Tottenham’s board have made good on the major squad overhaul Roberto De Zerbi called for at the end of last season, backing him with an ambitious summer rebuild.
The North London outfit spent close to £400 million bringing in around ten new faces, wrapping up their business by landing Tosin Adarabioyo and Mykhaylo Mudryk from Chelsea. Several players also left the club as part of the shake-up.
Now that the window has shut, De Zerbi has named his 25-man Premier League squad for 2026/27, and it contains a few surprises — both in who made the cut and who didn’t.
Richarlison’s omission raised few eyebrows, given the Brazilian is reportedly closing in on a move to Trabzonspor, having already agreed personal terms and now waiting on the clubs to settle a fee.
The bigger talking point was Dejan Kulusevski’s inclusion. De Zerbi had hinted at this before the Newcastle fixture, saying the Swede was making daily progress and that he was hopeful of naming him in the squad.
Kulusevski is back in full training at Hotspur Way after more than 15 months out, having ruptured his right patella against Crystal Palace in May 2025 and gone under the knife just days later. Further complications and setbacks pushed his return back repeatedly, and the injury also cost him a place at the 2026 World Cup.
Even so, the midfielder kept grinding through rehab, and his comeback now finally looks within reach. Simply getting back on the training pitch after a season out is itself a milestone for him.
His place in the squad has lifted spirits around the club, with fans now hopeful his first-team return isn’t far off.
