Spurs turn the screw: Madrid wonderkid in sights as De Zerbi era sparks into life
If you wanted a glimpse of what Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham might look like, you got it in a flash — three minutes in, to be precise. Mateus Fernandes leathered a rasping volley into the top bin as Spurs edged MK Dons 1-0 behind closed doors at Hotspur Way, while Sandro Tonali quietly banked valuable minutes on his first Spurs outing. A friendly on paper, but a statement in tone.
Fernandes steals the show; Tonali gets ticking over
Fernandes’ early rocket set the mood for a brisk workout, with the summer arrivals beginning to knit. Tonali kept things neat, the tempo was high, and the De Zerbi pressing triggers were there in embryo. With the squad jetting off to New Zealand and Australia for the new gaffer’s first pre-season tour, the mood in N17 is turning from curious to quietly confident.
Transfer dial moves: Spurs open talks for Madrid’s Mastantuono
The recruitment drive isn’t done either. In Argentina, Cronica report that Tottenham have made initial contact over a loan for Real Madrid’s Franco Mastantuono — the 18-year-old former River Plate jewel who moved to the Bernabeu for around £38.5m in June 2025. Madrid are weighing a straight loan with no buy option to maximise his minutes, and there’s a queue forming.
Fulham are said to be pushing hardest, with Juventus, Inter, Como, Porto, Benfica, Sporting CP, Villarreal, Rennes, Lyon, Monaco, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig all hovering. Spurs, for their part, have asked for the terms and conditions of a deal and are firmly in the conversation. Florentino Perez has previously talked up the kid as among the very best of his generation, and you can see why: last season he clocked 23 LaLiga appearances (11 starts) and three goals in a star-studded squad.
For those eyeing the odds and the summer shuffle across the league, our homepage has you covered via the leading best betting sites — and here’s the headline Tottenham fans care about: the club have opened talks to explore a loan for Franco Mastantuono as De Zerbi seeks one more cutting edge in the final third.
Why the right flank needs help
Spurs have sensibly bulked up at the back and in midfield — Martin Dubravka, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson, Fernandes and Tonali all through the door — but the right wing remains a live issue. Wilson Odobert’s ACL injury is a cruel blow, Dejan Kulusevski’s full return date is still cloudy after a lengthy lay-off, and that pile-up of uncertainties leaves De Zerbi short on reliable width.
Mohammed Kudus, who barely featured in 2026 due to injury, will fancy a big reset year off the right. Mathys Tel can tuck in from there if he’s not stationed on the left. Manor Solomon and Yang Min-hyeok are further options, though both could be on the move given the current pecking order. That’s exactly the gap Mastantuono could stride into — either as a right-sided livewire or sliding infield as a bona fide No 10.
How Mastantuono fits the De Zerbi blueprint
De Zerbi loves a wide forward who can receive on the half-turn, dart inside the full-back, and combine in tight triangles. Mastantuono’s profile screams just that: press-resistant carries, a tidy first touch, and the bravery to take shots early. In a Spurs setup that seeks to bait a press before slicing through it, the Argentine could thrive attacking the inside-right channel, or knitting play centrally behind the striker.
There’s also the development angle. Madrid don’t want to lose control of the asset, hence the no-option loan stance, but they do want him on a pitch every week. Tottenham can offer top-end coaching, Premier League minutes and European-standard intensity. If the stars align, everyone wins.
Next steps: tour time and more business
The plane to the Southern Hemisphere is boarding, and after that sharp hit-out against MK Dons, Spurs look keen for sterner tests. Expect the club to keep the phones buzzing on attacking reinforcements while De Zerbi beds in patterns on the grass. If Mastantuono lands, it’s a coup; if not, the message remains clear — Tottenham are shopping at the top shelf, and they’re doing it with purpose.
