Tottenham Hotspur’s summer tour has officially begun in New Zealand, with head coach Roberto De Zerbi addressing the media in Auckland ahead of Sunday’s match against Auckland FC.
De Zerbi was joined at the press conference by new signing Andy Robertson, one of six players already secured by Spurs during the summer transfer window.
The press conference at Eden Park marks the first time both men have spoken publicly this season, with De Zerbi keen to set expectations for the pre-season trip.
Tottenham have spent an eye-catching £237million this summer on new recruits, signalling clear ambition ahead of what the club hopes will be a significant Premier League campaign.
The most expensive addition is Sandro Tonali, signed from Newcastle for £92.5million plus a further £7.5million in potential add-ons, setting a new club transfer record for the second time in a week.
That record had only just been broken when Spurs brought Mateus Fernandes from West Ham in an £85million deal, underlining the scale of investment being made under De Zerbi.
Brighton centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke also made the move to north London for £52million, while Robertson, Marcos Senesi, and Martin Dubravka all arrived on free transfers.
De Zerbi has taken 35 players to New Zealand, with Spurs set to travel on to Australia for pre-season friendlies against Sydney FC and Chelsea following the Auckland fixture.
Some members of the squad were left behind at Hotspur Way, either through injury or rest following their involvement in the World Cup.
De Zerbi was characteristically direct when he addressed the media, saying: “It’s an important game for us. We are at the beginning of the pre-season. The most important thing is to play a serious game, for sure, and don’t take risks for the injuries because it was a very long trip.”
He continued to stress the importance of balance between preparation and caution, noting: “We have a lot of players who suffered too many injuries last season, and we have to be serious on the pitch.”
The Italian coach also acknowledged the excitement of the tour while keeping focus firmly on the job ahead, adding that the squad is “here not on holiday, but we are here to be better when the Premier League starts.”
De Zerbi pointed out that the Premier League season is just 20 to 25 days away, making the physical and tactical development during this tour critically important for the squad.
The tour began with an unexpected moment before a ball was even kicked, as a severe earthquake struck New Zealand just 146 miles from Auckland, with 23,000 people reporting it shortly after the Spurs squad arrived in the country.
