Spurs Turn the Dial Up on Rashford Chase as De Zerbi’s Rebuild Roars On

It’s been a whirlwind window in N17. Tottenham have already blown past the £100m mark, landing Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes as Roberto De Zerbi tears into a major makeover after last season’s brush with the trapdoor. Now, the big swing could be Marcus Rashford — a headline act who’d put a rocket under Spurs’ front line if they can crack the code on wages and European ambitions.

Spurs’ summer spree — and the need up top

De Zerbi wants a new forward and the club have cast the net wide. Bournemouth’s rising star Junior Kroupi is firmly on the radar and, crucially, the Frenchman is said to be open to the move. That aligns neatly with the rebuild’s logic: young, hungry, and mouldable for a manager who thrives on sharp, vertical attacking football.

Rashford: the glamour target

Make no mistake, though — Marcus Rashford is the marquee name. The England international impressed on loan at Barcelona last season with 14 goals and 14 assists in 49 appearances, reminding everyone what he can be with confidence and clarity around him. Barca haven’t taken up a permanent deal, and Tottenham are, by all accounts, pushing hardest to tempt him to North London.

Italian outlet Asromalive.it report Spurs have made the most concrete contact so far. The snag? Rashford wants Champions League football, which De Zerbi’s men can’t offer this term. Roma and Napoli have been sounded out, while a return to Aston Villa — where he thrived in the second half of 2024–25 — is on the table. Newcastle are lurking, too. Over in Turkey, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce are said to have opened real talks, and Barcelona could yet circle back despite already snapping up Anthony Gordon and agreeing a deal for Karim Adeyemi.

The wage mountain

Here’s the rub: Rashford’s salary is reported as high as £325,000 per week, with figures around £300,000 per week cited at Old Trafford. That’s nosebleed territory for Spurs’ wage structure. You can see why the club love the player — versatile, homegrown, and capable of match-winning moments — but any move needs to be bulletproof in both footballing fit and financial design.

Why Kroupi might be the smarter first step

Kroupi offers upside without detonating the pay scale. A mooted fee around £34.5m is punchy but sensible for a 19-year-old with Premier League experience and a ceiling to match De Zerbi’s daring blueprint. Slot him into that front line, add Tonali’s bite and Fernandes’ energy behind him, and you’ve got the bones of a side built to run hot for years rather than months.

Pundit’s verdict

Spurs have made the boldest approach for Rashford, but two brick walls stand tall: no Champions League and a bank-breaking salary. If they somehow thread that needle, De Zerbi gets a proven, top-level forward who can rip through defences off either flank. If not, prioritising Kroupi keeps the project on budget and on message — athletic, progressive, sustainable.

In short, Tottenham are playing on two boards: the blockbuster and the blueprint. Land Rashford and it’s fireworks at the Lane; land Kroupi and the long game looks beautifully set. Either way, the De Zerbi era is already box office — and if you fancy a flutter on where this saga lands, have a look at the best betting sites before the market moves.