Despite £300 million spending spree, Tottenham manager De Zerbi insists he feels no pressure

[LONDON] Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi insists he is not feeling the pressure to deliver positive results this season despite the North London club having splashed out more than £300 million (US$406 million) in the summer transfer window to rebuild the squad.

“We have to improve for sure. We have to make results, and we have to play better. But pressure about the money? Nothing,” the 47-year-old Italian told the Singapore media at the club’s training ground.

The interview took place on Thursday (Sep 10) and was organised by insurance firm AIA Singapore. Its parent company, AIA, is Tottenham Hotspur’s global principal partner.

De Zerbi’s comments came ahead of Tottenham’s match with Everton on Saturday, which ended in another frustrating goalless draw. That means Spurs have yet to win a game in the Premier League this season, with the club sitting in 17th place with just two points so far.

Bringing in experience

Spurs have brought in several experienced players in recent weeks as De Zerbi – who took charge in end-March towards the end of last season – looks to reshape a side that only narrowly avoided relegation in May.

De Zerbi, who has a five-year contract, apologised to the fans for the poor start but remained confident in his players to turn things around.

“I believe in my players,” he said, adding that he expects the “real” Tottenham to emerge once the new additions to the squad can gel with the existing batch of players.

De Zerbi believes the current squad is suited to his style of play, but acknowledged that the victories must come soon in order to hasten the rebuilding process. The club’s owners, along with the board and sporting director, have put in place “a very clear plan” to improve the team’s fortunes, he said.

However, he said it was difficult to set a specific target this season as it would take time to build a good team.

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De Zerbi said that when the team was fighting relegation last season, he focused on building a winning mentality and belief within the squad, as the mental aspect is “the most important part in football”.

This season, the focus is on training and continuing to improve as the refreshed squad develops under his system.

“I think the goal is to help the club go to the top of the table in the Premier League and stay (there),” he said.

In training, he said he expects his players to treat every session like a competitive game, so that putting in their best effort becomes a habit in matches.

Connecting with fans

De Zerbi also highlighted the importance of the club’s relationship with its supporters, who backed the team through the “very tough” previous season. Spurs only escaped relegation on the final day after beating Everton.

“We felt the passion, the love of our fans,” he said.

He said the club is focused on strengthening its connection with its fans and the wider community.

One way the club is doing this is through its ongoing partnership with AIA Singapore.

Irma Hadikusuma, chief marketing and healthcare officer at AIA Singapore, said the partnership goes beyond brand sponsorship to focus on driving community impact.

AIA Singapore and Spurs run football clinics for young players to develop their love for the sport. The partners organised an elite development football camp in Koh Samui, Thailand, in 2023, 2025 and 2026, where young talents trained like professional footballers.

A similar programme was held at the club’s training ground last year.

She noted that AIA has extended its partnership with Spurs and will become the club’s global training partner from mid-2027 to 2032. It is currently the club’s global principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor until the end of this season.

“As long as the commitment is there to work together, in terms of stationing the global football development coaches in Asia and developing young talent, that continues to be very aligned with both (our) organisational values,” she said.