Seriously let De Zerbi down As Solanke flops at Tottenham
Tottenham have poured more than £300m into the squad this summer, yet after four Premier League matches they have failed to find the net, sit on two points in eighteenth place and see Dominic Solanke described as a flop – a stark illustration that ENIC have seriously let De Zerbi down.
Spending spree yields barren start
The club’s opening league fixtures produced a 3-0 loss at Brentford and a 2-0 defeat by Newcastle, followed by goalless draws against Nottingham Forest and Everton. Despite the heavy outlay, the team has scored zero goals in the league and earned just two points.
In the EFL Cup, Spurs managed a 5-1 victory over Charlton with five different scorers, offering a fleeting glimpse of attacking promise that has not translated to the Premier League.
Striker woes and loan experiment
Tottenham’s recruitment focused on midfield and wing talent – Sandro Tonali (£92.5m), Mateus Fernandes (£85m), Savio (£75m) and Jan Paul van Hecke (£52m) – but none were genuine number nines. Dominic Solanke arrived as a marquee signing, yet injuries have limited his impact and he has yet to prove he can lead the line.
Loan signing Omar Marmoush arrived with a £60m obligation to buy after delivering 33 goal contributions in 26 games for Eintracht Frankfurt. Deployed on the left, he managed a single shot against Everton, lost possession eleven times and earned a 4/10 rating from The Standard.
Looking for a true number nine
Roberto De Zerbi’s career is noted for extracting goals from forwards other clubs doubted – Evan Ferguson at Brighton, Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck during his tenure, and Pierre‑Emerick Aubameyang at Marseille. Yet he has never had a traditional target man to anchor his system.
The current setup demands a striker who can hold the ball, occupy centre‑backs and free midfielders to arrive late. Without such a presence, Spurs struggle to convert the creativity of wingers like Mathys Tel, Mohammed Kudus and Savio into goals.
Potential solutions mentioned include Brian Brobbey, described as powerful and awkward, and Jean‑Philippe Mateta, a proven Premier League forward reportedly wanted by Juventus and Aston Villa. Both would avoid a bidding war and provide the back‑to‑goal option De Zerbi lacks.
According to Reuters, the story was filed By George Priestman PM GMT+1. George is currently a sports journalist working for GiveMeSport and previously spent two years at National World covering Liverpool and Everton. He holds a 1st Class Sports Journalism MA from Liverpool John Moores University and an NCTJ Gold Standard qualification. His résumé also lists work for The Sporting News, SportBible and 90min, and he has contributed across Archery, Badminton, Cricket, MMA and Boxing. Readers can Like, Give, and Have feedback via the Us section, or contact via Tel.