De Zerbi hints at one more Spurs signing after £350m summer surpassed expectations

Roberto De Zerbi has hinted that Tottenham could add a ninth summer signing before Tuesday’s 11pm transfer deadline, after describing the double acquisition of Savio and Omar Marmoush from Manchester City as exceeding all expectations.

Spurs completed the two deals this week, securing long-term target Savio in an £85m package and bringing in Marmoush on a season-long loan with an obligation to make the move permanent — a fee that could rise to £60m. Combined with earlier business, Tottenham’s total summer outlay has now surpassed £350m.

“I think Savio and Marmoush are bomba,” De Zerbi said ahead of Newcastle’s Premier League visit on Saturday. “I didn’t expect one transfer market and one window like we have done. I think we can do one player more and in one specific position, but yesterday we went for dinner with the owners, with Vinai, with Johan and with Enrico. We spoke about this, but we have all of us on the same page and there is a very good connection.”

Marmoush arrives as Tottenham’s eighth summer signing and provides attacking depth at a critical moment. James Maddison is not at full fitness and Mohammed Kudus is only just returning from a lengthy tendon injury. The Egyptian international scored 37 goals during an 18-month spell at Eintracht Frankfurt and added 16 at Manchester City, though he may begin Saturday’s match on the bench.

“A great signing for us. A great player, another great player and every one of us loves him as a player,” De Zerbi said. “I think he can play as a central striker. He is a different number 10 than Gallagher or Maddison, more of an attacker, but he is a player of big qualities. The most important thing is to have players with qualities.”

Savio is in line for his full debut against Newcastle, while Kudus could feature in the squad for the first time since January. New club captain Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro both came through Wednesday’s 5-1 Carabao Cup win over Charlton unscathed and are expected to start.

Pape Sarr remains in the squad but his future is unresolved heading into the final hours of the window. “Pape? No, he’s good. We have to see in the last day of the transfer market what can happen with him,” De Zerbi said. “If you want to leave and you have not found the offer, it’s your problem, not my problem.”