De Zerbi admits Tottenham are not ready as three players seek exits

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi says his side are not yet ready to compete at the level required, but insists their two defeats at the start of the Premier League season do not reflect the team’s true potential.

Tottenham lost 2-0 to Newcastle United in their second league match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, having previously been beaten 3-0 by Brentford on the opening weekend. The results leave them bottom of the Premier League without a point, while Newcastle United moved up to third with four points.

De Zerbi said he understood the frustration among supporters but refused to draw wider conclusions from the opening two games.

“I am disappointed with the result, and I feel sorry for the supporters and the atmosphere, because after two defeats some people may think the story is repeating itself and that what is happening is the same as in the past two seasons. But I do not doubt for a moment that this is not the case. I cannot change my opinion after only two defeats,” he said.

The Italian added that Tottenham are working to build a strong squad, although he acknowledged that the process had not yet produced a fully prepared team.

“I feel sorry for the club because it is working to build a very strong team, but perhaps we are not ready yet, for many reasons. Even so, I believe that today, until the first goal, we were better than Newcastle,” said De Zerbi.

Tottenham struggled defensively during the first half, particularly when the distance between their forwards and defenders became too large.

“We suffered a lot in two or three situations during the first half because there was too much space between the attackers and defenders. After we conceded the goal, I think we lost confidence,” he said.

De Zerbi also explained the absence of Savinho, who missed the match through injury.

“Savinho was absent because of an injury. After the press conference, the medical staff came to me and told me that he was not feeling well and had a minor muscular problem,” he said.

The manager then confirmed that three players had expressed a desire to leave Tottenham. Richarlison has said on several occasions that he wants to depart, while Kevin Danso told De Zerbi two days before the match that he also wanted to leave. Pape Matar Sarr had made the same request, although he is currently recovering from a minor injury and is close to returning to training.

“I love these players, and they are wonderful people. I have very good relationships with them, but if they want to leave, they must provide the right financial offer for the club. After that, they can leave and we will look for other players,” De Zerbi said.

Egypt international Omar Marmoush made his first appearance for Tottenham after joining from Manchester City. He played the full match.

Tottenham’s continuing difficulties come despite heavy spending during the current summer transfer window. The club have spent €354m on strengthening the squad so far, while players have been sold for €165m.

The defeat marked Tottenham’s second consecutive loss in the Premier League and added to the pressure surrounding De Zerbi’s rebuilding project. The manager, however, maintained that the two results had not changed his belief in the club’s ability to create a competitive team.