De Zerbi’s new Caicedo: Spurs lead the race to sign £80m “monster”

Tottenham Hotspur haven’t quite worked out their objective for the 2026/27 campaign yet. What is the target? Is it to comfortably avoid another relegation battle? Or are they looking to knock on the European door once again?

The fanbase would sincerely hope that it’s the latter, but Roberto De Zerbi‘s side need to spend wisely this summer if they are going to avoid another miserable year in the Premier League, having come within inches of the drop before winning against Everton on the final day of the campaign.

Tottenham now know that they are not in fact too bid to go down. The fear of the second tier will plague supporters for many years, and it’s crucial now that De Zerbi and ENIC Group ensure that they return to a more promising position in the Premier League.

Spurs leading the race for Premier League midfielder

Tottenham have any number of creases to iron out this summer, and while Cristian Romero’s anticipated sale demands a new centre-back, and abject attacking efforts throughout the campaign call for improvements there, De Zerbi is also keen to strengthen in the middle of the park.

Yves Bissouma is out of contract, and while Joao Palhinha has been one of the Lilywhites’ star performers this year, Portuguese suitors are hoping to swipe him from north London before his loan move can be made permanent.

There’s no question that Spurs need more creativity and fluency on the ball, but they also need combativeness, and De Zerbi has his dream signing in his sights.

According to Football Insider, Tottenham are edging into the lead in the race for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, with Manchester United waning in their long-term interest in the Cameroonian.

The 22-year-old has struggled to match his former form in the Premier League this year, but he remains one of the most talented number sixes in England, valued at around £80m by his south coast employers.

Why Baleba can be De Zerbi’s new Caicedo

Baleba hasn’t been at his brightest over the past year, but perhaps he has been rocked by the almost-deal last summer that brought him within a whisker of making a big-money move to Old Trafford.

Baleba would not only be the perfect Palhinha replacement, should the tough-tackling Portuguese midfielder not be coming back to Tottenham next season, but he could actually emerge as De Zerbi’s new version of Moises Caicedo, who cut his teeth in the Italian’s system before securing a mega move to Chelsea.

Interestingly, Baleba has a far more rounded skillset than someone like Palhinha, and while he has flattered to deceive for much of the current campaign, his performances the year before spoke of a potentially world-class player, with journalist Eduardo Hagn hailing him as a “monster“.

Tottenham need more meat in the middle, but if they can land themselves a dynamic and multi-functional anchor who has impressed De Zerbi in the past, they could be onto a real winner, securing the kind of profile that will carry them back up into the ascendancy and allow him to challenge for silverware and Champions League football once more.

It’s worth noting that while Palhinha has played an instrumental role for the club this year, he is limited on the ball. Moreover, Spurs aren’t going to fancy another relegation dogfight next term, therefore demanding a skillset like Baleba’s.

Baleba is the real deal, someone who perhaps played their best football when under De Zerbi’s management at the Amex. He is still young and rising as an elite midfielder, and Tottenham could secure their own version of Caicedo by landing him ahead of the 2026/27 season.