Andy Robertson will captain Scotland at the World Cup before joining Tottenham for the start of the 2026-27 Premier League campaign. Photograph: Visionhaus/Getty Images
Tottenham have completed the signing of Andy Robertson from Liverpool on a free transfer as Roberto De Zerbi seeks to rebuild his squad following the trauma of their brush with relegation from the Premier League.
De Zerbi said after his team had stayed up on the final day of the season with a home win over Everton that he had "10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay;" also that "we have now to change too many players." Robertson has become the first addition as the Italian seeks to address the leadership vacuum in the dressing-room that undermined the previous campaign.
Spurs tried and failed to sign Robertson in January but they have got the deal done now and without having to pay a fee, the left-back's contract at Liverpool having expired after nine hugely-successful seasons with the club. Robertson is the captain of Scotland and is preparing for the World Cup with them.
"Andy is someone I've admired for a number of years and he will bring outstanding technical qualities, experience, leadership and mentality to our team," De Zerbi said. "He is a proven winner at the highest level over a long period and is someone who can be a big player for us, both on and off the pitch."
De Zerbi has spoken warmly about Cristian Romero, the Spurs captain, who missed the closing weeks of the season with a knee injury. But the Argentinian is not expected to remain at the club and none of Spurs's players believe he will be with them once the summer transfer window has closed.
Micky Van de Ven, Romero's central-defensive partner, has numerous suitors, with Liverpool among them, and De Zerbi is looking at two new players in the position – Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke of Brighton. Senesi is out of contract and Spurs have a deal in place for him. De Zerbi worked with van Hecke when he was the Brighton manager.
Spurs are also chasing Savinho from Manchester City while they have an interest in Fulham's Harry Wilson. Joao Palhinha, who has been on loan at Spurs from Bayern Munich, wants to stay.
