Tottenham’s £175m rebuild has made this slump harder to excuse

Tottenham Hotspur enter the first international break at the bottom of the Premier League table despite spending a net £175m rebuilding their squad over the summer. Following an escape from relegation under manager Roberto De Zerbi late last season, Spurs have endured defeats to Brentford, Newcastle, and Aston Villa, alongside scoreless draws with Nottingham Forest and Everton.

Manager Roberto De Zerbi described the squad as too fragile mentally and physically following structural issues and defensive errors, notably highlighted in their 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa. Scrutiny has increased over summer acquisitions, including Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Sávio, and Omar Marmoush.