Tottenham’s pre-season has given supporters plenty to smile about, with Roberto De Zerbi’s side collecting two wins, two clean sheets and three goals from their opening two outings. Results this early should always be taken with a pinch of salt, but the performances and overall mood around the club feel markedly different from this time last year, helped by an ambitious summer rebuild that has already brought in defensive reinforcements Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Jan Paul van Hecke, none of whom have featured yet after returning late from World Cup duty.
Attention has understandably centred on the club’s marquee midfield signings, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, who arrived for a combined fee of around £185 million. Fernandes wasted no time announcing himself, needing just three minutes to score on his unofficial debut against MK Dons with a thunderous first-time volley after the ball fell kindly on the edge of the box. It was an instant highlight of the summer and offered an early sign of the quality Spurs have invested in. Tonali’s start has been quieter by comparison, playing 45 minutes against MK Dons before sitting out the Auckland trip due to travel fatigue, but he still showed glimpses of the passing range and game intelligence that convinced the club to spend so heavily on him.
Elsewhere, academy defender Malachi Hardy has used the pre-season schedule to stake his claim for more senior opportunities following Luka Vuskovic’s summer exit. He won three of four duels against MK Dons before following it up with a composed showing in the 2-0 win over Auckland FC, completing 97 percent of his passes and looking entirely comfortable building play from the back — exactly the trait De Zerbi demands from his defenders.
Sunday’s win over Auckland itself was low on drama but not short of positives. Manor Solomon was a constant threat with his direct running, forcing an early save before Dane Scarlett pounced on the rebound to open the scoring after 12 minutes. Mathys Tel later teed up Richarlison for a composed second-half finish to wrap up the win, with Tel’s pace continuing to look a threat and Richarlison given a welcome confidence boost after a difficult season.
For all the impressive performances from the senior additions, it’s 17-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett who has stolen the show. Long tipped as one of Tottenham’s finest academy prospects and frequently likened to Arsenal’s Max Dowman, the teenager has looked the part in both outings. Against MK Dons he operated in a deeper role and still dictated the game, gliding away from opponents and splitting defences with his passing, including one exquisite ball that should have set up a goal for Yang Min-hyeok.
He followed that up in his more natural number ten role against Auckland FC, linking play cleverly in tight spaces and constantly looking to make things happen. He completed his only attempted dribble, won five of six duels and fired off five shots, with some observers suggesting he could easily have walked away with a goal or two of his own. What stood out most was his hunger to affect the game every time the ball came his way, rather than simply playing it safe.
His emergence also adds an interesting wrinkle to Tottenham’s transfer plans. Spurs remain linked with Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi, who enjoyed a breakout season with 13 Premier League goals and offers similar versatility across the front line at just 20 years old. Williams-Barnett already shows many of the same qualities — comfortable centrally, behind the striker, or drifting wide — and while Kroupi would still strengthen the squad, the teenager’s early displays suggest Tottenham may already have a special talent developing in-house.
It’s far too soon to draw firm conclusions, but between the experienced arrivals settling in, the emerging academy talent and the growing sense of momentum, Tottenham’s pre-season has given fans genuine reasons for optimism heading toward the real test of the Premier League campaign.
