Tottenham Hotspur chief executive Vinay Venkatessham has given his public backing to Roberto De Zerbi while acknowledging that the club’s major summer rebuild will take time to produce results.
Tottenham are bottom of the Premier League and remain without a win after five matches. That poor start has come despite more than £380m being spent on new players during the transfer window.
Speaking at the first Fan Advisory Board meeting of the season last week, Venkatessham said he had been encouraged by aspects of the team’s performances since their opening-day defeat by Brentford.
“I have been encouraged by some of the underlying performance since the opening day defeat to Brentford,” he said.
Venkatessham highlighted the number of chances Tottenham created in matches against Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Everton, although the team were unable to convert those opportunities.
He also accepted that the club’s points total was disappointing for supporters, particularly after last season, and said their frustration was understandable.
Tottenham made 10 new signings this summer, while several established players left, including Vicario, Spence, Cristian Romero, Kevin Danso and Palhinha. Venkatessham said those changes reinforced his faith in De Zerbi and the reshaped squad.
“The club has undergone significant changes on and off the pitch this summer and recognises that it will take time for these changes to fully materialise,” he said.
“I have confidence in Roberto De Zerbi, the players we’ve brought in and these adjustments. A lot of work is still being done behind the scenes.”
Among Tottenham’s major arrivals were Sandro Tonali, Matheus Fernandes and Savinho. The club also raised about £150m through player sales, including the £50m move of talented youngster Luka Vuskovic to Brighton.
Further income is expected next season. The loan agreements for Dragusin and Danso contain mandatory buy clauses, while Vicario and Pape Sarr have permanent departure options attached to their transfers to Juventus.
Financial pressures and injury response
Venkatessham also discussed Tottenham’s financial position after the Lewis family injected another £120m into the club last month.
“The club needs to improve its ability to sell players. Returns in this area have been limited in recent years and, in modern football, this is crucial for complying with financial regulations,” he said.
“Financial regulations indeed pose real constraints. The club has not been profitable since 2019 and, as investments in the men’s squad increase, so do wage and transfer fee expenditures.
“Finishing 17th for two consecutive seasons and having no European competition revenue this season have also impacted the club’s financial position.”
Tottenham confirmed that it had made significant changes to its medical, physical preparation and performance departments in an attempt to reduce excessive injuries. The club’s training centre has also been upgraded as part of that response.
