Spurs' spending spree — a wise move, or a risky gamble? 

While everyone else is fixated on the FIFA World Cup, waiting for it to end before bringing back their focus to club football, Tottenham Hotspur have quietly concluded a majority of their transfer business for the summer.

Spurs have already made six major signings for the new season. Andy Robertson has arrived on a free after leaving Liverpool, Marcos Senesi has done the same after leaving Bournemouth, Jan Paul van Hecke has joined from Brighton & Hove Albion for £52 million, Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United for £92.5 million, Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for £85 million, and goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka has also joined for free, having last played for Burnley.

Their recent managerial hire, Roberto De Zerbi, arrived late last season and saved them from relegation. Now, he is preparing to take them back up the Premier League table.

Spurs ended the past two seasons in the lower half of the table, having been involved in relegation scraps, which is unbecoming of a club of their stature. Consequently, the Spurs management have decided to back De Zerbi with key signings in order to avoid déjà vu and regain their lost status in the English top flight.

Several mitigating factors have dictated Spurs’ fall from grace over the last two years: poor form, coaching changes, dressing room unrest, and multiple long-term injuries have contributed to two massively underwhelming seasons. 

Under De Zerbi, though, they have already made some really impressive signings this summer. Spurs have tightened up their defence with Van Hecke, Senesi, Robertson, and Dúbravka. They have also shored up their midfield with incredibly talented players in Tonali and Fernandes.

However, despite having spent over £230 million in transfer fees, they are not done yet. As per BBC Sport, Spurs are still in the market and are interested in RB Leipzig winger Antonio Nusa and Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi, so there may be more reasons for Spurs fans to rejoice, as their club is showing quite the positive intent in the market. 

Spurs have made a couple of astute free signings, and even the expensive ones are talented, Premier League-proven players who could make a decisive impact on their campaign. However, when a club makes a number of signings, it also hints at a mass exodus of players who either want to leave or are viewed as surplus to requirements.

There have been rumours involving Richarlison, Cristian Romero, Luka Vuskovic, Lucas Bergvall, and Guglielmo Vicario, while Radu Dragusin has left for Fiorentina on loan. By moving on players, Spurs will want to recoup some of that massive summer spending. Since the transfer window will end at the end of August, their spending could definitely increase, and with player exits there’s no way of knowing what their net spend will look like, so we base our opinion on the recent signings and expected outgoings.

Spurs haven’t been known to be huge spenders. That said, they also spent just under £300 million last summer, although the net spend was somewhere around £240 million. It is believed that De Zerbi has a lot of power over transfers and is the one driving these signings.

Of course, all new managers want to find the kind of players that they believe will suit their system and playing style, but this seems like patching up issues rather than building a robust squad for upcoming seasons. For context, with Van Hecke and Senesi coming in, if either of Micky van de Ven or Romero leaves, the team are putting themselves in a critical situation, as they will again be short of quality on the bench. We’re all aware of how brutal a Premier League campaign can be, and when teams are participating in multiple competitions, they are expected to prepare for the entire season knowing that injuries are inevitable. If there is a dearth of quality squad players, it can lead to serious repercussions; if Spurs haven’t learned this from the last two seasons, they never will.

Additionally, Spurs are not in Europe this season, which could affect their revenue and, in turn, their ability to throw their weight around in future transfer windows. Besides, just signing top players isn’t enough, and they need the right system in place. We have often seen big-money signings wilt under the pressure and seldom perform, barring a few exceptions. While Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali have displayed their skills and talent in the league, it seems Spurs have paid a bit too much out of desperation, and that other viable options might have been available for less. If we look at their spending patterns over the past few years, they have done well when they have spent wisely as opposed to spending big and failing miserably.

Another big concern could be their manager. Roberto De Zerbi is known to be an excellent coach and does well with young talent, but he is also known to be temperamental and has been frequently involved in bust-ups with players, indicating poor man-management skills and a potential flight risk. That said, his attractive brand of football could become a fan favourite if he brings the right energy, tactics, and results to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. However, it could just as easily go south.

I believe Spurs will take major strides and improve this term and end the season in the top half of the Premier League table. Since they will still be in a transition phase, with multiple incomings and outgoings in the mix, it’s hard to think they will be ready to challenge for major silverware just yet, and returning to the Champions League will be their immediate priority.

It’s understandable that they will want to recoup some of their exorbitant spending through player sales, but if they can manage to hold on to a few of their key players and bring in quality squad options, that may prove to be the best possible strategy.

At the moment, however, it feels like De Zerbi is far more interested in assembling a star-studded line-up to try and make an instant impact. One could be wrong, but, in my opinion, this approach doesn’t solve the underlying issues for Spurs. Unless they retain their key players and add reliable squad depth, the Lilywhites will find themselves dealing with issues similar to those that plagued their previous two campaigns.

I hope Spurs return to playing an exciting brand of football and compete against the top teams in the league, and their massive spending spree can have the desired effect for the upcoming season as they chase Europe. Having said that, I’m doubtful that they can build up further over the next few seasons with this quick-fix strategy, which looks like a gamble that could prove costly for them.