Tottenham’s Rebuild Takes Shape Under De Zerbi, But Fans Say a Clinical Striker Is Still Missing
Tottenham Hotspur haven’t wasted any time this summer, putting together what looks like one of the most eye-catching recruitment campaigns in the Premier League under Roberto De Zerbi. Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes have given the midfield a whole new look, while Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka, and Jan Paul van Hecke have brought seasoned quality to the back line.
After back-to-back 17th-place finishes, Spurs have finally started laying real groundwork for a proper rebuild — but fans feel there’s still a major piece missing.
With the defense reinforced and the midfield reshaped, the fanbase seems to agree on one thing above all: it’s time to land a top-tier goalscorer.
Last season made Tottenham’s biggest flaw obvious. The chances were there, but there was no dependable striker to consistently put them away. Richarlison shouldered much of the attacking load despite his future remaining unclear, Randal Kolo Muani’s loan spell didn’t leave much of a mark before he returned to PSG, and while Dominic Solanke has shown plenty of effort, he hasn’t yet proven he can hit 20-plus Premier League goals season after season. As the World Cup winds down, supporters are growing louder in calling for the club to make a marquee striker signing a top priority before the window shuts.
De Zerbi has already assembled a squad built to dominate the ball, with Tonali, Fernandes, Senesi, and Van Hecke all comfortable progressing play from deep. But fans worry that possession alone won’t matter much if Spurs still don’t have someone clinical enough to finish games off.
The club continues to be tied to several attacking targets, including wide players like Savinho and Cody Gakpo, along with Bournemouth’s young talent Eli Junior Kroupi. Even so, there’s been little real movement toward landing an established number nine — something a large portion of the fanbase now sees as the most pressing need on the club’s list.
There’s also pushback against the idea that Tottenham need to offload Richarlison or Solanke before bringing in another forward. The club has already shown it’s willing to add to key positions first and sort out exits later, having brought in defensive reinforcements before letting others leave.
De Zerbi’s blueprint for the club is starting to come into focus — a tighter defensive setup paired with a technically strong midfield built to control matches. The next challenge is turning that control into actual results. Creative players like Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons can unlock defenses, but fans argue they now need a genuine finisher ahead of them — someone capable of banking 20-plus goals a season and stepping up in the biggest moments.
Tottenham once had two of the league’s most feared attackers in Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, and many supporters feel that level of goal output has never really been replaced. With the framework now falling into place under De Zerbi, focus has shifted to bringing in the kind of difference-maker who can push Spurs back among the league’s elite.
With over a month still left in the window, fans are pushing the club’s hierarchy to make a serious push for a marquee striker before Europe’s top clubs scoop up the best available talent. For much of the fanbase, the message is simple — the rebuild is on track, but it won’t feel complete without a genuine goalscoring star leading the line.
