Tottenham Hotspur are prepared to continue splashing the cash to strengthen Roberto De Zerbi’s squad and are ready to spend big on their top target.

It’s been a busy summer transfer window for Spurs’ recruitment staff, who have forked out £237 million on six new signings. Sandro Tonali arrived from Newcastle United for £100 million while Mateus Fernandes joined from West Ham United for £85 million.

De Zerbi wants a new attacker following last season’s struggles, which nearly resulted in relegation. A new winger is on the agenda and the transfer chiefs are willing to get the chequebook out again.

Tottenham Ready To Go Big For Gakpo

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Tottenham have set their sights on Liverpool‘s Cody Gakpo and are keen on bringing the Dutch attacker to North London. A report from Dutch journalist Joost Blaauwhof of Voetbal International claims that the club have set aside a “substantial budget” to seal his signature.

Liverpool are prepared to sell but want “well over” €70 million (£60 million) for the 27-year-old who has four years left on his contract. Andoni Iraola’s Reds aren’t pushing the player towards the exit door, but it’s been left up to him whether he wants to leave.

Gakpo, who reportedly earns £250,000 per week, has been in the Premier League since January 2023 when he joined the Merseyside outfit from PSV Eindhoven for around £37 million. He hasn’t always been a starter, but has been effective in front of goal and managed nine goals and six assists in 52 games last season.

Why Gakpo Should Be Keen On Spurs Move

Mohamed Salah sang Gakpo’s praises a season ago, explaining why he feels he had been misunderstood by the Kop. The Egyptian, who left Liverpool earlier this summer, called him a ‘very clever’ attacker.

This verdict sums up Gakpo’s spell at Anfield as he hasn’t quite won over fans and had many of them questioning his continued run in Arne Slot’s starting lineup last season. With the Reds chasing Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola, his chances of regular game time are doubtful heading into the new campaign.

A move to Spurs could be a perfect opportunity for the Dutchman to get back to his best and he’s certainly a player whom De Zerbi will like. His intelligence allows him to operate on the wing or as a centre forward, and this could help the Lilywhites if they opt not to sign a new striker after top target Junior Kroupi’s injury.

Clearly, the Anfield chiefs are prepared to do a deal if their valuation of the player is met, and it’s now up to him to decide whether he wants to join De Zerbi’s side. If he does, he could be joined by Savinho whom the Lilywhites reportedly have a ‘very good chance’ of signing from Manchester City.

Football is one of the most lucrative professions anyone can pursue, especially when you get to the level of winning the World Cup and making the Ballon d’Or top 20.

Yet a remarkable number of talented footballers have run into financial troubles after hanging up their boots. Some of the bigger names to have declared bankruptcy include Brazil icon Ronaldinho and Manchester United great George Best.

Both men’s issues were well-documented publicly due to their stardom. One man whose financial plight went somewhat under the radar was Ronaldinho’s 2002 World Cup teammate Cafu.

From the World Cup With Brazil to Bankruptcy

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The right-back earned millions during his career, playing for the likes of AS Roma and AC Milan. After all, he did win Serie A twice and the 2006-07 Champions League. Not to mention two World Cup titles with his country.

He was 24 years old when he first got his hands on world football’s biggest trophies, and went on to wear the captain’s armband eight years later. That year, he finished a career-high 15th in the Ballon d’Or rankings. Cafu goes down as one of the greatest full-backs the sport has ever seen.

But he ran into money troubles in 2019, according to Spanish publication AS. After finally calling time on his glittering career, Cafu and his wife set up an agency called Capi-Penta International Player, which represented players.

Mounting debts and poor investments eventually destroyed their finances. In 2019, five properties belonging to the family were seized, while 15 assets were frozen temporarily. The Brazil legend, one of the nation’s greatest-ever players, then declared bankruptcy.

In the years since, Cafu has managed to stabilise his money troubles and has settled the majority of his outstanding debts.

Ronaldinho

Cafu’s Brazil teammate Ronaldinho not only faced money problems, but even ended up spending time in jail. Despite being estimated to have made over $130 million during his playing days, the 2005 Ballon d’Or winner refused to pay a $2 million fine imposed by the Brazilian courts, leading to serious financial difficulties after gradually losing the majority of his earnings over time. As a result, 57 of his properties and several luxury vehicles were seized by authorities.

George Best

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George Best is one of Man Utd’s greatest-ever players. The Northern Irishman won the Ballon d’Or and lit up every game he took part in. But his personal life was very much in the public eye.

His lavish lifestyle didn’t help his bank account, and Best sadly died in 2005, while £450,000 in debt. He owed money to the hospital he passed away in and a further £100,000 on an outstanding mortgage for his apartment, according to Manchester Evening News.

John Barnes

Liverpool and England icon John Barnes is one of the most popular footballers of his generation. His move to Anfield in 1987 saw the winger become the league’s highest-paid player, earning £10,000-per-week. Barnes blamed misplaced trust in others for the £1.5 million bills he racked up. The 62-year-old has repaid £61,000, explaining:

Wes Brown

Wes Brown is another England icon who’s fallen on hard times after his career, going bankrupt in 2023. Despite earning 50,000-per-week at the peak of his Man United career, the defender had several financial issues off the pitch.

His divorce came with a six-figure bill, while Brown also made poor property investment choices. This included an overpriced farm he bought for £6-7million, which remains unsold.

Six new signings have arrived at Tottenham Hotspur so far this summer, and the higher-ups are busy working behind the scenes to further strengthen Roberto De Zerbi’s squad.

Spurs have shown they mean business, forking out a staggering £237 million thus far and breaking their club transfer record in the process. Sandro Tonali arrived from Newcastle United for £100 million, and the transfer chiefs aren’t done there as they are reportedly looking to swoop for Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo and Manchester City’s Savinho.

De Zerbi’s defence has been a major focus, and Jan Paul van Hecke may well have replaced Cristian Romero, who looks to be on his way to Inter Milan. The Dutchman reunited with his former manager when he made a £52m switch from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Tottenham Close to Agreeing Van de Ven Contract

via Reuters

Van Hecke will be battling it out with fellow new signing Marcos Senesi for a starting berth in De Zerbi’s defence. They are unlikely to displace Micky van de Ven, who remains one of the Lilywhites’ most important players.

Spurs appear to acknowledge Van de Ven’s importance and they are reportedly pressing ahead with efforts to get him tied down to a new deal. A top club insider reports that the Dutch centre-back is “close to agreeing a new long-term contract.”

Van de Ven’s future had been the subject of speculation heading into the summer transfer window following last season’s relegation battle. He has three years remaining on his contract but links with Liverpool and Manchester United pointed towards a potential big-money exit.

The 25-year-old, sitting on a purported £90,000 per week, has earned plaudits throughout his time in North London, having arrived from Wolfsburg for around £43m in August 2023. He now looks set to extend his stay with the Lilywhites as De Zerbi bids to take the club back to European qualification next season.

Massive Boost For De Zerbi

Van de Ven is one of the Premier League’s best defenders and despite a frustrating past season for the club and himself, he will be a key man for De Zerbi. Getting his future sorted out before the new campaign begins is just as important as the new signings made.

The Dutchman, dubbed “world-class” by Jamie O’Hara, proved effective in front of goal last season, managing seven goals in 45 games across competitions. At the back, he perhaps wasn’t at his usual best, but that came amid Spurs’ disastrous campaign as a collective.

De Zerbi may have been a factor in the decision to extend his stay, given the Italian coach has a clear plan for his team moving forward. He’ll be hoping the Netherlands international reclaims his status as an elite-level centre-back who can handle any attacker on his day.