Tottenham have done some surgical work on their squad in the summer transfer window so far, but head coach Roberto De Zerbi wants to make more changes.

The Italian has already admitted that he only wants players to stay at the club who want to be there, but he has also confirmed that Spurs are not done when it comes to incoming transfers either.

Tottenham are focused on the forward market now, having made big changes to their back line and midfield already, but it is taking time to get anything over the line, although De Zerbi has admitted that the next deal is close.

De Zerbi has admitted he wants to sign forward players now

REUTERS/Hollie Adams

Speaking ahead of the club’s pre-season tour of New Zealand and Australia, De Zerbi said: “I think it’s not finished yet our transfer market window. We have to finish, we have to bring another couple, maybe more, maybe not less, but a couple of players.

“The target now is to complete the attacking positions. We want the first target, the first level, because we have already important players. But I think to start a new project we need another couple of important players for sure.”

Savinho has been the major link when it comes to the left-hand side of Spurs’ frontline, with the Lilywhites having a long-standing interest in the Manchester City man.

They came close to signing him in the summer transfer window of 2025, but Ferran Soriano pulled the plug on the deal at the last minute, with the Brazilian given an indication he would have a role to play.

However, while he made 36 appearances for the Citizens, only 14 of them came in the starting lineup and he appears surplus to requirements at the Etihad Stadium.

New boss Enzo Maresca may want to take a look at him before a final decision is made, with City keen to find a replacement for him before they sanction a deal, which is why the transfer has been held up, despite lengthy talks between Spurs and City.

Cody Gakpo is another name that has been linked with Spurs, although Liverpool are not understood to be looking to sell, so it might take a big offer to convince them. Rafael Leao was also linked ealier in the window, although that has gone quiet, while a move for Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi has now gone on the back burner after the forward suffered a metatarsal injury that will keep him out of action for three to four months.

De Zerbi is understood to be a big fan of Dominic Solanke, with the Italian expecting his forwards to do a lot of work off the ball, starting the press high up the pitch. Solanke’s recent injury troubles make any reliance on him worrisome, however, hence the interest in other signings.

The perfect signing may be staring De Zerbi in the face

And there is one name that no one is talking about that could be the perfect solution for Spurs – Domenico Berardi.

The key reason for that is that he has played under De Zerbi before and knows him and his system well.

The Spurs head coach has already brought in Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton – someone he worked with before – and Sandro Tonali – a Brescia compatriot, showing he likes to work with people who have links with him.

Berardi may be 31 years old, but he can add to the experience De Zerbi has looked to bring in this summer. He may also be more well known as a right-sided attacker, but has played in the second striker role and was even utilised as a centre-forward on occasion under De Zerbi.

He played under De Zerbi for two years at Sassuolo in Italy – where he still plies his trade – making 99 appearances under the Italian from 2019 to 2021 Only two players have played more under De Zerbi during his managerial career than Berardi.

The frontman was prolific when it came to scoring and setting up goals. He hit 41 goals and provided 13 assists during his spell under De Zerbi, with only Pietro Iemmello and Mason Greenwood scoring more under the 47-year-old.

Berardi has a contract with the Italian side until 2029, having only signed an extension last summer, so it may be a difficult deal to get done, but he knows De Zerbi-ball inside out and when it comes to getting forwards on board and firing quickly, there may not be many better suited.

Arsenal are reportedly willing to break the bank to bring Vinicius Junior to the Emirates Stadium this summer, in what would be one of the biggest signings in the history of the Premier League.

The Gunners are eager to upgrade the left-hand side of their attack, with this the most obvious spot in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI that could do with bolstering. Bradley Barcola and Morgan Rogers were initially mooted as the primary targets, but the former is now Liverpool-bound and the latter has joined Chelsea in a staggering £117million deal.

This has forced the North Londoners to look elsewhere for their marquee winger signing. David Ornstein broke the news last week that Arsenal are exploring a deal for Vinicius, who is currently locked in contract talks with Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old has been negotiating a fresh deal with Los Blancos for some time now, although a breakthrough is yet to come. If the superstar and the Spanish giants cannot come to a consensus, then the Gunners are waiting in the wings, ready to pounce.

Should they pull off this audacious move, Arsenal will elevate themselves from marginal title favourites to overwhelming favourites to retain their crown.

Arsenal balked at Morgan Rogers and Jeremy Monga prices

via Reuters

Arsenal have been accused by their own fans and prominent pundits of being stingy in the past, and as recently as this transfer window.

While many would accept that a well-run club implements price discipline when chasing potential targets, others have grown impatient with the stringent negotiating of the North London club’s sporting director, Andrea Berta. The Italian has developed a reputation for making inroads on multiple deals before eventually making a decisive decision on one player, while he’s also known to set clear price parameters for each individual target, which he’ll refuse to budge on.

This approach was reflected in the pursuit of Rogers. The Gunners spent weeks laying the groundwork for a potential deal, liaising with the player’s representatives and holding preliminary talks with Aston Villa. However, Chelsea ultimately gazumped Arsenal, offering a fee Berta simply wasn’t willing to match.

Some reports suggest the North London outfit weren’t willing to go over the £80million mark for the England international, again highlighting their strict discipline in the market — a policy others might dub as tightfisted.

This method has also been seen in the Gunners’ approach for Leicester City wonderkid Jeremy Monga. Arsenal were the frontrunners to land Monga, but ultimately pulled out of the deal when Manchester City offered the 16-year-old astronomical wages.

Similarly, the Premier League champions are now haggling over an additional £5-10million for Bruno Guimaraes. Arsenal’s latest offer for the Brazilian was worth around £70million, but Newcastle are holding out for £80million, and while Berta is reportedly reluctant to bow to these demands, although a £75million figure could be agreed in the coming days.

Arsenal will break the bank for the right player

Danilo Fernandez / Fotoarena/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

Despite these accusations of being cheap, Arsenal have shown that they are willing to fork out significant sums for the right player.

The pursuit of Vinicius clearly shows this. Many reports indicate that Arsenal are prepared to offer the Real Madrid star the most lucrative contract in the history of the club. The weekly wage being proposed is in excess of £400,000 a week.

Not only this, but the Gunners are also said to be willing to pay a transfer fee that exceeds the £120million mark, despite the player only having a year left on his contract at the Bernabeu.

Arsenal evidently feel that Vinicius is a player who can elevate their level significantly, and will do what it takes to sign him. Conversely, they obviously felt the likes of Rogers and Monga weren’t necessary signings who would move the needle for them in any considerable way. It wasn’t worth them breaking their price principles to make these signings.

In the past, Arsenal have been linked with the likes of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Kylian Mbappe. They also spent around £250million in total last summer, bringing in the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi for significant fees. Don’t forget Declan Rice was a £105million signing from West Ham, too.

Clearly, the Gunners are not actually stingy. They have a strategy in place, and they stick by this strategy to ensure they don’t end up overpaying for mediocre talent, which would eventually come back to bite them. They aren’t, however, averse to paying over the odds for genuine top-tier talent.

Some will continue to criticise this transfer philosophy, but Arsenal have ultimately proven with their success on the pitch over recent years that this approach pays dividends in the long run.