Tottenham Hotspur have a mountain to climb this Premier League season, as they were 17th for a second straight campaign, only surviving relegation on Matchday 38 against Everton after hiring Roberto De Zerbi to pull them out of the abyss.
Already, Spurs have made huge moves this summer transfer window, landing three new quality defensive players and a close to world class, 185 million pound double transfer swoop for Premier League midfielders Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.
There will be more competition in De Zerbi's squad this season, so here are the three biggest position battles to watchas the campaign begins in a matter of weeks.
LB Destiny Udogie vs. Djed Spence
Roberto De Zerbi is a huge fan of Destiny Udogie's, and that's no surprise. Not only was Udogie a top young player for Udinese in Serie A before moving to Tottenham, but he is also the best progressive left back Spurs have and a top Premier League left back when he is fully healthy.
The only problem is that Udogie has not been healthy at all over the past year, and as the injuries built up, Spurs fans noticed that he began to struggle by the end of the 2025/26 season. Djed Spence had a brilliant World Cup, and while clubs are still angling to steal him away from Spurs, the minute Udogie falters, De Zerbi won't hestiate to give Spence a try on the left despite his offensive shortcomings.
CB Micky van de Ven vs. Jan Paul van Hecke vs. Marcos Senesi
Jan Paul van Hecke is like a son to De Zerbi, and Micky van de Ven is quickly developing a similar rapport with the manager, who helped get his extension over the line after Van de Ven seemed to be more out than in on the organization during the disastrous Thomas Frank reign.
Although it seems impossible for Tottenham Hotspur to deviate from the Dutch duo, Marcos Senesi was actually the best player of the three center backs during the 2025/26 Premier League season and a legitimate Team of the Season contender at center back. If Senesi outplays either one of them, De Zerbi has shown in the recent past that he has no trouble with rolling with the hot hand.
ST Dominic Solanke vs. Richarlison
One of Dominic Solanke or Richarlison could be sold before the 2025/26 Premier League season starts, but because the transfer window ends after the campaign begins, both veteran strikers are very much auditioning for their existences at the club. Tottenham fans are desperate for Roberto De Zerbi to help bring in a new, top level No. 9, and if it were up to them, Richy, the leading goal scorer last season, would stay. But De Zerbi also has an even closer affinity to Solanke despite his woes.
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