Roberto De Zerbi Highlights Tottenham's Ambitious Summer Overhaul

Roberto De Zerbi insists Tottenham’s eye-watering summer overhaul is being driven not by his own pulling power, but by the sheer ambition of the club’s owners.

Spurs have smashed through the £300million barrier in this window as they rip up and rebuild the squad, capping a frantic few weeks with the captures of Manchester City pair Omar Marmoush and Savio. They arrive on top of headline additions such as Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali and Jan Paul van Hecke – all persuaded to join a club that only just escaped relegation to the Championship a few months ago.

Many have pointed to De Zerbi as the magnet for this new wave of talent. He is happy to take the praise for the football. Not for the chequebook.

Asked how central he had been to Tottenham’s aggressive recruitment, the Italian swerved the spotlight and turned it firmly on the Lewis Family, who control the club.

“No, (what) makes the difference (is the) behaviour and ambition of the owner,” De Zerbi said.

“Because these players are not here for me or because I need them.

“I am an employee of the club, I’m not the owner. But the ambition of the owner made the difference, for sure, because the owner pushed to close (deals for) the players.

“The owners’ ambition is so big, right through transfers, for every one of us, the players, the board, the staff, with myself. The motivation to do better.”

Eight signings in, Tottenham are still not satisfied. The rebuild is not quite complete.

De Zerbi revealed he sat down for dinner on Thursday with members of the Lewis Family, CEO Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange as the hierarchy thrashed out plans for the final week of the window.

“I think we can do one player more and in one specific position,” he said.

That meeting, which also included his translator Enrico Venturelli, underlined how aligned the club’s key figures now feel.

“Yesterday we went for dinner with the owner, with Vinai, with Johan and with Enrico Venturelli. We spoke about this, but we have all of us on the same page and there is a very good connection.”

Tottenham are understood to be weighing up one last move: either another winger or a backup right-back to push Pedro Porro.

One more piece, one more statement. The owners have opened the door. De Zerbi clearly intends to walk through it.