Tottenham’s deadline day turned into a mad scramble as the north London club worked right up to the 11pm cutoff to tie up a string of major moves. After a summer of big spending, the closing hours brought late twists and plenty of squad shuffling as Roberto De Zerbi’s group kept changing shape almost until the final whistle.
Spurs got their headline business done by landing Chelsea pair Mykhailo Mudryk and Tosin Adarabioyo, bringing fresh quality and know-how into the squad. Going the other way, Kevin Danso and Pape Sarr both left the club, while young centre-back Kota Takai was sent out on loan to Belgian outfit Sint-Truidense.
That wasn’t the end of it, though — behind the scenes, Tottenham were also busy sorting loan exits for several academy prospects as the deadline closed in.
Winger Damola Ajayi was among the last business confirmed, joining League Two side Barnet on loan. The 20-year-old, seen as a bright prospect, trained with De Zerbi’s first team over pre-season, played in the friendly against Hoffenheim, and scored in a closed-doors match against Spurs’ Under-21s. He already knows League Two well, having helped Bromley to a historic title-winning, promotion-securing campaign in 11 appearances last season — and Tottenham will hope another spell in the EFL pushes his development along.
Midfielder George Abbott also completed a loan return, heading back to Mansfield Town. The 21-year-old spent the second half of last season there but had his stint cut short by a serious injury in April, which kept him out of Spurs’ pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand while he rehabbed. Going back to Mansfield gives him the chance to rebuild fitness and rhythm in regular competitive football rather than sit on the fringes at Tottenham.
The deadline-day chaos summed up Spurs’ whole summer — heavy spending and strong additions, balanced against tough calls on the squad’s fringes and loan exits for those needing game time. Mudryk and Adarabioyo add options for De Zerbi, Danso and Sarr’s departures reshape the squad further, and the loans for Ajayi, Abbott and Takai show Tottenham’s commitment to developing their younger players through regular football.
It wasn’t the spectacular finish many fans expected, but the transformation of the squad has still been enormous. With the window now shut, all the pressure lands on De Zerbi — no more deals to lean on, just results to deliver on the pitch.
