Tottenham Eye Midfield Reinforcements as De Zerbi Plans Summer Overhaul
Roberto De Zerbi is anticipated to lead a significant squad restructure at Tottenham this summer, regardless of whether the club is competing in the Premier League or the Championship next season.
Spurs gave their survival chances a major boost with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Aston Villa last weekend, climbing out of the bottom three in the process. That said, Tottenham still need to pick up points in their remaining three league fixtures to confirm their top-flight status.
If they do manage to stay up, the club appear to already have transfer groundwork laid, with free agent moves for Liverpool’s Andy Robertson and Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi said to be in the pipeline.
While De Zerbi has visibly improved the team’s midfield dynamic during his brief time at the helm, the Italian is still expected to make sweeping changes across the squad heading into the 2026/27 season as he looks to push Spurs up the table.
Despite a challenging injury-hit campaign, Tottenham have largely had sufficient options in central midfield. Even so, the futures of several players currently at the club remain unclear.
Joao Palhinha arrived on a loan deal, and there is still no guarantee he will be signed permanently — though he is said to be eager to stay even in the event of relegation. Yves Bissouma, meanwhile, will depart when his deal runs out this summer, and Pape Matar Sarr may also seek a fresh start elsewhere.
With those potential departures in mind, Tottenham could look to bring in a new central midfielder, and Parma’s Mandela Keita has been identified as a potential addition.
The 23-year-old Belgian has established himself as one of Parma’s most important players across the past two Serie A campaigns, showing remarkable consistency this season — starting 33 of the club’s 34 league matches, missing only one through injury.
Keita has previously spoken openly about the players who shape his approach to the game, citing former Chelsea star N’Golo Kante and Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong as his primary role models.
Shortly after joining Parma, he said the two players he looks to most are Kante and De Jong, adding that rather than copying either outright, he hopes to take the best qualities from each to develop his own game and reach the top level.
Tottenham are reported to have kept close tabs on Keita throughout the season, though they face stiff competition from Aston Villa and Atalanta. Parma brought him in for around €15 million in 2024, but given his standout performances this campaign, the Italian club are expected to set a considerably steeper asking price this summer.
