De Zerbi hints at one more Spurs addition before window closes

Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi on the touchline during the Carabao Cup second round. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.

Roberto De Zerbi is delighted Tottenham pulled off two “bomba” signings in Savio and Omar Marmoush, but believes one more could follow before the summer window closes on Tuesday night.

Spurs completed a double swoop on Manchester City this week, with long-term target Savio secured for an £85million package before Marmoush arrived on a season-long loan with the obligation to turn it into a permanent move.

The fee for Marmoush could rise to £60m, which would take Tottenham’s overall summer expenditure to more than £350m and while De Zerbi acknowledged this window is beyond anything he imagined, one more signing could happen before Tuesday’s 11pm deadline.

“I think Savio and Marmoush are bomba. I don’t know what name or how you can call them but players of a high level, for sure,” De Zerbi said ahead of Saturday’s visit of Newcastle in the Premier League.

“I didn’t expect one transfer market and one window like we have done.

“I think we can do one player more and in one specific position, but yesterday we went for dinner with the owners, with Vinai (Venkatesham), with Johan (Lange) and with Enrico (Venturelli). We spoke about this, but we have all of us on the same page and there is a very good connection.” 

The newest arrival at Spurs and eighth of the summer is Marmoush, who provides much-needed competition up front and as a number 10 alternative with James Maddison not fully fit and Mohammed Kudus only just set to return from a lengthy tendon injury.

Marmoush scored 37 goals during a productive 18-month spell at Eintracht Frankfurt and hit 16 at Manchester City, but he may be on the bench on Saturday.

De Zerbi said: “A great signing for us. A great player, another great player and every one of us loves him as a player.

“We hope he can do what he is able. I think he can give more solutions in attack. We need players in attack capable to score goals, to play well with the ball also, a very fast player, great qualities and we are all happy.

“I think he can play as a central striker. He is a different number 10 than (Conor) Gallagher or Maddison, more of an attacker, but he is a player of big qualities. The most important thing is to have players with qualities.” 

New Tottenham captain Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro got their first minutes during Wednesday’s 5-1 Carabao Cup win over Charlton and De Zerbi confirmed they could start. 

Savio is also in line for a full debut and Kudus could make the squad for the first time since January.

Pape Sarr is available but his future is uncertain.

“Pape? No, he’s good. We have to see in the last day of the transfer market what can happen with him,” De Zerbi said.

“If you want to leave and you have not found the offer, it’s your problem, not my problem. I give respect, I kiss you, I hug you, but at the end have to stay calm inside the dressing room.”