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Two games into the 2026/27 Premier League season, Tottenham Hotspur have managed to find themselves in the one position that should have been impossible after spending £85 million on a single player this summer: dead last.
The north London club sits 20th in the table with zero points, zero goals scored, and five conceded. For a team that narrowly escaped relegation last season, this is less a stumbling start and more a continuation of a very troubling trend.
Two matches, two blanks, five holes in the net
The season opened on August 22 with a trip to Brentford. It did not go well. Tottenham lost 3-0, a scoreline that somehow felt generous given how the match unfolded.
A week later, on August 29, Spurs returned to their home ground for a visit from Newcastle United. The result was marginally less embarrassing on paper, a 0-2 defeat, but arguably worse in context. Losing at home to open the campaign, without managing a single goal, is the kind of thing that gets supporters reaching for their season ticket refund policies.
There was, admittedly, one bright spot sandwiched between the two Premier League disasters. On August 26, Tottenham thrashed Charlton Athletic 5-1 in the Carabao Cup. New signing Savio scored on his debut, and the squad looked, briefly, like a group of professional footballers who enjoyed playing together.
Big spending, bigger questions
The frustration around Tottenham’s start is amplified by the investment the club made over the summer. Savio arrived from Manchester City for £85 million, a fee that makes him one of the most expensive signings in the club’s history. Omar Marmoush joined on loan with a £60 million buy obligation attached, meaning Tottenham have effectively committed close to £145 million on two players alone.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi was brought in to stabilize and rebuild a squad that finished 17th in the 2025/26 season, scraping survival by just two points. The Italian, renowned for his possession-based philosophy during his time at Brighton and Sassuolo, was seen as a progressive appointment.
An injury crisis has compounded De Zerbi’s problems. James Maddison, one of the few creative sparks in the squad, has been unavailable.
The Savio signing is particularly interesting to watch. At £85 million, he is the marquee addition, the player the club pointed to as evidence of ambition. His goal against Charlton showed glimpses of what he can do, but the real test is whether he can be the difference-maker in league matches where Tottenham have so far looked toothless.
Marmoush’s loan arrangement adds another layer of complexity. A £60 million buy obligation means Tottenham are essentially on the hook for the fee unless something unusual happens.
De Zerbi’s task is clear: find goals, find structure, and find results before the early-season hole becomes too deep to escape. Last season, Tottenham survived relegation by two points. Starting the new campaign with zero points from two games means the margin for error is already razor thin.
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