Roberto De Zerbi could not hide his enthusiasm when asked about Tottenham’s activity in the recent transfer window. The Italian manager described every new arrival as "bomba," a slang term that has come to signify a spectacular or unexpected signing on social media. In his own words, "bomba" means a great player, and he believes the club’s recent business has delivered just that. Tottenham have splashed roughly £320 million on seven permanent first‑team additions and have secured a loan deal for Omar Marmoush.
The spending spree comes after a precarious season that saw the North London club cling to survival by the thinnest of margins. De Zerbi, who was appointed to rescue the team from the brink of relegation, has been a driving force behind the aggressive recruitment strategy, insisting that the squad needed top‑level talent to compete in the Premier League’s relentless environment. Speaking to Sky Sports News’ Michael Bridge ahead of the Saturday Night Football clash with Newcastle, the coach beamed, "In my vocabulary ‘bomba’ is a great player. I’m very happy – we have brought in a group of very good players, especially because they wanted to join us.
I want the squad to feel proud and happy to be here. To play football now you need huge motivation and big ambitions; without those, results are impossible." He added that the current roster feels like a "great squad, a great team," and while a few more signings and some departures may still be on the horizon, the overall mood is one of contentment. The manager’s approach to recruitment has been described as personal and passionate.
Several of the newcomers have praised De Zerbi for his phone calls that convinced them to sign for Tottenham. When asked about these conversations, he shrugged modestly, saying, "Nothing special – I live for passion and football. I explain the project – not my project, the club’s project – and they decided to come.
We are very happy and proud of that decision." De Zerbi’s influence goes beyond mere persuasion. At the end of the previous season, his task was to steer a team that had spent much of the campaign fighting relegation. He delivered a dramatic run of results that culminated in a decisive victory over Everton on the final day, securing Tottenham’s Premier League status.
"Big emotion, big memories," he recalled, describing the celebrations after that match as perhaps the best day of his career, not because of the target but because of the sheer relief and joy after seven weeks of intense pressure. However, the new campaign has already shown that success will not come automatically. In the opening weekend, Tottenham, now featuring several of the new signings, were outplayed by Brentford at the Gtech Stadium.
De Zerbi acknowledged the defeat, emphasizing that while individual names are not the sole factor, having quality players is essential. "To get results you have to fight, run, play well.
It’s very important to have signed such quality," he said, noting that the team still needs time to develop chemistry. He explained that building cohesion is a process that requires patience. "Finding the connection and balance between players takes time.
You need to understand each teammate’s characteristics to organise the side effectively, and that connection does not happen instantly," De Zerbi observed. He admitted that the Brentford game highlighted the gap between the squad’s potential and its current performance, saying, "We had the quality but we didn’t play well enough. Brentford deserved the win, and we deserved the loss.
We could have performed much better." Looking ahead, De Zerbi is optimistic that the new‑look Spurs will begin to showcase their latent potential in the upcoming home fixture against Newcastle. He stressed that the focus must be on sharpening the team’s execution, improving the link‑up play, and translating the individual talent into collective results.
The manager believes that once the players settle into a rhythm, the squad’s ambition and motivation will translate into points on the board. In summary, Roberto De Zerbi’s excitement over Tottenham’s summer acquisitions reflects a belief that the club has finally assembled a group capable of competing at the highest level. While the early season setbacks remind everyone that talent alone does not guarantee victory, the manager’s confidence in the squad’s quality and his commitment to fostering unity suggest that Spurs could soon turn their "bomba" signings into tangible success on the pitch. The journey toward a cohesive, high‑motivated team is underway, and Tottenham fans will be watching closely to see if the promised transformation materialises as the season progresses.