James Maddison and Tottenham's Squad Overhaul Under De Zerbi
James Maddison watches another friend walk out of the Tottenham door, and the churn under Roberto De Zerbi shows no sign of slowing.
The midfielder has already seen big characters arrive and depart in a whirlwind summer. Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson have all walked into Hotspur Way, reshaping a squad that has quietly gone unbeaten in pre-season and loudly raised expectations.
But to build, De Zerbi has decided he must strip back.
Solomon makes his move
Manor Solomon is the latest casualty of the overhaul, leaving Spurs for Championship side West Ham United on a permanent deal, three years after first signing for the North London club.
His time in a Tottenham shirt barely left a statistical dent – just six senior appearances – yet his exit has clearly been felt inside the dressing room. Maddison marked the move with a heartfelt message on Instagram on 10 August, a small window into how highly Solomon was regarded behind the scenes.
“Wish you the best of luck, mate! One of the nicest chaps I've ever come across, and helluva player as well! SSG King!” he wrote.
The numbers that really define Solomon’s Spurs spell came away from N17. On loan at Leeds United in the 2024-25 season, the Israeli international finally found rhythm and responsibility, returning 10 goals and 13 assists in 41 games. That campaign reminded everyone why Tottenham had moved for him in the first place.
Now he drops back into the Championship again, this time with the Hammers, carrying both that Leeds pedigree and the respect of a Premier League dressing room that never truly got to see him at full tilt in white.
De Zerbi cuts deep
Solomon’s departure follows a clear pattern. De Zerbi has already moved on Will Lankshear, Luka Vuskovic and Radu Dragusin as he trims a squad that had swelled to a size more suited to a club juggling European nights.
Tottenham are not in Europe. The manager knows it, and he is acting like it.
A bloated group might offer comfort on paper, but it clogs pathways and complicates selection. De Zerbi appears determined to work with a tighter core, trusting the quality of his new signings rather than the safety of sheer numbers.
Pre-season has so far backed him up. Spurs have not tasted defeat, performances have carried a sharper edge, and the fanbase has started to believe that this version of Tottenham might be built on clearer ideas and stronger personalities.
The real verdict, of course, arrives on 22 August, when Brentford come to town for the Premier League opener.
Maddison waits, Spurs improvise
Between now and then, one question will hover over everything: will James Maddison be ready?
The 29-year-old returned to action late last season, a welcome sight after his previous lay-off, but he has been conspicuously absent from Tottenham’s pre-season tour. De Zerbi has already confirmed a minor setback and has refused to risk his chief creator in friendlies.
That caution has a cost. Spurs already know they will start the season without Dejan Kulusevski, Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus, all still sidelined. That is a heavy chunk of invention and incision removed from the attacking unit.
So De Zerbi will lean on the new blood. Tonali and Fernandes both arrive with reputations for timing runs, striking from distance and seeing passes early. Neither is a like-for-like Maddison replacement, but both can hurt teams from midfield and ease the creative burden while the England international works back to full sharpness.
Tottenham might cope without Maddison. They will not want to find out for long.
The squad is smaller, the stakes are larger, and the margin for error shrinks with every big call. De Zerbi has chosen his group. Now he has to live with it.
