Marcos Senesi has only been a Tottenham player for less than 24 hours, but Roberto De Zerbi has already made an interesting selection hint.
The signing of Senesi, Tottenham‘s second this summer after Andy Robertson, offers some telling clues as to what Roberto De Zerbi‘s Tottenham side will look like in 2026/27.
In the club announcement, revealing the signing, De Zerbi highlighted Senesi’s comfort in a possession-heavy system as part of his appeal, but it was another line worth highlighting: “Marcos’ experience, quality on the ball, and competitive edge will strengthen us defensively, as well as giving us flexibility in formation.“
Regardless of what formation Roberto De Zerbi teams start a game with, there is always flexibility in their approach. But given the Italian’s specific mention of it, what sort of approaches could Tottenham take next season with Senesi at the heart?
Last season, Roberto De Zerbi favoured a Tottenham back four
In his seven games in charge as Tottenham battled to survival, De Zerbi favoured a back four. This saw Micky van de Ven as the left-sided centre-back and an ever present.
He started the Italian’s first game in charge alongside captain, Cristian Romero. However, an injury to Romero saw his season cut short, leading to Kevin Danso and van de Ven as the pairing.
Should Romero remain a Tottenham player this summer, it feels a safe bet he will be a starter. But who will partner him?
Micky Van de Ven at left back?
There is noise around a transfer away for Micky van de Ven. However, assuming he stays, how do things work with both him and Senesi?
They are both left-sided centre-backs. They are both most comfortable there. Should Spurs keep things traditional, it suggests one or the other.
The Dutchman’s pace, though, is a real asset. Could that mean a switch to left-back? Potentially. After all, that’s where he plays for the Netherlands. But Andy Robertson, a natural left-back, has also just rocked up on N17.
So, is De Zerbi considering something more radical?
De Zerbi could switch to a Spurs back three
With van de Ven and Senesi both comfortable pushing forwards, having both starting seems the way to go for De Zerbi.
His approach at Marseille offers an insight into how that could work.
At Brighton, the Italian favoured a 4-2-3-1, occasionally dabbling in a back three. In France with Marseille, however, this changed.
Often, De Zerbi favoured 3-4-3 as a base. Three centre-backs are joined by the goalkeeper in starting the build-up, meaning wing-backs – which could suit Udogie, or even van de Ven – can then push higher.
If van de Ven has the pace to push forwards, Senesi offers the creativity. The Argentine created 24 chances last season, including 22 from open play.
With building up from the back a foundation to De Zerbi’s philosophy, a back three, or five, featuring both van de Ven and Senesi could be an exciting prospect.