Following Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 victory over Everton that ensured the club’s Premier League status, Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi implied that only a small group deserved to stay.
In his post-match interview, De Zerbi insisted that the squad is in need of a deep rebuild with “10/11/12 players who can stay as players and people.”
Here are the twelve players we believe he is potentially talking about:
Kevin Danso is Mr Reliable at Tottenham
With Cristian Romero looking like he is on the way out of Tottenham this summer, De Zerbi will need people he can trust at the back. Danso may not start every week next season, but he has shown over the past two months that he fights for the badge. You need players like that in your squad.
Micky Van De Ven could be the next Spurs captain
A simple answer here. The Dutchman was instrumental in what has been a horrific season for the Lilywhites, looking especially good under the Italian gaffer. While he could be tempted away from the N17, it’s fair to say that De Zerbi would like to keep a hold of the 6-foot-4-inch rapid defender.
James Maddison will also want the armband
The attacking midfielder only featured in three games for the season, but for the minuscule number of minutes he was on the pitch, he was Spurs’ best attacker. He is creative and intelligent and can be instrumental in the way De Zerbi wants to play. An easy shout to stay and a key figure for next season.
Joao Palhinha is De Zerbi’s favourite student
Well, this one isn’t really hard. In his post-match press conference, De Zerbi stated explicitly that he wanted to keep Palhinha on a permanent basis. After his heroics throughout the season and especially today, few fans can argue.
Mohammed Kudus was a big miss for Tottenham
Arguably our best player until his unfortunate injury, the Ghana international has all the necessary tools needed to be a success under the new Italian boss. There is little question that Kudus can be a key member of the team that De Zerbi builds around.
Pedro Porro wears his heart on his sleeve
An ever-present in the Spurs team since his arrival in 2023, the Spanish international looks like a player reborn under the former Brighton boss and has the technical ability and footballing know how to be a success at right back next season.
Destiny Udogie needs to stay fit at Tottenham
A compatriot of his manager, Udogie’s biggest issue has always been his availability. Without a doubt the number 1 left back when fit, the Italian fullback should be a key member once fit.
Antonin Kinsky is the comeback story of the decade
For the last seven games of the season, ‘Toni’ Kinsky was arguably Tottenham’s best player. Pulling off a few key saves, distributing well from the back and most importantly, having the character to bounce back after the nightmare in Madrid, Kinsky has shown that he deserves a run as Spurs’ number one next season.
Dejan Kulusevski has been missing for over a year
Remember him? An excellent player and maybe the most technically gifted player in the Tottenham dressing room, it would be interesting to see how Kulusevski fits into a fully functioning De Zerbi team.
Lucas Bergvall will get more Tottenham minutes
The Swedish midfielder did see his playing minutes diminish upon the arrival of the former Marseille boss; however, no one can question his talent and potential. His lack of minutes is most likely due to De Zerbi prioritizing experience needed in the relegation fight and not a direct reflection of his ability.
Archie Gray is a future captain of Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur’s Player of the Year, the England under-21 player, was a shining light in a dark season for the Lilywhites. Dropped for similar issues to Bergvall, it will be exciting to see how this promising young talent operates in a full flowing De Zerbi team.
Dominic Solanke will likely compete with new striker signing
Solanke’s Spurs career has been plagued by injuries at the wrong time. However, his knack for linking play and bringing other attackers into the game is pretty good and we can see how the former Brighton boss can use him next season.
This list is highly speculative and besides four or five standouts, can be totally wrong. Those who were closest to featuring were: Xavi Simons, Djed Spence, Kevin Danso and Rodrigo Bentancur.
Who would your De Zerbi 12 be?