Tottenham's Summer Rebuild: Senesi Signs, Robertson Targeted
Tottenham survived by the skin of their teeth. Now comes the hard reset.
Roberto De Zerbi walked off the touchline on the final day more drained than jubilant. Survival brought relief, not celebration, and it has jolted Spurs into action. The club are pushing to land three first‑team signings in short order, with the backline and midfield at the heart of the plan.
Senesi first across the line
The first domino is set to fall in defence. Fabrizio Romano has delivered his trademark “Here We Go” on Marcos Senesi, with the Bournemouth centre-back expected to become Spurs’ first arrival of the summer.
Senesi, an Argentina international, is understood to have had an agreement in place to join Tottenham once the season ended, on the condition that the club stayed in the Premier League. That box is ticked. Now the deal is moving from promise to paperwork.
Crucially for Spurs, Senesi is set to arrive on a free transfer. For a club that needs quantity and quality after a fraught campaign, securing a starting-calibre defender without a fee is a significant piece of business and frees up funds elsewhere in the squad.
He will not be the only Bosman.
Robertson: unfinished business with Spurs
Tottenham’s recruitment team have also turned back to a long-standing target. Andrew Robertson, who has confirmed he will leave Liverpool at the end of his contract, is again firmly on their radar.
Spurs came close to landing the Scotland captain in January, only for Liverpool to pull the plug late in the window. That move never quite left the conversation, though. TEAMtalk report that Robertson has had a similar conditional agreement in place to Senesi’s, tied to Tottenham’s Premier League safety and framed as a free transfer this summer.
With survival secured, De Zerbi wants this one wrapped up quickly. Spurs have been crying out for a seasoned organiser at the back, someone who has lived the pressure of title races and Champions League nights. Robertson brings exactly that: years of Premier League experience, leadership, and a relentless edge down the flank.
Pairing him with Senesi would instantly raise the level of a defence that flirted with disaster for too much of the season. It would also send a clear message that Tottenham intend to compete again for European places, not simply cling to mid-table security.
Palhinha pursuit tests Tottenham’s resolve
The third piece of the puzzle is more complicated. Joao Palhinha remains a priority target, but his situation is far from straightforward.
Spurs want the combative midfielder to anchor De Zerbi’s side, yet the chase has been clouded by reports of interest from three Portuguese giants and suggestions that Palhinha could favour a return to Portugal for family reasons. Those whispers have caused tension behind the scenes, with Tottenham wary of being drawn into a long, public tug-of-war.
Even so, the club remain confident they can put a deal together. They see Palhinha as the kind of midfield presence they have lacked: aggressive without the ball, disciplined with it, and capable of protecting a reshaped backline that could soon include Senesi and Robertson.
The plan is clear. Two free transfers to stabilise the defence, and a statement signing in midfield to change the spine of the team.
Tottenham escaped once. With these moves, they are trying to make sure they will not be flirting with that kind of danger again. The only question now is whether they can close all three deals quickly enough to turn relief into genuine momentum.
