Tottenham’s dream defence for 2026-27 with Van Hecke latest name to arrive | OneFootball

Tottenham have made significant and early additions to their squad this summer, with a total makeover of their defence almost complete.

Two signings have already been made with a third reportedly on its way, but how could Roberto De Zerbi’s new back line look next season?

We’ve speculated how Tottenham’s defence could look in practise next season, splitting the personnel into starters and squad members.

The starters

A leaky defence was Tottenham’s major undoing in last season’s Premier League with an average of 1.5 goals conceded per match, the fourth worst in the whole division.

No wonder then that De Zerbi and the Tottenham board have chosen that area to be their initial focus of the transfer window.

With a reported January move cancelled by Liverpool, Andy Robertson has now joined on a free transfer to compete for the left-back spot.

Five days later, Tottenham completed another free agent signing with Marcos Senesi arriving from Bournemouth.

Now, David Ornstein is reporting that Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke is on the move for a fee of £52million, potentially making him the fifth most expensive signing in Spurs’ history.

The result of this early business is that Tottenham now have a rather stacked defensive unit following the new arrivals.

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were the preferred choice for centre back last season while Pedro Porro played right back and Djed Spence often at left back.

Of those, only Romero is expected to move on this summer and so De Zerbi has plenty of options.

With Senesi and Van Hecke arriving, De Zerbi could shift Van de Ven to left back – where he plays for his country – and have Senesi as the left side of the centre-back partnership alongside Van Hecke.

Porro, who recently signed a new deal until 2031, would then play at right back.

Having Van de Ven and Senesi as the two centre-backs seems unlikely with both of them left-footed, but De Zerbi could also be preparing for a back five.

In that scenario, Spence, Robertson or Destiny Udogie would play at left back, the centre backs would be Senesi, Van de Ven and Van Hecke with Porro at right back.

There is also the question of how big a role Robertson will play. He made 24 Premier League appearances for Liverpool last season, his second-lowest since 2018 and higher than only 2023-24, when he had a shoulder injury. And at 32, he will not be expecting to play every game.

The use of Robertson will likely depend on what approach De Zerbi will take to each particular game. The Italian is not a coach who has been wedded to a single formation throughout his managerial career and does have experience of using a back five in the past.

Whilst at Brighton, De Zerbi used a back five to set up a way to invite the opposition to crowd one flank before quickly switching it to the other.

For that to work, he would want quick full backs which would suggest Spence or Udogie would start over the slower Robertson.

Robertson then could be used when Spurs are looking to be more defensively compact and when the team is expected to see less of the ball.

As for the centre backs, both Van Hecke and Senesi are excellent ball players, hinting at a switch to playing out from the back for Tottenham. Van de Ven’s speed, which has already been on display in this World Cup, could allow him to excel in a sweeper role should De Zerbi opt for a back three.

Likely, there will be no set unit at the back but instead, different options for different games. In games where Spurs go in as the favourite, De Zerbi could opt for an aggressive back five and make the most of his attack-minded full backs. In games where Spurs are expected to be under pressure, Robertson could help form a solid back four.

The goalkeeper spot is also an intriguing one. A few seasons ago, Guglielmo Vicario was being spoken of in the same terms as David Raya and Alisson but his performance level dropped dramatically last season. He has been rumoured for a move to Juventus this summer.

Meanwhile, Antonin Kinsky recovered from his Atletico Madrid nightmare to prove himself a steady keeper at the end of the campaign. Vicario should return to the starting lineup if he remains at the club but Kinsky may fancy his chances.

Back ups

If we believe that Senesi, Van Hecke and Van de Ven are first choice, then there are lots of names to support them.

At left back, Robertson, Spence and Udogie will be fighting for that spot, although the Englishman is more naturally a right back.

He could then look to take Porro’s spot, even if the Spaniard’s new contract suggests he has been assured he is the future in that position.

At centre back, there are a whole host of options. On the books currently, Spurs have Senesi, Van de Ven, Ben Davies, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin and Romero as senior pros while Ashley Phillips and Junai Byfield are youth prospects.

There is also Luka Vuskovic, who Brighton were rumoured to be interested in although that trail appears to have gone cold.

Romero looks to be out the door, but others could join him. If Van Hecke does arrive, one of Dragusin or Danso could move on and the former has been linked with a move to Serie A or the Bundesliga.

The two youth prospects could also be sent out on loan for regular football as could the 19-year-old Vuskovic.

Ben Davies signed a one-year contract extension, but you suspect his role will off the pitch as much as it is on it.

Spurs then have plenty of options, something that has held them back frequently over the last few years.