Premier League: Tottenham manager De Zerbi ‘happy’ with pre-season progress

Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has expressed satisfaction with his squad's pre-season preparations as the north London club gears up for the 2024–25 campaign. De Zerbi, who arrived at the club last summer following his departure from Brighton & Hove Albion, oversaw a strong finish to the previous season that secured Spurs a fifth-place finish in the Premier League and European football via the Conference League.

The Italian manager's positive assessment comes at a critical juncture for Tottenham, who finished with 68 points last term and face mounting pressure to challenge the traditional powerhouses. De Zerbi's ability to implement his attacking football at Brighton—where he guided the Seagulls to a sixth-place finish and 68 points in the 2022–23 season—suggests Tottenham's squad has absorbed his tactical philosophy effectively during pre-season. The manager's confidence signals that key players have remained focused despite the summer market activity.

With the Premier League campaign imminent, De Zerbi's contentment with pre-season form provides Spurs supporters genuine optimism ahead of their opening fixtures. The squad, which featured extensively in European competition last season with 60 competitive appearances across the campaign, will need to maintain peak fitness levels. De Zerbi's track record of developing cohesive attacking units offers hope that Tottenham can mount a genuine top-four challenge this term and progress deeper into European competitions.