Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterThe last two seasons as a Tottenham Hotspur fan have been pretty miserable aside from that glorious Europa League triumph but I have a feeling the club has turned a corner ahead of the new campaign, and its largely thanks to Roberto De Zerbi.In all honesty, though, I was dubious as to whether his appointment back in March would be the right move for Spurs long-term. I was pretty confident that he would drag the club to Premier League survival, and that he did, but would his fiery temperament be at odds with the powers that be at Tottenham?Theres still plenty of time for that to happen, of course, but we are witnessing what appears to be a real change in the whole mindset of the club this summer, and it could even lead to a surprise title challenge.Roberto De Zerbis appointment at Tottenham Hotspur had me worriedI dont think I was alone in having doubts over De Zerbi. Tottenham had reportedly tried to hire the Italian before they recruited Igor Tudor for his ill-fated tenure in N17, but to no avail. The fact he changed his mind a month or so later didnt sit right with me.Add to that the fact that this is a manager who doesnt stick around at clubs for too long (his average time at a club is just over a year), plus the way he left Brighton, and I feared we would be a quick gig with no real consideration of the future. You may like Roberto De Zerbi's first three Tottenham Hotspur signings revealed Neal Maupay has big hopes for Tottenham Hotspur as striker reveals Premier League ambition Tottenham Hotspur battled relegation last season, but a busy summer transfer window could see the London club back in competitive form under Roberto De Zerbi - Tottenham Hotspur 2026-27 season preview Even De Zerbis track record should raise a few eyebrows.Aside from a Ukrainian Super Cup during his brief spell with Shakhtar Donetsk, his greatest achievements are steering Marseille to second in Ligue 1, and helping Brighton to a top six finish.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Theyre not results to be sniffed at, but they also dont get me dreaming of glory, either. More than anything, though, it was De Zerbis personality that just didnt seem like it would fit at Spurs.Much like Antonio Conte before him, this is a man who will say exactly whats on his mind without fear of upsetting anyone, and as weve seen in the past, the Tottenham Hotspur board dont really like that approach.I do believe that no-nonsense style was exactly what the squad needed at the backend of last season, though, and its no coincidence that those seven matches in the run-in were the best Spurs had looked all year. What to read next Tottenham Hotspur ready to complete straightforward first summer signing: report What happened at Spurs this year can never, ever happen again they need people who can handle the pressure and really want to stay. A spine like Arsenal's, who will deliver every week Former Champions League finalist tells FFT how the club can rebuild Tottenham Hotspur eye �100m Premier League star: report Tottenham Hotspur look more disciplined and confident under De ZerbiUnder both Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor, the Tottenham players looked bereft of confidence, lacked any kind of fight, and played turgid football. Since day one under De Zerbi, there has been clear passion and a real togetherness on the pitch, and that delivered the results Spurs needed to stay in the top flight.After survival was secured, De Zerbi himself even claimed it was the biggest achievement in my time, before adding, We are Tottenham, and we can't suffer like this until the last second of the last game to stay up. You just get the feeling that De Zerbi is raising the standards at the club and will absolutely not tolerate anything like what we saw last season.For me, no player exemplifies the shift in attitude at the club more than Micky van de Ven. Under Frank, the flying Dutchman appeared to mentally check out and became a liability. As soon as De Zerbi took over, Van de Ven turned into a leader once more, and looked back to his best.Speaking to The Standard recently, Van de Ven said: You can see [De Zerbi] has brought a lot of passion into our group, a lot in terms of mentality and passion on the pitch. It is something we needed because everybody was a little bit down.He brings a lot of good energy and, from pre-season, we have really had the time to bring his football into the team. That's really enjoyable.Hes right, too. This summers pre-season activity for Tottenham has been refreshing, with positive results (including a rare win over bitter rivals Chelsea), a mix of experienced and youth players having important roles, and most importantly, the levels in terms of intensity and quality have not dropped despite these games being friendlies.Another key case study is the comeback story of Antonin Kinsky. The Czech goalkeeper hit rock bottom in the Champions League last season when he was substituted in the first half against Atletico Madrid after a couple of errors. Now, he looks world-class and is Tottenhams undisputed number one, and its all because De Zerbi put faith in him.The mentality at Tottenham Hotspur has shifted greatly in such a short space of time, and now feels far more aligned with the spirit Ange Postecoglou brought to the club. While Postecoglous tactics were questionable, his man management was outstanding. Whats really exciting is that De Zerbi appears to be capable of both.Tottenham Hotspur are not messing around this summerWhether its due to De Zerbis influence or merely a reaction to back-to-back 17th place finishes, the Tottenham hierarchy are finally showing ambition and loosening the pursestrings this summer.The �85m signing of Mateus Fernandes was a lavish surprise. The �100m capture of Sandro Tonali was, frankly, mindblowing. The club immediately recognised the fact that things needed to change, and put their money where their mouth is to fix it. The same can be said about the defence, too, with the �52m signing of Jan Paul van Hecke and free transfers of Marco Senesi and Andy Robertson adding real depth to an already strong backline.Ive also been really intrigued by the manner in which Spurs have sold off some of their younger players this summer. While the departures of the likes of Luka Vuskovic, Alfie Devine, and Will Lankshear were disappointing, Tottenham received good fees for players who were not likely to make an impact on the first-team this season. In years to come, we may regret not having them around, but thats a problem for another day. What matters now is immediate improvement and success.Now, if Spurs can follow through with their pursuit of Savinho (or another top winger) and, most crucially, find a high-level striker to lead the line, I see no reason why the Lilywhites cant be considered genuine dark horses to challenge for the title. The squad is good enough, the manager is determined to make his mark, and the club as a whole demands and deserves better than what weve seen over the last two seasons.The idea of Spurs pushing for the title, especially after the dismal showing in 2025/26, may be a naive pipedream to some. But, Ill leave you with this In the 2014/15 season, Leicester City ended up with 41 points and a -9 goal difference. The following season, they performed a miracle and won the Premier League title.If the Foxes can do it with relatively meagre resources, I see no reason why a free-spending and revitalised Tottenham Hotspur cant do the unthinkable and rise to the top.TOPICSRoberto De ZerbiTottenham HotspurPremier LeagueJakob BarnesFreelance WriterJakob has over 11 years of experience in journalism across sports, entertainment, tech, and politics. Now a freelance news writer for FourFourTwo, he covers the biggest stories from the world of football.
