De Zerbi’s Spurs in turmoil: three stars want out after Newcastle setback
Tottenham’s season has barely started and already the alarm bells are ringing. Back-to-back defeats, the latest a 2-0 reverse to Newcastle at a subdued Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, have left Roberto De Zerbi staring at a mess that money alone hasn’t fixed.
A grim opening fortnight
After an expensive summer splurge on Matheus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali, Savio and Jan Paul van Hecke, Spurs were meant to look reborn. Instead, they were rolled over 3-0 by Brentford on the opening weekend and then beaten again on Saturday night as Newcastle cashed in with two second-half strikes from Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa. Bottom. Two played, none won, none scored. That’s not the script the north Londoners sold their fans.
Three want out — De Zerbi lays it bare
Then came the real shock. Post-match, De Zerbi made it plain: Richarlison, Kevin Danso and Pape Matar Sarr have all asked to leave before the window slams shut. None of the trio even made the matchday squad. The head coach was diplomatic — says he loves them, great lads, good relationships — but the message couldn’t be clearer: bring a deal that suits the club and they can go, and Spurs will move to replace them.
There’s talk of one more attacker coming in, with Cody Gakpo linked. Ambition isn’t the issue; cohesion is. Right now Spurs look like a team assembled in a hurry, still checking the instructions.
‘Unfair’ result, says the boss
De Zerbi insisted the scoreline didn’t tell the story. He felt Spurs edged it until the opener, bemoaned the defensive phase, and stressed there’s no panic — the plan is clear, the work is good, and the connection between players will come. It’s the right tone publicly, but privately he’ll know the Premier League is unforgiving when you’re learning on the job.
Pundit’s verdict: pressure already building
Two games won’t define a season, but they can set a mood — and at Spurs the mood is fragile. An unsettled dressing room, new faces bedding in, and a fanbase needing a jolt. If those exits happen, recruitment must be razor-sharp and immediate. The balance up top looks blunt, the midfield light on control, and the back line still searching for chemistry.
For those tracking form, value and early-season swings, the landscape is moving fast — even the best betting sites will be recalibrating their Spurs markets after this start.
What’s next?
No time to sulk. Tottenham head to the City Ground on Saturday, 5 September, to face Nottingham Forest. It’s the kind of fixture that asks real questions: can De Zerbi turn the noise down, knit this squad together, and spark a response? Answer ‘yes’ and the table looks different in a hurry. Say ‘no’ and the window’s final days could define the entire campaign.
