Tottenham's Summer Rebuild: Senesi, Robertson, and Palhinha

Tottenham have wasted no time turning survival into a statement. With their Premier League status secured on the final day, the club have hit the accelerator on a summer plan built around three key first‑team additions – and one of them is already effectively in the door.

Senesi set to lead defensive reset

Marcos Senesi is poised to become the first signing of the Roberto De Zerbi era, with Fabrizio Romano giving his trademark “Here We Go” to the deal. The Argentine defender, a standout at Bournemouth, is expected to arrive on a free transfer after putting a provisional agreement in place that hinged on Spurs staying in the top flight.

They did – just – and that escape has now triggered the contract. For Tottenham, it is a crucial early win. Senesi brings Premier League know‑how, aggression, and composure on the ball, the kind of profile De Zerbi leans on to build from the back.

The club have been hunting experience and leadership in defence. Senesi ticks both boxes and, importantly, costs nothing in transfer fees. That allows Spurs to stretch their budget across the rest of the squad.

Robertson back on the radar

Senesi is only part one. Tottenham are also pushing to complete another Bosman deal, this time for Andrew Robertson, who has confirmed he will leave Liverpool at the end of his contract.

Spurs came close to landing the Scotland captain in January, only for Liverpool to shut the move down late in the window. That hesitation will not be repeated this time. According to TEAMtalk, Robertson has long had a summer agreement lined up with Tottenham, again contingent on the club avoiding relegation.

With that condition met, De Zerbi’s side are now keen to finalise the move. Robertson would walk straight into a defence that has badly lacked a seasoned voice and a reliable presence in big moments. His CV is loaded with Premier League and Champions League experience, the very currency Spurs have been short of in recent seasons.

Pairing Robertson with Senesi would give Tottenham an instant injection of top‑level nous on the left side of their back line. It is exactly the kind of structural reinforcement a team hoping to climb back towards Champions League contention needs, or at the very least to re-establish itself in the European places.

Palhinha pursuit adds tension to the window

The third pillar of the plan is more complicated. Joao Palhinha remains a major target, but his situation is far from straightforward.

Tottenham want him. Bayern Munich are in the conversation. So are three of Portugal’s biggest clubs. Reports suggest the midfielder could be tempted by a return home for family reasons, a factor that has added a layer of anxiety behind the scenes in north London.

Spurs, though, are not backing off. They remain confident they can put together a package to convince Palhinha to anchor De Zerbi’s midfield, giving the team the kind of destructive, ball‑winning presence it has lacked since its last serious tilt at the top four.

If Senesi and Robertson provide the platform, Palhinha would be the shield. That spine – centre‑back, full‑back, holding midfielder – would represent a clear break from the fragility that dragged Tottenham into a relegation fight.

For a club that spent the final day of the season staring over the edge, these three deals are more than just transfers. They are a test of intent. Spurs have escaped once. The question now is whether this window marks the start of a climb back towards the sharp end of the Premier League, or just another reset that never quite delivers.