Every Word: De Zerbi Names Five Captains Ahead of Brentford

Roberto De Zerbi faced the media ahead of the trip to Brentford, and named his captaincy group for the season. Below is the press conference in full, question by question, with nothing cut.

Tell us about the summer so far. So much has happened since May. So many big signings, players leaving. How happy are you?

It seems I'm here for 10 years. Three months, just three months. Very intense three months. I think we can't forget what happened last season. It's a lesson, a big lesson for us, for every one of us. But anyway, we have to go on another page and to start another season, an important season. We are building, I think, a new project. And now the big challenge, without talking too much about the target, the goal of this season, the first two targets we have very clear in ourselves is to find the soul of the team. And the second target: to improve in our organisation of football. With the ball, without the ball, our style has to be the key of our season, like our soul. These two characteristics I want to find as soon as possible.

Enzo Maresca has just said Savinho said he wanted to leave on day one. It's obviously very close here. After Savinho, how many more do you want? Any more bombas?

It's not right to speak about the players until they are official. Just to say, I'm very happy. We have not finished yet in the transfer market. It's an important part, I think. Because so far we have had a great summer of signings. Great players, great behaviour, great spirit, great personality. But you know better than me in the Premier League, you don't win the game with the names, with the big players.

There are a lot of examples in the last years in the Premier League. We have to deserve to win the game. And to deserve to win the game, we have to reach a high level in character, in passion, in value and in the style of play as well.

You've also sold many players with Djed Spence, Romero, your club captain. Can you tell us the new captain?

Yes, the new captain is Micky van de Ven. The second, Pedro Porro. The third, Ben Davies. The fourth, James Maddison. And the fifth, Archie Gray. Why five captains? Just because I want many captains inside of the pitch. And to be clear in the position. And every one of them, they deserve to be a captain or in the group of the captains. But the personality, the passion, is not if you are a captain or you are not a captain.

I know you don't want to talk about Savinho, but from what we understand he has been a long-standing target for the club – how involved are you in transfer decisions?

Yes, but in transfer market and for Tottenham and every club it's not just for the coach, it's not just for the sport director, it's not just for the board. I think we are working very well with Johan Lange, with Vinai [Venkatesham], with Nick [Beucher], with all the board involved in the transfer market. We have spoken a lot of times in this summer, because it's a connection. The most important part not in the transfer market, but in football, in a club so big like Tottenham, so important like Tottenham, is the connection between the people inside of the club. And I think we are closing the first targets we have in our plan from a long time. Before I came in April, we had already spoken about these targets of the transfer market.

What's the latest team news – is Micky van de Ven fit?

No, Micky is not on the (available) list for tomorrow, like Pedro Porro and the other players are all inside. James Maddison is inside (the list), Dominic Solanke is inside, Udogie is inside, Mateus Fernandes is inside, Pape Sarr, no because he felt pain two days in his hamstring. Nothing important, but we don't take risk with him and especially in this moment.

Soul and organisation are key – is that what will help you because you have now had a pre-season to get that?

Yes, I think we started last season to build something about the style of play. Not too much because it was not the right time to work too much in the style, in the principle of with the ball or without the ball, but we started working in the soul. And the last six games with me, I think we showed that in a lot of times - even when we lost in Chelsea. I think it is the first point and the most important part in football now.

It seems that the amount you have to pay to sign players these days has gone so high. Are we going a bit crazy?

I think Premier League is a different league. It's a different price, different competition in the transfer market and I don't know if it's right or not. On the market, and I'm not speaking just in football, but generally in the market, you can't say if it's right, fair or not. You can accept or not. And if you want to compete in the Premier League now, you have to adapt. I think I've heard too many times Tottenham money, Tottenham money, but I loved football for a long time and I didn't see any team competing for the high level without spending money. Maybe if Tottenham spend money is a problem in the Premier League? I don't know why, but all the other teams have spent money in the past and also in this season. For me it's not a pressure, it's just a consideration.

How are you going to keep your players fit this season?

I think another important part of this season is the medical staff, the physical staff, is new for a big part of them. Big professionals, great people, very good in their jobs. I think it's important also the management of the players, when the players have some problem, we have to stay calm, don't take risks.

We have Kulusevski, we have Odebert, we have Xavi Simons, injuries. Kudos is almost ready, that is a big point for us, but these three players are top players for us, and we're looking forward to watch them on the pitch.

You only play one game a week this season, no Europe, like Manchester United did last season. Is that your target, like United last season, to finish in the top four or top five?

I don't know, I hope we have not one game per week, because we have Carabao and FA Cup, and for me, we are competing for three competitions.

Yes, the first season for sure is a big advantage, because we have time to work during the week, we can improve faster than the Champions League or the European League in the middle of the week, for sure. But I would like to compete every season in the European competition, because I think Tottenham deserve to stay in that competition.

Micky van de Ven had a big summer, signed a new contract, he's your captain, but we haven't actually seen him yet playing any minutes, and I don't know if he's been training, what's the latest with his fitness?

No, today he's working with us, with the group, he's going very well. He suffered a problem during the pre-season in Australia, I don't know, the flight, I don't know, something, not a big problem, but not right to work. But we have [Marcos] Senesi, we have Ben Davies, and we are anyway in the right condition to play the game tomorrow, and to try to find the result.

With Djed Spence leaving, do you want to sign a new right-back or are you happy with Pedro Porro and Archie Gray as your options?

First of all, I'm really disappointed with Djed, because I love him, we have a great relationship, he's a very good guy, he's a very important player, but in the end I have to respect, if he wants to play 38 games, I can't give my word, any guarantee for the players, especially if we are building a big competition inside of the squad.

Right-back is, I think in this moment, one, maybe the best, maybe one of the three best right backs in the world [in Pedro Porro]. In the left-back we have Udogie and Robertson, and both are big, big level, and if you don't want to stay anymore in Tottenham, in a big club, you have to leave.

Like Cuti [Romero], like with Cuti, the same relationship with Spence. Vicario for example, Vicario called me on Wednesday when he left. I'm sorry but football is like this.

I think if I spoke at the beginning of my press conference about the soul, to find the soul, every one of us, they have to stay here with the right spirit, proud to stay here, and with great ambitions, great motivation, otherwise it's tough, one season with me without motivation and without ambition, it becomes tough for everyone.

So do you want another right back?

In this moment I think no, we have Archie Gray, he prefers playing in the midfield position, but he can play very well also as a right-back.

I think we are good. I don't want 25, 26 players, I want 21, 22 players, I think that's enough, especially if these players or more players, they can adapt in more positions on the pitch, and I think we have many players who can play in different positions, Gray midfielder, right back, Gallagher number 10 or number 8, it's the same Micky van de Ven or Ben Davies left back, I think we have Kudus, winger or number 10, we have a lot of solutions.

Where is Dejan Kulusevski right now in his process?

He's working, he's working not with the group, but with the individual coach. I'm observing him a lot, because first of all, he suffers too much, and as a human situation, it's been tough for him, and every one of us we are close with him for this period. Then he's a different player, he's a special player, if he's fit and he's available, he's a different player like Xavi Simons.