SYDNEY — Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison on Tuesday highly praised the club’s new manager, Roberto De Zerbi, describing the Italian tactician as the ideal attacking coach to elevate his style of play ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign. De Zerbi took the reins at North London in March following the dismissal of interim boss Igor Tudor, arriving at a time when Spurs were winless in 2026. The former Brighton manager successfully navigated a tense relegation battle, securing English top-flight survival on the final day of the season with a 1-0 win over Everton to finish 17th. Since then, De Zerbi has aggressively overhauled the squad through an ambitious summer transfer window, bringing in high-profile signings like midfielders Mateus Fernandes from West Ham and Sandro Tonali from Newcastle, alongside defender Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.
Maddison, an England international who missed the vast majority of the previous season due to a severe knee injury, expressed his immense excitement for the future while speaking during the club’s pre-season tour in Sydney. The creative midfielder, who is reportedly the frontrunner to be named Tottenham’s new club captain, noted that while he is still adapting to De Zerbi’s precise tactical demands, the squad is completely aligned with the manager’s vision of possession-based, highly attacking football. Tottenham opened their pre-season campaign with an entertaining 2-0 victory against A-League champions Auckland FC in New Zealand and are scheduled to face Sydney FC and London rivals Chelsea before returning home for their Premier League opener against Brentford on August 22.
