Roberto De Zerbi feels his Tottenham journey will only be complete if he leads the club to a trophy, and to get there, he believes they must go after more "top players".

Spurs have been busy in the transfer market ahead of their first full season under De Zerbi, having narrowly avoided a humiliating drop from the Premier League in 2025-26.

They have spent over £230m to bring in Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke, while Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Martin Dubravka have arrived on free transfers.

And their business appears to be far from over. 

Marcus Rashford, Victor Osimhen, Cody Gakpo, Savinho and Folarin Balogun have all been linked with moves to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, after De Zerbi suggested a big attacking signing was close.

Having inherited a team that was hurtling towards relegation, De Zerbi has now shifted his expectations towards challenging for more silverware, one year on from Spurs' Europa League triumph under Ange Postecoglou.

"I like to think I deserve to be here, and I deserve to want top players, because now Tottenham deserves to build up a top team," De Zerbi told The Athletic. 

"Now we have to bring in top players to become competitive. I don't know if we can win, but for sure, we have to be better than the last two seasons in the Premier League.

"I consider a trophy the end of the journey. I can't manage the end of the journey; I can manage the journey from the beginning until the end. 

"And now is not the moment to think of a trophy. The trophy arrives if you, in this journey, have worked well, have been your best version, and the players have been able to play in the best way they can."

Spurs went unbeaten on their pre-season tour of Australia, drawing 1-1 with Sydney FC before winning on penalties, then overcoming Chelsea 2-1.

De Zerbi's Spurs reign began with a demoralising 1-0 defeat to Sunderland in April, but from that moment on, they picked up 11 points from their final six games of the season (W3 D2 L1).

Only five teams won more points in that time – Manchester United (16), Arsenal (15), Manchester City, Leeds United (both 14) and Bournemouth (12).

"I don't feel last season was my achievement — it was the players," De Zerbi added. 

"When I arrived, I saw the players after Sunderland in the dressing room. I didn't tell you in the press conference, but it was like this: everyone crying, lying down on the floor in the dressing room. 

"I said, 'Have we passed away?' and I tried to transfer positivity and to observe the situation from another perspective."

Spurs continue their pre-season preparations against Getafe on Saturday, before facing Hoffenheim in their final tune-up before beginning their Premier League campaign at Brentford on August 22.