Shearer reverses top-six prediction for Tottenham after £300m summer leaves them bottom

Alan Shearer has publicly reversed his pre-season prediction that Tottenham would finish in the top six, conceding the north London club’s £300 million summer spending spree has so far produced nothing but a place at the bottom of the Premier League table.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side remain winless after five games, having scored their first league goals of the season only in a 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa at the weekend — a result met with boos from the home support. It continues a troubling run for the club, which has finished 17th in each of the past two seasons.

Speaking to Betfair, Shearer questioned whether the fees paid this summer were justified by the quality brought in. “I guess De Zerbi went into this summer with a list of players that he wanted and they have spent a fortune perhaps on all those players,” he said. “I’m not sure the fees warrant the ability, but no one would have expected them to be bottom of the league.”

Tottenham’s headline signings included Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, both for club-record fees, as well as Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton, Savio from Manchester City, and Omar Marmoush on loan. The club have collected just two points from their opening five fixtures.

“Van Hecke was a lot of money, Tonali was incredible money, Savio and Marmoush are others as well,” Shearer added. “It is a long, long three weeks for Tottenham and they simply have to start winning football games when they are back from the international break.”

Despite the alarming start, Shearer stopped short of predicting a relegation battle, drawing a parallel with Aston Villa’s difficult opening to last season before they recovered to qualify for Europe. “I still think they’ll have enough to stay up,” he said. “They will look at that and think there’s still loads of football to be played, which there is, but there’s a massive amount of work to be done at Spurs. I had them to finish in the top six this season and I am not sure that that will happen now.”