Tottenham summer transfers: Roberto De Zerbi's biggest priorities for the 2026 window

The 2026 summer transfer window may only have been open for a number of hours at the time of writing, but Tottenham Hotspur have already been one of the busier Premier League clubs in the market.

The Lilywhites have signed a Champions League winner and World Cup representative without even opening their chequebook, bringing in Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi on free transfers following their exits from Liverpool and Bournemouth respectively, while talks to sign Savinho from Manchester City are said to be coming along nicely.

Spurs retaining their Premier League status on the final day was of paramount importance to their transfer plans under Roberto De Zerbi and Johan Lange, who cannot lose sight of the top end of the field amid their defensive overhaul.

Here, Sports Mole assesses Tottenham's biggest transfer priorities for the 2026 summer window.

Tottenham transfer priority 1: Midfield enforcer

As things stand, Tottenham will head into the 2026-27 season with two fewer midfielders than they ended the 2025-26 campaign with, as Yves Bissouma and Joao Palhinha have likely both played their final matches for the club.

Bissouma is already confirmed to be leaving as a free agent, while a permanent Palhinha signing from Bayern Munich looks a long shot, depriving Tottenham of two defensive-minded midfield options.

Player of the Season Archie Gray rarely lets Tottenham down in the engine room, but the 20-year-old is yet to convince De Zerbi, playing just eight minutes in total across Spurs' last five Premier League matches of 2025-26.

Tottenham have reportedly joined the race for Newcastle United's Sandro Tonali to upgrade their engine room, and at 26 years old, the Magpie would slot seamlessly into Tottenham's midfield ranks alongside the youthful Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr, and a Rodrigo Bentancur who continues to divide opinion.

Tottenham transfer priority 2: Striker upgrade

Filling Harry Kane's boots would be a tall order for most centre-forwards on the planet, but Tottenham have arguably not replaced their all-time leading scorer as adequately as they could have done.

No Spurs player over the past three seasons has managed more than 17 goals in all tournaments; Son Heung-min hit that total in 2023-24, before Brennan Johnson's high of 11 in 2024-25 and Richarlison's club-best of 12 last term.

All the while, record signing Dominic Solanke has struggled for form and fitness, netting just six goals all told in 2025-26, while Mathys Tel is an unfinished prodigy and Dane Scarlett remains on the fringes.

As Richarlison is also about to enter the final 12 months of his contract, a number nine upgrade should be high on Lange's shopping list, and Tottenham have apparently been offered a Serie A striker to at least partially alleviate their attacking issues.

Tottenham transfer priority 3: The Luka Vuskovic situation

Believe it or not, Tottenham are currently in possession of one of the highest-rated teenage defenders Europe has to offer, and one whom they cannot afford to make the wrong decision over.

Nineteen-year-old Luka Vuskovic - currently away with Croatia at the World Cup - continued to go from strength to strength last season, when he enjoyed his first taste of football in a Big Five European league with Hamburg and netted six times in the Bundesliga.

The 6ft 4in teenager had already established a reputation as an exceptional attacking force, amassing 10 direct involvements in 36 games for Belgian side Westerlo, and also opening his Croatia account on just his third senior appearance.

De Zerbi is seemingly minded to sell the centre-back and replace him with Jan Paul van Hecke, but if Tottenham are to go down that path, nothing less than double Brighton & Hove Albion's initial £30m offer - or a pleasing player-plus-cash deal - will do.