Tottenham Hotspur have spent years talking about building smartly, developing youth and finding value before the rest of the market catches up. This summer, they have done something else. They have gone big, gone fast and gone for established quality. According to [The Athletic](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7423280/2026/07/07/transfer-latest-man-utd-arsenal-liverpool-premier-league/), Spurs have now smashed their transfer record twice in quick succession, first to land Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United for £85m, then to bring in Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United in a deal that could reach £100m.
That is not subtle. It is not cautious. It is not the behaviour of a club looking to make up the numbers. It is the move of a club that knows the old balance of the squad was off and that trying to finesse around the edges was no longer enough.
The line from The Athletic is clear and accurate: “Spurs are being aggressive and ruthless in the market in a manner not seen before.” That is the story. Everything else follows from it.
Record spending changes Tottenham’s direction
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The Athletic points out that “Experience seems to be the focus.” That is not hard to understand. The recruitment in recent windows leaned heavily towards upside. There was logic in that. Young players appreciate in value, young players can be coached, young players can become the spine of a side for years. The problem starts when there are too many of them at once and not enough hardened performers around them.
As The Athletic explains, “Spurs took a huge risk in the summer of 2024 after then head coach Ange Postecoglou guided them to a fifth-placed finish. Spurs spent around £70m on talented teenagers Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Lucas Bergvall. The only senior signing was Solanke.” That was a gamble on development curve and internal growth. It left too much to chance.
The report adds, “There is nothing wrong with targeting young players packed with potential but they need to be placed in the right environment and surrounded with more established peers.” Correct. That sentence gets to the centre of the issue. Spurs did not only need better players. They needed a better mix.
Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes reshape the midfield
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Start with midfield, because that is where Tottenham have gone hardest. Signing Tonali and Fernandes in the same window is not decorative spending. It is a structural change.
The Athletic states, “Tonali immediately upgrades the midfield.” Again, no argument. He brings range, personality and a level of seriousness that top sides need. He can play with discipline, he can dictate rhythm and he has enough edge to change the mood of a match. Tottenham have lacked that sort of presence when games start drifting away from them.
Photo IMAGO
Fernandes is a different profile, but he addresses another issue. Spurs have needed more athleticism, more drive and more capacity to cover ground without the ball while still offering quality in possession. Manchester United were in the frame, according to the report, but Tottenham got the deal done because they were prepared to move decisively. That matters. Elite markets do not reward hesitation.
Defensive overhaul leaves more exits to come
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Midfield is not the only area being addressed. The report says, “Spurs have signed three defenders in this window, leaving a couple of players surplus to requirements, especially as they will not be competing in Europe next season.” That last part matters. Fewer matches mean less room to carry passengers, less need for bloated depth and less patience for defenders who are not fully trusted.
That has consequences. One of the more striking pieces of business is the outgoing move for Luka Vuskovic. The Athletic says, “There will be mixed feelings over the decision to send Luka Vuskovic to Brighton & Hove Albion but £50m represents a great fee for the 19-year-old defender who never made an official first-team appearance for Spurs.” Sentiment aside, this is the sort of deal smart clubs make. If you can bank £50m on a player with no senior appearance while keeping “a 20 per cent sell-on clause and matching rights”, you do it.
There is more uncertainty to come. “The Athletic has previously reported there is a strong chance captain Cristian Romero will leave this summer and there is uncertainty over the future of last season’s top goalscorer Richarlison. Guglielmo Vicario is another who could leave following Antonin Kinsky’s new contract and the arrival of veteran goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.” That is not minor churn. That is the possibility of further major surgery.
Left wing remains Tottenham’s unresolved problem
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For all the spending, one major attacking problem remains. Tottenham still have not truly replaced the elite end product that left with Harry Kane and has faded with Son Heung-min’s decline from his peak standards. The report puts it plainly: “There is still one area of concern though. Spurs have struggled to replace the elite goalscoring output of Harry Kane and former captain Son Heung-min.”
The Athletic notes that “they want to sign a left-winger this summer and Manchester City’s Savinho is one of the options they are interested in.” That makes sense on paper. Spurs need a player who can beat defenders, carry threat in transition and create from wide areas without everything having to run through one central focal point.
What stands out in all of this is that Spurs finally appear to be acting like a club that has learned from its own recent mistakes. The previous recruitment cycles stocked the squad with possibility. This one is trying to stock it with certainty. Those are not the same thing. One keeps you interesting. The other gives you a chance to win regularly.
Our View
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From a Tottenham supporter’s perspective, this is the first time in a while the club’s transfer business feels like it matches the scale of the problems on the pitch. You can argue over prices all day, but there is no point denying the obvious, Spurs needed quality, authority and experience in the middle of the park, and they have gone out and bought exactly that.
Tonali feels like the statement. Fernandes feels like the club backing that statement up. If both settle quickly, the whole side should look more serious. That matters after too many seasons where Spurs have looked lightweight when games turned physical or chaotic.
The concern is up front. The report is right to highlight the left-wing issue because that has been hanging over the squad for a long time. Replacing goals has proved far harder than replacing names. If Spurs finish this window without a top-class wide forward, there will still be a question over who turns control into points.