De Zerbi signals Tottenham are not done yet as deadline-day pressure builds

De Zerbi keeps the door open for another arrival

Roberto De Zerbi has made clear that Tottenham Hotspur are still active in the final stretch of the summer transfer window, saying he believes the club can add one more player before the deadline. His remarks came ahead of Tottenham’s Premier League meeting with Newcastle and followed a period of heavy squad turnover and aggressive investment that has transformed the mood around the club in a matter of weeks. The comments were reported after De Zerbi had already completed a series of major additions, and the broad picture is consistent across multiple outlets: Spurs are still looking for one final piece. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/28/tottenham-roberto-de-zerbi-premier-league-transfer-deadline-window?utm_source=openai))

The manager’s language suggested the push is not merely opportunistic but part of a deliberate plan. Tottenham’s official pre-match materials also show De Zerbi describing the rebuild as a new project and stressing that the squad still needs to develop its identity, organisation and collective attitude. In that context, the search for another signing appears to be tied to one specific role rather than a wholesale rethink of the window. ([tottenhamhotspur.com](https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/1086439/roberto-de-zerbi-our-first-two-targets-are-very-clear?utm_source=openai))

A summer rebuild that has already changed Spurs

Tottenham’s summer has been defined by scale. Reporting from the Guardian, BBC Sport and Spurs’ own official channels indicates that the club has spent heavily and signed several high-profile players, including names such as Savio, Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke and Andy Robertson. The exact total varies by source and by how fees are counted, but the common thread is clear: this has been one of the club’s biggest and busiest transfer windows in recent memory. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/21/roberto-de-zerbi-tottenham-transfer-spree-brentford-premier-league?utm_source=openai))

That level of activity matters because it has shifted expectations. In earlier summer interviews, De Zerbi framed the rebuild as an attempt to restore both quality and mentality after Spurs narrowly avoided relegation on the final day of the previous campaign. BBC Sport described his first task on arriving at the club as keeping Tottenham in the Premier League, and the current window has since become a broader effort to repair the squad’s balance and competitiveness. ([bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c5yjgd1dj8vo?utm_source=openai))

The latest reporting suggests that, despite the scale of the overhaul, Tottenham still see a gap in one area of the squad. That does not necessarily mean the club has failed in the market. Instead, it implies the coaching staff and recruitment team believe the new group needs one more specialist option to complete the template De Zerbi wants for the season ahead. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/28/tottenham-roberto-de-zerbi-premier-league-transfer-deadline-window?utm_source=openai))

Why the final move could matter

The significance of a final signing goes beyond the number itself. Tottenham are entering a season in which De Zerbi has repeatedly argued that the side must recover its “soul” and sharpen its structure. The official club transcript shows him saying that the team needs the right spirit and greater tactical organisation, both with and without the ball. Another player, then, may be aimed at solving a concrete tactical problem rather than serving as a headline purchase. ([tottenhamhotspur.com](https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/1086439/roberto-de-zerbi-our-first-two-targets-are-very-clear?utm_source=openai))

BBC Sport’s analysis of Tottenham’s squad evolution has also highlighted the kinds of qualities the club has been trying to add, including pace, dribbling and one-against-one threat in attack. That helps explain why transfer rumours around forwards have continued to swirl even as Tottenham have already added several new faces. The logic is straightforward: if De Zerbi wants the squad to be more dynamic and less predictable, another attacker or versatile forward could still be useful even after a major spending spree. ([bbc.com.im](https://bbc.com.im/sport/football/articles/cx25xy7p9zpo?utm_source=openai))

There is also a practical deadline element. The summer window closes on Tuesday night, leaving only a small amount of time for negotiations, medical checks and registration. That tight timeframe means any late deal would likely depend on both timing and the willingness of another club to sell. The situation leaves Tottenham in a familiar but high-pressure position: ambitious enough to keep shopping, yet close enough to the deadline that one complication could end the chase. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/28/tottenham-roberto-de-zerbi-premier-league-transfer-deadline-window?utm_source=openai))

Outgoing deals remain part of the equation

De Zerbi has also acknowledged that departures are possible before the window closes, which matters because late exits can shape whether Tottenham are able to complete another incoming move. The Guardian reported that outgoing deals could happen before Tuesday’s deadline, while other coverage around the club has suggested there is still movement to come at both ends of the market. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/28/tottenham-roberto-de-zerbi-premier-league-transfer-deadline-window?utm_source=openai))

That kind of fluidity is normal in a transfer window that has already seen Spurs reshape large sections of the squad. It also means the final days may be less about a single marquee headline and more about balancing the books, reducing the size of the squad and ensuring the manager ends the window with the right mix of profiles. De Zerbi’s own comments about wanting a smaller, more manageable group fit that reading. ([tottenhamhotspur.com](https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/1086450/brentford-vs-spurs-every-word-of-roberto-de-zerbis-pre-match-press-conference?utm_source=openai))

For supporters, the message is double-edged but largely optimistic. The club has already acted decisively, but the manager is still open about wanting more. That suggests the recruitment department is not finished, and it also signals confidence that Tottenham can still improve even after a dramatic summer of spending. ([skysports.com](https://www.skysports.com/football/video/19555/13578132/roberto-de-zerbi-transfer-window-has-surpassed-my-expectations-we-can-sign-one-more-player?utm_source=openai))

What happens next

The immediate question is whether Tottenham can convert intent into a completed deal before the deadline. The club has already shown it is willing to spend heavily if De Zerbi believes a player fits the project, and the manager’s latest comments indicate that the final move, if it happens, will be targeted rather than speculative. ([skysports.com](https://www.skysports.com/football/video/19555/13578132/roberto-de-zerbi-transfer-window-has-surpassed-my-expectations-we-can-sign-one-more-player?utm_source=openai))

If Spurs do land another signing, it will likely be interpreted as confirmation that the rebuild is ahead of schedule. If they do not, the club will still have delivered one of the summer’s most dramatic overhauls and will begin the season with a squad that looks very different from the one that spent much of last year fighting for survival. Either way, the next few days will help define how complete this Tottenham reset really is. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/21/roberto-de-zerbi-tottenham-transfer-spree-brentford-premier-league?utm_source=openai))

Editorial note

This article is an original rewrite based on the supplied lead and corroborated against independent reporting and official Tottenham materials. Reported transfer fees and targets can change quickly before the window closes, so the situation should be treated as live until deadline day. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/28/tottenham-roberto-de-zerbi-premier-league-transfer-deadline-window?utm_source=openai))

Sources:

• The Guardian
• BBC Sport
• Tottenham Hotspur
• Sky Sports
• Tottenham Hotspur