De Zerbi's Spurs Rebuild: Savinho Transfer and Team Spirit

Roberto De Zerbi insists Tottenham are only halfway through their summer rebuild – even as the club edges towards an eye-catching £85 million move for City winger Savinho.

Speaking before Spurs’ 2026-27 Premier League opener away to Brentford, the Italian cut a satisfied but guarded figure, refusing to get drawn into naming names while making it clear the recruitment drive is far from over.

“It’s not right to speak about the players until they are official,” De Zerbi told reporters. “Just to say, I’m very happy. We have not finished yet in the transfer market.”

Savinho the headline, character the obsession

The London club are understood to be closing in on Savinho in what would be one of the marquee deals of the window, another statement signing in a major spending spree designed to reshape the squad in De Zerbi’s image.

Excitement around the Brazilian is already crackling, but the head coach kept steering the conversation back to something less glamorous and far harder to measure: personality.

He spoke with clear pride about the players who have already walked through the doors at Hotspur Way this summer, not just for their ability but for the way they have fitted into the dressing room.

“So far we have had a great summer of signings – great players, great behaviour, great spirit, great personality,” he said, stressing that those traits have been as important as any technical quality.

Money spent, nothing earned yet

The looming £85m outlay on Savinho will dominate headlines, but De Zerbi offered a sharp reminder that fees and reputations do not show up on the scoreboard.

“You know better than me in the Premier League, you don’t win the game with the names, with the big players,” he said. “There are a lot of examples in the last years in the Premier League.”

The message was blunt: this new-look Spurs side will be judged not on how impressive the squad list looks, but on how it behaves when the whistle goes.

“We have to deserve to win the game,” De Zerbi continued. “And to deserve to win the game, we have to reach a high level in character, in passion, in value and in the style of play as well.”

The transfer frenzy will roll on. The real verdict starts at Brentford.