Tottenham sign Robertson and Senesi as De Zerbi pursues £70m Van Hecke to rebuild defence

Tottenham have signed Andy Robertson from Liverpool and Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth on free transfers as Roberto De Zerbi moves quickly to reshape the club’s defence following a survival battle that went to the final day of the Premier League season.

Robertson, 32, arrives at Spurs after eight trophy-laden years at Anfield that included Champions League and Premier League glory. Senesi, meanwhile, has built a reputation as one of the Premier League’s more dependable defenders during his time at Bournemouth. Both are expected to form part of De Zerbi’s preferred back line for the coming campaign.

The Italian is not finished there. Tottenham have made two bids for Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke, both of which have been rejected as the south-coast club hold firm on a £70 million valuation. Van Hecke is currently part of the Netherlands squad at the World Cup in the United States, and Spurs’ attempts to agree a deal before the tournament began have so far come up short.

The pursuit of Van Hecke reflects a broader ambition at the club following consecutive 17th-place finishes. Uncertainty over the futures of captain Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven has prompted De Zerbi to lay the groundwork for an entirely new centre-back partnership, with Van Hecke potentially lining up alongside 19-year-old Luka Vuskovic.

Vuskovic impressed on loan at Hamburg in the Bundesliga last season, scoring six goals in 28 appearances primarily from centre-back. Hamburg were keen to extend the arrangement, but Spurs’ decision to keep him suggests he is in line for a more prominent role. The Serbian teenager has indicated he will not be returning to Germany on loan, and he spoke warmly about his new manager in a recent interview.

“I think he’s a top-class coach,” Vuskovic told Nova TV. “He likes attacking football, he likes build-up play, and I really like that. I hope we’ll work well together.”

Vuskovic also acknowledged the appeal of reuniting with his brother Mario at Hamburg, but quickly ruled it out: “Playing with my brother at HSV would be a dream come true for me, but it’s hardly possible. Impossible.”

With the summer window open and De Zerbi’s defensive rebuild still in progress, Van Hecke remains the outstanding target as Spurs look to make a significant step forward after two difficult seasons.