Tottenham: "Asking too much" - Danny Murphy makes Spurs top-four prediction before Brentford opener

Tottenham Hotspur finishing in the top four of the Premier League table and qualifying for the Champions League is an unrealistic aim for the 2026-27 season, an ex-Spurs midfielder has exclusively told Sports Mole.

The Lilywhites will begin their first full campaign under Roberto De Zerbi on Saturday evening, when they lock horns with London rivals Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium in the 5.30pm kickoff.

Ex-Brighton & Hove Albion boss De Zerbi is embarking on a mission to ensure that Spurs' shocking 17th-placed finishes from the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons are not repeated, and he has been backed like none of his predecessors in the transfer market.

Tottenham have smashed their transfer record twice on Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, have reinforced their backline with Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi, and are working on a double deal for Manchester City duo Savinho and Omar Marmoush.

An £85m deal for Savinho has reportedly been agreed, but former Tottenham man Danny Murphy still believes that top four is out of Spurs' reach, and De Zerbi's side should instead harbour ambitions of returning to the top six.

Why Premier League top four is unrealistic for Tottenham

"I think when you're investing heavily in good players and you've already got some good players, you should aim as high as possible, but top four might be a step too far," Murphy exclusively told Sports Mole.

"These are quality signings with Premier League experience, but they still need time to settle and build relationships with the players already there. I think top six is a much more realistic target.

"The other factor is goals. They've brought in two excellent midfielders and a top centre-half, but I still think they need to do a bit more in attacking areas.

"When you add players like Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison back into the equation, Tottenham suddenly look a completely different side, but even so, I'd say top six is a realistic expectation for Spurs next season, whereas top four would probably be asking too much too soon."

Do Tottenham stand a chance of finishing in the top four?

Tottenham do not only have new signings on their side, but also a total lack of European football for the 2026-27 season, giving De Zerbi ample time to work with his players on the training pitches.

A full week in between matches has historically been a powerful factor in the Premier League; the 2016-17 Chelsea team won the title with no European football, while the 2025-26 Manchester United side finished third with no continental commitments.

If Spurs can push deals for Savinho and Marmoush over the line, as well as welcoming the likes of Kulusevski, Maddison and Mohammed Kudus back to full fitness, the squad certainly has a top-four feel to it.

However, Arsenal will not be overhauled by their rivals this season barring catastrophe, Xabi Alonso's Chelsea have no Europe to contend with either, while Man Utd, Liverpool and Manchester City will all be in the equation too.

Pre-season was encouraging for the Lilywhites, but until there is competitive evidence of the new-look squad gelling as one, Murphy's top-four assessment is the correct one.

Danny Murphy was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of Betwright football betting.