Tottenham Already Have a Fighter Who has Barely Played Under De Zerbi

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Spurs need fighters to get out of the mess they are in

If you thought Tottenham's predicament could not get much worse after the last two seasons, the newly-assembled squad has made people think again.

Spurs have endured back-to-back 17th-placed finishes in the Premier League, although victory in the UEFA Europa League final beset the first of those diabolical league finishes.

With more than £300million spent in the summer transfer window and a new permanent manager in place that saved them from relegation on the final day of last season, it looked like Spurs were going places. The only way they have gone, however, is down.

Tottenham are rock bottom of the Premier League table, propping up the rest of the league after five games of the 2026/27 season, looking up at everyone above them and wondering how things have got this way.

Spurs needed fighters at the end of last season, to get them out of the hole they put themselves in, and they found them in some of their most senior players digging in and battling for the team.

However, with the overhaul of the playing squad that has taken place this summer, some have departed, with club captain Cristian Romero leaving the club for Atletico Madrid, Joao Palhinha not having his loan spell turned into a permanent move, Kevin Danso moving to Sunderland and Guglielmo Vicario departing for Juventus.

A number of what you would hope in the long-run, will be leaders, have arrived at the club and football.london Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold believes that there is one sitting on the substitutes' bench, hardly playing under Roberto De Zerbi so far this season.

Speaking on the Talking Tottenham podcast in a special Q&A episode, Gold said: "I think players like Micky van de Ven, kind of towards the end of last season, were giving everything.

> We saw the way he collapsed at the final whistle in the last game. I think you do have fighters like that.

> "I agree that they've got rid of some of them, and we spoke about that before. The likes of Palhinha and Romero and Danso, players like that, who will give you everything. But I think you've replaced it with players that will lead this team as the season goes on.

> "I think [Jan Paul] van Hecke will be a fighter, I think [Andy] Robertson will be a fighter, [Marcos] Senesi as well. You know he's a leader type, and then [Sandro] Tonali and [Matues] Fernandes, you know, in the midfield are going to be battlers as well."

Senesi has only played in the first Premier League game of the season so far and looked shaky in a 3-0 defeat to Brentford, albeit with the rest of his teammates failing to step up to the plate too, and in the Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool. He has otherwise had a watching brief and may find it difficult to usurp van de Ven and van Hecke as the chosen centre-back duo.

Upon signing him, De Zerbi said: "Marcos’ experience, quality on the ball, and competitive edge will strengthen us defensively, as well as giving us flexibility in formation.

> “He’s comfortable playing in a possession-based team, reads the game very well and has the personality to thrive in a demanding environment.

> “I also love his mentality and desire to keep improving, and I’m looking forward to working with him and seeing the big contribution he can make to the team.”

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