Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi is facing an early-season test of squad harmony following a disappointing 0-2 home defeat to Newcastle. The loss marked Spurs’ second consecutive defeat at the start of the Premier League campaign, leaving the Italian manager searching for answers as key figures within his squad push for exits. In the wake of the Newcastle setback, De Zerbi revealed that striker Richarlison, defender Kevin Danso, and midfielder Pape Matar Sarr were left out of the matchday squad after all three players formally requested to leave the club.
The unrest comes during a period of transition in North London. Despite significant financial investment—highlighted by the arrivals of Sávio and Omar Marmoush from Manchester City, alongside a combined £185 million package for midfield duo Sandro Tonali (£92.5 million initial fee) and Mateus Fernandes—Tottenham have struggled to establish cohesion on the pitch. De Zerbi has candidly identified squad mindset as his primary concern, asserting that forging the right mentality remains his biggest challenge. The manager emphasized that building a new project naturally brings obstacles, urging his players to react with resilience rather than dropping their heads when facing adversity.
Addressing the prospective departures of Richarlison and Danso, De Zerbi maintained a firm stance on the terms required for any transfers to materialize. While praising both as great professionals with whom he shares positive working relationships, the manager insisted that any exits must make economic sense for Tottenham. De Zerbi made it clear that if the departing players bring a suitable financial solution to the table, Spurs will permit them to leave and immediately move to recruit replacements in the market.
The situation surrounding Richarlison remains particularly delicate. The 29-year-old Brazilian international, who has entered the final year of his contract, demonstrated his ongoing value earlier in the summer by scoring a dramatic late winner in a 2-1 friendly victory over Chelsea in Sydney—a match that also saw Danso sent off shortly after coming on at half-time. De Zerbi acknowledged the difficulty of replacing a proven goalscorer, noting that the forward’s intentions have fluctuated between committing his future to the club and seeking a new challenge elsewhere.
Compounding De Zerbi’s squad management dilemmas, Swedish international midfielder Lucas Bergvall has also expressed a desire to depart North London. Having featured regularly since his arrival in the summer 2024 transfer window, Bergvall faces severe competition for minutes following the high-profile arrivals of Tonali and Fernandes. Meanwhile, Sarr’s potential departure is momentarily paused while he recovers from a minor injury before returning to full training, adding further complexity to Tottenham’s reshaping process.
