Tottenham’s £237m transfer spree gives De Zerbi advantage

Tottenham have set the pace in the summer transfer window, with Roberto De Zerbi's squad rebuild set to continue after an aggressive £237 million spending spree.

Spurs have completed a club-record £100 million deal for Sandro Tonali after paying £85 million for Mateus Fernandes, while six new arrivals are expected to be in place before pre-season begins next Friday.

The size of Tottenham's investment has attracted attention, but the speed of their business could prove just as important. After successive 17th-place Premier League finishes, Spurs are determined to avoid the problems that left last season's squad underprepared.

Tottenham learned difficult lessons from their previous summer window.

A year ago, early business was largely limited to making the Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel deals permanent. Mohammed Kudus later arrived for £55 million, but failed moves for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze disrupted the club's plans.

Xavi Simons eventually joined from RB Leipzig for £51 million, but without a full pre-season. James Maddison's serious knee injury then created another major problem, while late loan deals for Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani were needed to strengthen a thin squad.

This summer has been very different.

De Zerbi has helped identify targets quickly, convince players of Tottenham's project and ensure major signings arrive with enough time to prepare for the new season.

Tonali and Fernandes should both benefit from a full pre-season. Andy Robertson and Jan Paul van Hecke are also expected to have valuable time working with De Zerbi after their World Cup campaigns ended early.

De Zerbi now faces the challenge of integrating an almost entirely new spine into his team.

The Italian's tactical demands are complex and can take time to understand. Van Hecke previously admitted De Zerbi's methods “changed his life”, but Brighton had to remain patient as the squad adapted to his ideas.

That makes Tottenham's early transfer work particularly significant. Instead of asking key arrivals to learn during the Premier League season, De Zerbi will have weeks on the training ground to introduce his system.

Spurs are also working in a summer when several major rivals are dealing with managerial changes. Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City have all appointed new coaches, creating uncertainty that Tottenham will hope to exploit.

Tottenham are expected to continue strengthening the squad as De Zerbi demands further additions before the new Premier League season.

The immediate priority will be getting the new arrivals onto the training ground and building familiarity with the manager's tactical system. After two difficult league campaigns, Spurs believe their early transfer business has given them a major advantage over rivals still trying to complete their summer plans.

Can Tottenham's £237m rebuild turn De Zerbi's side into Premier League contenders?