Roberto De Zerbi has made it clear that his tenure at Tottenham Hotspur will only be considered a success if he can deliver silverware to the club. Speaking on the club's ambitions, De Zerbi emphasized that the goal is to revert to challenging for trophies by the 2026-27 season.

Having inherited a squad that was flirting with relegation during the 2025-26 campaign, De Zerbi is pushing for a significant overhaul in quality. The club has already invested over £230m in new arrivals, including Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, and Jan Paul van Hecke, alongside free transfers for Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson, and Martin Dubravka.

Despite the spending, the manager believes the recruitment drive is far from over, with links to high-profile attackers such as Marcus Rashford, Victor Osimhen, Cody Gakpo, Savinho, and Folarin Balogun. De Zerbi recently hinted that a major signing in the attacking department is close.

"I like to think I deserve to be here, and I deserve to want top players, because now Tottenham deserves to build up a top team," De Zerbi told The Athletic. "Now we have to bring in top players to become competitive."

Turning the Tide

De Zerbi's arrival was marked by a difficult start, including a 1-0 loss to Sunderland. He recalled the bleak atmosphere in the dressing room following that defeat: "everyone crying, lying down on the floor... I said, 'Have we passed away?' and I tried to transfer positivity." However, the team rallied to pick up 11 points from their final six games of the season, showcasing a resilience that the manager credits to the players.

Regarding his long-term goals, De Zerbi added: "I consider a trophy the end of the journey. I can't manage the end of the journey; I can manage the journey from the beginning until the end. And now is not the moment to think of a trophy. The trophy arrives if you, in this journey, have worked well."

Tottenham's pre-season has started strongly with an unbeaten tour of Australia, including a 2-1 victory over Chelsea. They continue their preparations against Getafe and Hoffenheim before their Premier League opener against Brentford on August 22.