Tottenham sink to bottom of Premier League after £300m summer spend

Tottenham Hotspur sit bottom of the Premier League after two rounds of fixtures: no points, no goals scored and more than £300 million spent on summer signings. A 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle United, with second-half goals from Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa in the space of ten minutes, has not changed the message from Roberto De Zerbi, who said he was not angry and saw no reason to panic. The Italian is asking for patience as he builds a competitive side, but the frustration among supporters is already beginning to show.

• Tottenham have lost their first two league games without scoring and are 20th in the table.
• Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa struck in a ten-minute spell to give Newcastle the win.
• Roberto De Zerbi called the result unfair and insisted there is no panic in the dressing room.
• The club spent more than £300 million this summer on players including Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke and Savio.
• Matthias Jaissle's Newcastle claimed their first Premier League victory of the season.

Tottenham's home struggles continue with another painful defeat

Tottenham fans endured a deeply frustrating afternoon at their own stadium. Thousands headed for the exits well before the final whistle, weary of a story that has repeated itself far too often. Spurs have now won only three of their last 23 home league matches, a poor return for a club with ambitions of competing in Europe. The loss to Newcastle followed a 3-0 defeat at Brentford on the opening weekend.

Newcastle, led by Matthias Jaissle, were far more ruthless than their hosts. They scored with both of their shots on target, while Spurs produced 17 attempts and failed to convert any of the six they directed at goal. The difference between one side's efficiency and the other's lack of cutting edge proved decisive.

More than £300m spent to escape the relegation battle

After finishing 17th in 2024-25 and again in 2025-26, only securing survival on the final day, the Tottenham board decided to act with force in the transfer market. The club spent more than £300 million on reinforcements designed to push the team back into European competition, a level they reached as recently as March in the Champions League round of 16 and with their Europa League triumph two seasons ago.

The marquee arrivals included Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for £100 million, Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for £85 million and defender Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton for £52 million. Brazilian winger Savio, formerly of Manchester City, joined for £75 million but missed the Newcastle match due to muscle fatigue. Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka arrived on free transfers, while Omar Marmoush made his debut against Newcastle after joining on loan from Manchester City, with the move set to become a permanent £60 million transfer next summer.

De Zerbi: 'I am not angry and there is no panic'

The Tottenham head coach played down the difficult start and defended the work of his players. "We can improve in the defensive phases but today was an unfair result," De Zerbi said after the match. The Italian felt his side were better than Newcastle until the opening goal and rued the lack of quality in front of goal.

Forget the result. I am not angry, we are working well and were unlucky today with the result.

De Zerbi only took charge at the end of March, earning 11 points from seven matches to keep the club in the top flight, and he insists the rebuild will take time. "It is impossible to change two seasons like the last two in ten days and with people in the transfer market," he explained. The coach called for calm and hard work to help the new signings connect with the players already at the club.

Transfer business could still happen before the deadline

With the transfer window closing on Tuesday, De Zerbi admitted on Friday that he is still looking for one more player in a specific position. After the Newcastle match he was asked about potential departures involving Kevin Danso, Pape Matar Sarr and Richarlison, all of whom have been linked with moves away from Tottenham.

The Italian left the door open to business but made clear the terms must suit the club. "I have very good relationships but if they want to leave, they have to bring the solution, the economic solution, to the club, and they can go," he said. His immediate priority remains bedding in a group with many new faces and rebuilding trust among supporters who have endured too many seasons near the bottom.

Pundits raise concerns over Tottenham's direction

Not everyone shares De Zerbi's optimism. Joe Hart, the former Tottenham and England goalkeeper, said the main worry for fans is that they are struggling to see what the team is trying to achieve. In his view, Newcastle have gone through an even more difficult summer of change, yet the identity Jaissle wants is already visible on the pitch, something Spurs cannot claim.

Hart pointed out that Tottenham have not suddenly collapsed, but have been fighting in the league for some time, and finding a solution has not been easy for any of the club's recent managers. "De Zerbi needs to get his new players to settle in quickly as the Premier League comes at you so fast," he warned.

Rob Green, another former England goalkeeper, was equally critical and highlighted the lack of invention, creation and goals in the side. According to Green, the performance against Newcastle showed that Spurs will need character as much as quality from their new arrivals to turn the situation around before the fans lose belief.

What Tottenham need to turn the season around

The numbers from Tottenham's first two matches are stark: two games, two defeats, no goals scored and last place in the table. Bringing in so many players at once makes it harder to establish a settled starting eleven, but the Premier League offers no time to pause. De Zerbi insists the dressing room remains calm and the plan is unchanged, even as the results pile on pressure.

The fixture list will not wait, and neither will the supporters. The Italian needs to turn possession and chances into victories, something that eluded his team against Newcastle. Until that happens, the scrutiny over the club's huge summer spending will only grow with every match without points.