-day meeting with Everton – a choice he eventually reversed.

Several clubs – including Premier League champions Arsenal – have been linked with Romero since the transfer window opened, but Atleti have clinched his signature.

The centre-back has signed a five-year contract with Los Colchoneros, who open their LaLiga campaign against Malaga next Wednesday.

Having joined Spurs – initially on loan from Atalanta – in 2021, Romero made 156 appearances for the club and helped them win the Europa League in 2024-25, their first trophy in 17 years.

Since his debut five years ago, Romero won the most duels among Spurs defenders (873), recorded the most interceptions (223), the most clearances (524) and won the second-most tackles (208).

And among Premier League defenders, only Gabriel Magalhaes (18) and Virgil Van Dijk (17) have scored more goals than Romero (11) in the competition since the start of 2021-22.

Romero started seven of Argentina's eight games at this summer's World Cup, as they finished as runners-up to Spain.

The 28-year-old made 156 appearances for Spurs since joining in 2021 and helped them win the Europa League in 2024-25, their first trophy in 17 years.

Since his debut for the club, Romero won the most duels among Spurs defenders (873), recorded the most interceptions (223), the most clearances (524) and won the second-most tackles (208).

And among Premier League defenders, only Gabriel Magalhaes (18) and Virgil Van Dijk (17) have scored more goals than Romero (11) in the competition since the start of 2021-22.

"Today, I say goodbye to a place that, for five seasons, was much more than a club," the Argentina international said on social media.

"It was my home, my challenge and the place where my family and I built such an important part of our lives.

"I leave with a heart full of memories and enormous pride for everything we lived and achieved together.

"When I arrived, I had a clear dream: to leave my name in this club’s history. I knew the only way was through hard work, sacrifice and achieving something that had seemed so difficult for so long: lifting a trophy again.

"**And we did it.**

"The journey wasn’t perfect, but I don’t want that to define my goodbye. I choose to remember the happy moments, the lessons, the people who stood by me and, above all, the love I received during these five years.

"I know I wasn’t perfect, but one thing gives me peace: I always gave everything. I defended this shirt with pride and with all my heart."

Pedro Porro experienced a very special day Thursday upon his return to Tottenham. The right-back rejoined the English club for training for the first time since winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Spain and was welcomed with a huge guard of honor.

First-team players, members of the coaching staff, club employees and academy players gathered to recognize the World Cup champion, who walked through the guard of honor amid applause, greetings and displays of affection.

Porro played an important role in Spain’s run to the title. The defender started five of his national team’s seven matches in the tournament and also made an impact offensively with two goals.

His first came against Austria, while his second arrived in the semifinal against France, helping the Spanish national team advance to the decisive match before eventually lifting the trophy.

With the achievement, Porro became only the fourth Tottenham player to win the World Cup. Before him, Jimmy Greaves accomplished the feat with England in 1966, Hugo Lloris with France in 2018 and Cristian Romero with Argentina in 2022.

During his return to the club’s training facilities, Porro walked through the guard of honor smiling and shaking hands with his teammates. One of the most memorable moments came when he met head coach Roberto De Zerbi, with the two sharing a warm embrace.

At the end of the tribute, the Spanish international addressed those in attendance, thanking them for the reception and highlighting the strong bond within Tottenham.

“It’s very special when you see everyone here after winning the World Cup. The most important thing is the connection we have, the family, thank you very much for everything. So let’s go for everything because it’s going to be a great year for us,” Porro said.

After celebrating the biggest achievement of his career with Spain, the right-back is now fully focused on his commitments with Tottenham, who are preparing for a new season with one of their players returning as a World Cup champion.

Micky van de Ven is excited about what the future holds at Tottenham after the Dutch international put pen to paper on a new contract on Monday.

Van de Ven's previous deal was due to expire in 2029, but Spurs were keen to tie him down to fresh terms amid interest in the defender throughout the summer transfer window.

The 25-year-old was reportedly on both Barcelona and Liverpool's radar, but he has decided to remain in North London ahead of Roberto De Zerbi's first full season in charge.

Since joining the club in August 2023 from Wolfsburg, Van de Ven has gone on to make 96 appearances for Spurs in all competitions, scoring 10 times from central defence.

Van de Ven ranks fourth for aerial duels won (132) since his debut, while only Cristian Romero (325) and Pedro Porro (349) have made more clearances than his 310.

And despite back-to-back 17th-place finishes in the Premier League, Van de Ven is looking forward to what is ahead at Tottenham, the club he helped end their long trophy drought in the Europa League final two seasons ago.

"It's a special moment to sign a new deal and a proud moment for me and my family," Van de Ven told the Spurs website.

"I've always loved Spurs, from the first day I stepped in here. I love the club, I love the fans, and I've developed really well here.

"It's clear the direction the club wants to go in, and I want to be a part of it. I'm excited about what's to come."

Van de Ven becomes the fourth senior Tottenham player to sign a new contract this summer, after Ben Davies, Antonin Kinsky and Porro.

Tottenham's close-shave with relegation has sparked a summer of signings, which includes Van de Ven's international team-mate Jan Paul van Hecke, who joined from Brighton.

Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes have also signed for big-money fees, while Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka have arrived on free transfers.

"Micky is one of the best centre-backs in Europe and an important player for us," Spurs boss De Zerbi said.

"He has the qualities, mentality and ambition that we want at Tottenham Hotspur, and I am very happy that he has decided to continue his journey with the club.

"We are building something strong here, and players like Micky are an important part of that future.

"His decision to sign a new contract shows his belief in what we are creating together."

Along with the news of Van de Ven's renewal, it has been reported that Romero is edging closer to a move to Atletico Madrid. The Argentine defender had also been linked with Inter, but is said to prefer a switch to Diego Simeone's side.

Conor Gallagher believes "it's time to kick on" at Tottenham as he looks to help them move up the Premier League table in 2026-27.

Gallagher joined Spurs in January from Atletico Madrid for a reported £34m (€40m) and helped the north London side avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Since his move to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Gallagher has recorded the joint-most interceptions (18) among Spurs midfielders across all competitions, won the third-most tackles (16) and duels (70) and completed the third-most passes (464).

Nevertheless, Spurs only retained their Premier League status with a 1-0 win over Everton on the final day of the season, with Roberto De Zerbi's side finishing 17th.

Spurs have finished 17th in each of the last two Premier League seasons, and Gallagher is ready to do his part in improving the team's performances.

"It's time to kick on to try and show the fans what I can do," Gallagher told Sky Sports.

"I want to be at my best to help the club go to where we should be.

"Every footballer has things going on and hard, tough times. It's just life. Everyone has problems and I'm just really happy that we came out of it and I ended the season well.

"Hopefully this is only the start of my Spurs career."

Spurs have made a strong start in pre-season ahead of De Zerbi's first full campaign in charge, winning all four games so far, including a 2-1 win over rivals Chelsea.

After closing out pre-season with friendlies against Getafe and Hoffenheim, Spurs begin their Premier League campaign away to Brentford on August 22.