De Zerbi may already have the next Dele Alli

Silverware might have remained elusive, but those heady days of Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure now look even more glorious amid Tottenham Hotspur’s woes since.

The Argentine’s side were a joy to watch in their pomp, dispatching teams time and again, spearheaded by a youthful attacking quartet of Harry Kane, Heung-min Son, Christian Eriksen and, of course, Dele Alli.

Dele, signed from MK Dons initially in February 2015, before arriving in north London six months later, was the last of that famed four to join the party, yet his impact was immediate, ending that debut Premier League campaign with 18 goals and assists to his name.

Few teenagers, before or since, have hit such heights in England’s top flight. Could new boss Roberto De Zerbi help Tottenham’s current crop to enjoy a similar rise?

Why De Zerbi could be Pochettino 2.0 at Spurs

Spurs have tried it all when it comes to managerial appointments, particularly in recent years, ranging from the almost kamikaze style of Ange Postecoglou, to the pragmatism of Thomas Frank and the old-school approach of Igor Tudor.

Poch (Saints) vs De Zerbi (Brighton)
Poch	Stat	By Zerbi
528	Days in charge	651
60	Matches	89
23	Wins	38
18	Draws	20
19	Losses	31
33	Players used	42
1.45	Points per game	1.51

In De Zerbi, the Lilywhites might well have found someone closer to Pochettino in that regard, a manager intent on playing attacking football, yet with greater control than was seen in Postecoglou’s chaotic tenure.

In 2022/23, for instance, the Italian’s Brighton and Hove Albion side finished third in the division for average possession per game, with his side building up from the back before pouncing in the final third.

The approach in terms of formation is also notably similar to Pochettino’s reign, with De Zerbi typically favouring a 4-2-3-1, deploying something of a natural number nine as the figurehead, much like Kane under the Argentine.

What is also particularly crucial is the trust that the 46-year-old places in youth, again like Pochettino, with his time at the Amex coinciding with the true rise of Moises Caicedo, having also promoted young Jack Hinshelwood across that almost two-season stay.

roberto-de-zerbi-tottenham-premier-league

De Zerbi will hand Tottenham youngster ‘chance to impress’ on one crucial condition

The squad all have a fresh start under the Italian.

That prior work with players of potential should bode well for the core of youngsters at Spurs, be it Xavi Simons, Archie Gray or Lucas Bergvall, as well as those who can come into the picture for next season.

De Zerbi could soon unleash Spurs’ next Dele

In the case of Dele, Spurs pounced early to land the then-18-year-old on a bargain £5m deal midway through the 2014/15 campaign, with the Englishman only joining Pochettino’s ranks that summer.

Dele Alli's MK Dons record EFL (timeless)

Having ended that final season in Milton Keynes with 23 goals and assists in 39 League One games, his stock had already soared even after the deal had been agreed, with supporters no doubt having been eagerly watching his progress, waiting to see him in action in north London.

There does appear a similar feel to Luka Vuskovic’s story so far, with the teenage Croatian already being tipped for superstardom at Spurs, like Dele before him, despite having not actually made a competitive appearance for the club to date.

The wait, that being said, has been even longer in the centre-back’s case, with the £12m deal to land the then-Hajduk Split man having been confirmed as far back as September 2023, ahead of a planned 2025 switch.

Vuskovic subsequently spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan from Split at Belgian side Westerlo, scoring seven league goals from his defensive berth, while taking another step up after signing for Hamburg, this time from Spurs, over the summer.

To say that latest temporary move has been a success would be an understatement, with the 19-year-old earning rave reviews in the Bundesliga, again proving such an asset in both boxes with five goals in 25 Bundesliga games thus far.

The defensive giant has notably won 75% of his aerial duels per game, alongside winning 69% of his total duels, while back in north London, Micky van de Ven has averaged just 45% and 53% for those same two metrics, respectively.

Such form is already sparking rumours that he could be sold on before even kicking a ball at Tottenham, amid talk of a £60m asking priceyet in Vuskovic’s own words, he appears keen to return to his parent club this summer.

“In football, you never know,” Vuskovic said, as quoted by the Evening Standard. “It could happen next year, or in ten years. I don’t want to promise anyone anything.

“After this season, I’ll be a Tottenham player again. I have a contract there until 2030.”

Like Dele before him, the teenager could well be an instant hit at N17 under De Zerbi’s watch, not least with Van de Ven and Cristian Romero both toiling this season.

Tipped to be a potential captain in waitingin the view of European football expert Andy Brassell, it looks like Vuskovic could well prove worth the wait.