Emile Heskey does not expect Roberto De Zerbi to completely turn around Tottenham’s fortunes during the upcoming season, as he predicted the league standings.
Spurs may have just escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth on the final day of the season, but there is some optimism ahead of next season, mainly because of the energy that De Zerbi has brought to the club.
Additionally, Tottenham appear to be wasting no time in rebuilding their squad, and it has been widely reported that the Lilywhites are ready to invest substantially in new players as they aim to take the club back up the table.
However, not everyone is convinced that the North Londoners will be back where they belong in the Premier League table next season.
Emile Heskey expects Tottenham to miss out on a top-six finish
A couple of weeks ago, Gabby Agbonlahor predicted that Tottenham could challenge for European places next season under De Zerbi. Sandro went a step further and tipped Spurs for top four.
However, Emile Heskey disagrees, with the former Liverpool striker not expecting the Lilywhites to make their way back into the top six next season.
When asked to predict his top six for the 2026-27 campaign, the former England man told Hajper (via The Metro): “Manchester City will be champions with or without Pep Guardiola. They look good now but they’re really going to come together as a team next season.
“Top four I’ll say Man City, Man United, Liverpool and Arsenal. Then Aston Villa fifth and Newcastle United in sixth.”
Why Spurs can surprise many next season
Pundits often underestimate how big an advantage it is for clubs to only be playing one game a week, which is what Tottenham will be for the majority of next season after missing out on Europe.
The last time Spurs had no European football, they finished fifth under Ange Postecoglou in the 2023-24 season.
There is no reason why De Zerbi cannot achieve the same next season, and the fact that he has had a couple of months already to work with the squad puts the Italian in a strong position to address the weaknesses this summer.