New Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi is plotting a stunning triple raid on his former club Brighton to ignite a massive summer rebuild in North London.
Having successfully guided Spurs to Premier League survival on a dramatic final day of the season, the Italian tactician has wasted no time in shifting his focus toward a complete squad overhaul.
De Zerbi has reportedly identified a trio of familiar Seagulls stars to form the backbone of his new-look side.
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Roberto De Zerbi wants Baleba, Van Hecke and Verbruggen
According to a report from The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, midfielder Carlos Baleba, defender Jan Paul van Hecke, and goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen are at the very top of De Zerbi’s summer transfer wishlist.
Spurs are desperate for defensive stability and a ball-playing goalkeeper who completely understands De Zerbi’s high-risk, build-from-the-back philosophy.
Verbruggen fits that bill perfectly, despite recent heroics from youth prospect Antonin Kinsky.
Meanwhile, the club’s recruitment team is eager to pair Van Hecke with Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi to completely reshape a fragile backline.
There is an internal acceptance at Tottenham that landing all three will be incredibly difficult, prompting the hierarchy to keep tabs on alternative options such as Liverpool’s Andy Robertson, Manchester City’s John Stones, and Burnley shot-stopper James Trafford.
Manchester United favorites to sign Baleba
Securing Carlos Baleba will undoubtedly prove to be De Zerbi’s trickiest piece of business.
The 22-year-old midfielder has enjoyed a meteoric rise, and Brighton are notoriously tough negotiators, reportedly slapping an astronomical price tag of over £100 million on their prized asset.
Worse still for Tottenham, Manchester United are currently the favorites to secure the Cameroonian’s signature.
The Red Devils have long been tracking Baleba to reinforce their own midfield, and the lack of European football at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next season could severely hamper De Zerbi’s chances of winning a financial and sporting bidding war against Old Trafford.
De Zerbi has made instant impact at Tottenham already
While a daunting summer window lies ahead, De Zerbi has already made an undeniable and historic impact in N17.
Arriving at the end of March to replace Igor Tudor with just seven games remaining, he inherited a club in freefall and staring into the abyss of a catastrophic relegation.
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Living at the club’s training ground hotel and obsessively working around the clock, the Italian completely revitalised a broken dressing room.
By tweaking the press and restoring self-belief in key figures like Conor Gallagher and James Maddison, De Zerbi pulled off a managerial triumph, securing 11 points from a possible 21.
Sunday’s tense 1-0 victory over Everton ultimately sealed survival, confirming De Zerbi as the indispensable man to lead Tottenham’s incoming revolution.
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