Why the new Dele looks finished at Spurs after the signing of Tonali and Fernandes

The odds for the 2024/25 Premier League have been cleared thanks to Tottenham Hotspur's Europa League surge, but another poor campaign in the top flight last week revealed a rotten, flawed spine in the N17.

New manager Roberto De Zerbi is not holding back when it comes to overhauling the squad, however, and has already brought in six new players for the start of July.

A backline that boasted the fourth-worst defensive record last term will be torn up and replaced, with the experienced trio of Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke all on the door in north London.

It's in midfield where the biggest intrigue lies, however, with the Lilywhites doubling their previous club-record deal to bring in Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali.

Whether that double £185m deal is worth it remains to be seen, and there is also the question of what it means for those already at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Why Spurs' previous record signing should be a warning to De Zerbi

The ENIC regime has done what has been demanded by spending big on transfer fees and wages to get both Tonali and Fernandes in the door, fending off competition for two ready-made additions to the squad.

Too often under Daniel Levy's watch, the north Londoners seem to be playing it safe in the market, or not getting involved in the business at all, embarrassingly going 18 months without a top flight during Mauricio Pochettino's tenure.

That's not to say that Levy hasn't occasionally cashed out the checkbook, though it's rare that investments have gone too far to plan.

£65m man Dominic Solanke has scored just 12 league goals in two seasons at the club, while both Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons have seen their first campaigns rocked by injury.

Richarlison was top scorer last season, yet boasts just 26 goals since signing in 2022, while top scorer for 2024/25, Brennan Johnson, was quickly shipped out to Crystal Palace in January.

The most notable transfer disruption was for Tanguy Ndombele, however, with the Frenchman ending up on three loan spells at Spurs, before seeing his contract terminated a year early as he was set to leave on a free transfer in 2024.

It's not an amazing list of names to follow for Tonali and Fernandes, although hopefully there are brighter days ahead in the capital, even if those two arrivals mean there may be some injuries to the current squad.

Why Spurs' new Dele could affect Fernandes and Tonali's deals

There could be significant disruption in the midfield, with Yves Bissouma gone on a free transfer, and loanee Joao Palhinha currently looking unlikely to return.

Meanwhile, Lucas Bergvall looks set to leave, and Archie Gray has been the subject of interest from Tonali's former club, Newcastle United, with the young pair no doubt wary of reducing game time next season.

That may also worry the man who arrived at the club for only six months, Conor Gallagher, it remains to be seen whether he will have a role to play in the new structure.

Once described as looking like “Poch-era Dele Alli” by The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke, Gallagher was selected by De Zerbi after his arrival in the dugout, with the Italian commenting that he “loved” watching the Englishman at Chelsea.

The former Blues man didn't impress after that in the last few games of the campaign, scoring an away goal at Villa Park.

There's a lot to like about the former Atletico Madrid midfielder, not least his unflappable, classy style, but is he a good fit for De Zerbi's side long-term?

This is a very controlling and careful manager, who is thought of as a builder, with his Brighton and Hove Albion team as the team that holds most of the things.

Indeed, in 2022/23, for example, the Seagulls finished third in average possession per game (60.4%).

Gallagher has a high energy and work ethic, he is not very good at managing.

As seen last season, for example, the 26-year-old ranked in the bottom 28% of midfielders in Europe's top five leagues for forward passes of 90, and in the bottom 30% for continuous passes of 90.

Looking at Fernandes instead, the young Portuguese ranked in the top 40% and top 36% of those two metrics, respectively, and his average pass rate of 87% was also ahead of Gallagher's (85%).

Tonali, on the other hand, also ranks in the top 40% and top 33% in forward passes and passing passes, well ahead of Gallagher.

Perhaps the Englishman's non-football career is enough to earn him a place in the squad, although he appears to be favored by Fernandes as well, with the 21-year-old ranking in the top 7% of Defels' 90 wins, while Gallagher ranks in the top 43%.

Both Fernandes and Tonali are mobile, powerful midfielders who can cover the pitch effectively, yet they have that class and silkiness to their game, something Gallagher seems to lack.

Of course, with so much invested in the Premier League, the expectation is that both will start more often next term, which could ensure that the arrival of January will be without a cold one.