Tottenham Attacking Reinforcements Key For De Zerbi, Bale Says Ahead Of 2026/27

Gareth Bale believes Tottenham must target new forwards if Roberto De Zerbi is to move the team up the Premier League table. Bale argued that defensive work has started, but attacking quality still looks short after a difficult 2025-26 campaign which ended with Spurs narrowly avoiding relegation.

Spurs finished 17th last season after a 1-0 win over Everton on the final day kept the club in the division. That result followed two previous years in the same position, leaving concerns among supporters and former players about the direction of the team.

De Zerbi arrived in North London on 31 March, replacing Igor Tudor, whose spell lasted only 44 days. The 47-year-old then guided Spurs to safety and has started reshaping the squad before the new season, which begins with his first full campaign in charge.

The club have already strengthened at the back. Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi have joined on free transfers, while Jan Paul van Hecke has arrived from Brighton for a reported £52m. Van Hecke previously worked with De Zerbi, who trusts the defender’s style from their time together at Brighton.

Bale accepted that defensive additions were required, with Spurs conceding 57 league goals last season. Only Burnley, Wolves and West Ham allowed more. However, Bale stressed that the front line needs major work after Tottenham scored just 48 league goals, with Richarlison leading the way on 11 and Joao Palhinha next with only five.

Tottenham's attacking numbers were affected by several injuries. Richarlison, Mohammed Kudus, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke all missed long spells across the season. Dejan Kulusevski did not feature at all in 2025-26, leaving De Zerbi short of consistent options in the final third for much of the campaign.

"I am glad the season is over, Bale, who made 237 appearances across two spells for Spurs,told The Athletic. Hopefully, now it is a fresh start with Roberto De Zerbi, a good transfer window in the summer and not a third 17th-placed finish in a row. With a few more additions, especially attacking, it could be a very good team very quickly. Winning the Europa League papered over a few cracks [for the owners]. They'll probably now be looking at this transfer window as an opportunity to reinvest and get the squad back to where it belongs."

Despite Bale’s appeal for more forwards, Spurs are currently focusing on midfield. Reports state that Tottenham have already had an £80m offer for Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali rejected. The Italy international is also admired by Manchester City and Arsenal, which may complicate any further talks.

De Zerbi’s first full Premier League season with Spurs will start against Brentford. Tottenham have a strong record in opening fixtures, losing only once in the last 10 seasons. That single defeat came in 2020-21, when Everton won 1-0, a result Spurs will want to avoid repeating.