De Zerbi is rebuilding Tottenham from the ruins of a relegation scare

Seventeenth place usually signals a period of retrenchment, wage-cutting, and internal panic. Tottenham Hotspur have chosen a different route.

After narrowly avoiding the drop last season, the club has begun a record-breaking summer window. They are rebuilding the squad from the ground up under new manager Roberto De Zerbi.

The change at leadership level has been swift. Daniel Levy departed at the start of last season as chairman, leaving Vinai Venkatesham and Peter Charrington to run operations under the Lewis family.

Venkatesham and Charrington promised fans they would spend the club's massive self-generated revenues on the first team. They have kept that promise in spectacular fashion.

De Zerbi's New-Look Midfield

Spurs have agreed to smash their transfer record twice in a single week to secure their primary targets. First came the signing of Portuguese midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for a club-record fee of £85m.

That record was immediately threatened by Sandro Tonali, who is set to join from Newcastle in a deal worth up to £100m. This double swoop represents a massive statement of intent from the north London club.

De Zerbi's hands-on approach was key in both deals. The Italian manager reportedly flew to Milan to meet Tonali at Linate Airport, convincing his fellow Brescian that Spurs were building a project worthy of his talents.

Spurs fans are accustomed to protracted, painful transfer sagas. Last summer, the club failed to secure Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White, while Manchester United beat them to the signing of Bryan Mbeumo.

This summer is different. By completing their primary business by July 1, the new hierarchy has given De Zerbi a full pre-season to integrate his tactical ideas.

The Tactical Blueprint

In De Zerbi's preferred 4-2-3-1 system, the double pivot is the most important element of the build-up phase. The two deeper midfielders must be comfortable receiving the ball under heavy pressure, often facing their own goal.

Fernandes offers elite press-resistance and the ability to turn in tight spaces, allowing Spurs to bypass the first line of defense. Tonali provides the physical dynamism and passing range to exploit the space behind the opponent's midfield.

Together, they will form a pivot designed to bait the opponent's press before launching rapid vertical attacks. It is a massive upgrade on the ponderous midfield that struggled so badly last term.

At Brighton, De Zerbi relied on Billy Gilmour and Pascal Gross to control the tempo of matches. In Fernandes and Tonali, he has secured profiles with higher athletic ceilings and identical technical security.

Spurs are not done yet in the market. The club is actively targeting Lorient's Eli Junior Kroupi to fill the left forward role, as noted in the latest Sky Sports paper talk.

Funding the £237m Spree

The sheer scale of Tottenham's spending has raised eyebrows at rival clubs. Rivals are left wondering how a team that finished 17th last season can afford a total outlay of £237m in a single window.

The answer lies in the club's financial structure and the new Premier League rules. On July 1, the old PSR rules were replaced by the Squad Cost Ratio rules, and Spurs are uniquely positioned to benefit.

The new regulations limit club spending on player and manager wages, transfers, and agent fees to 85 percent of revenue. Because Tottenham do not have to worry about historical PSR deficits, they have maximum room to maneuver.

According to the Deloitte Football Money League, Tottenham are the ninth-biggest revenue generator in world football, ahead of Chelsea and just behind Manchester United. This is largely due to the massive revenues generated by the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The venue hosts NFL UK games, boxing matches, and concerts year-round. These non-footballing events provide a steady stream of income that is exempt from traditional footballing constraints.

Furthermore, Spurs have managed their outgoings efficiently to balance the books. The club completed the sale of 19-year-old defender Luka Vuskovic to Brighton for a staggering £50m fee.

Vuskovic has never played a competitive match for Tottenham. Having bought him for around £9m, Spurs have secured a massive profit on a player who was deemed surplus to De Zerbi's immediate plans.

The Risks of the Rebuild

Despite the optimism, this squad rebuild carries significant risks. The midfield is now heavily bloated, and several players will need to be sold to make room in the squad.

Lucas Bergvall has attracted strong interest from Nottingham Forest. However, the teenage midfielder has been told he will not be allowed to leave this summer.

Pape Matar Sarr is also facing an uncertain future, with Brentford registered as an interested party. Managing these squad dynamics will be a test of De Zerbi's man-management.

In defense, Cristian Romero could leave if a suitable offer arrives. Spurs currently have six central defenders in the squad, and Romero's departure would represent a massive loss of leadership.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is also likely to return to Italy this summer. The club plans to install Antonin Kinsky as the undisputed number one after his impressive form at the end of last season.

Dubravka has been signed as an understudy, while reports linking Spurs to James Trafford are wide of the mark. Relying on Kinsky is a major gamble for a team aiming to return to the top six.

Spurs are also taking a massive risk on their forward line if they fail to land Kroupi. Without a dynamic presence on the left wing, the midfield control generated by Tonali and Fernandes could easily go to waste.

The Verdict for the Upcoming Season

Spurs are taking a massive tactical and financial gamble. But under De Zerbi, they have a coach who knows exactly how to get the best out of these profiles.

The absence of European football this season is a blessing in disguise. It will allow De Zerbi to work with his squad on the training pitch without the distraction of Thursday night travel.

With Fernandes and Tonali anchor-locking the midfield, Spurs will be a nightmare to press. If they can secure Kroupi to provide width and goal threat from the left, they will be a lock for a top-six finish.

Expect Tottenham to start the season like a train. They will surprise those who expect them to struggle after last year's seventeenth-place finish.

My prediction is clear: Tottenham will secure a top-five finish and return to the Champions League. De Zerbi's revolution is real, and the rest of the league should be very worried.