ENIC reach “agreement” to seal Spurs their best signing since James Maddison

By the skin of their teeth, Tottenham Hotspur remain a Premier League team. It may well have been a party atmosphere in the stadium at full-time on Sunday but the fact of the matter is, really, it was not time to party.

This was a campaign that all supporters will want to forget about quickly, as will the playing staff and, in particular, the club’s ownership. It’s been a mess from top to bottom and attention must turn to next season swiftly.

The hierarchy know that and together with ENIC, the likes of Johan Lange and Vinai Venkatesham are moving quickly to bolster the playing squad.

Staying up is good news, but what fans want to see is progress and big improvement. That all begins with summer additions.

Spurs already closing in on new signings

There’s nothing quite like a new signing to whet your appetite ahead of a new season and according to reports, Spurs are closing in on two of them already.

You may remember back in January when Tottenham tried to agree a mid-season move for Liverpool’s legendary full-back, Andy Robertson.

While the deal did not happen in the winter, the Scotland international is ‘set to sign’ for the Lilywhites this summer. The left-back’s contract at Anfield has come to an end, meaning he can sign for any club he chooses on a free transfer.

That said, ‘Robbo’ is not the only defender allegedly on his way to the capital with Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi a prime target for Roberto De Zerbi and Co.

Like Robertson, his contract with the Cherries is expiring this summer, so Tottenham or any other suitor can sign him for no transfer fee.

The latest on that move comes courtesy of Fabrizio Romano. Speaking on his YouTube channel on Monday evening, the reporter said: “Tottenham have been in very advanced talks to sign Marcos Senesi. Senesi is leaving and he had possibilities in Italy. He had several clubs approaching him but Spurs remain the clear favourites to sign him.”

Romano continued: “The message from De Zerbi is clear; let’s close the deal for Senesi as soon as possible formally to avoid other clubs jumping into the deal and hijacking it. Tottenham have a verbal agreement with Senesi and in the last 24 hours, they have called the player again to tell him they want to go for him. They are still waiting for him to sign the contract.”

Why Senesi would be Spurs’ best signing since James Maddison

If you think Spurs supporters have gone through hell this season, just think how James Maddison must feel.

Until the 1-1 draw with Leeds, he had missed every single game this term with an ACL injury picked up in pre-season ahead of the ongoing campaign.

He only played five minutes of that clash, but immediately looked like the best player on the field, nearly drawing a penalty in the dying embers as the attacking midfielder fell to the ground inside the penalty area.

You could sense Maddison wanted to start games immediately. Tottenham needed him to in their bid to ensure their Premier League status. Ultimately, however, they chose what was best for his career; limited minutes. Maddison featured for 21 against Chelsea and then eight minutes on Sunday.

One has to wonder where Spurs would be had the £40m signing from Leicester been fit for the whole of 2025/26.

Injuries played a big part in the club’s struggles but their poor recruitment also came into play. Not since Maddison have there been too many success stories in the market.

From last summer, Mohammed Kudus has spent large parts out injured, while Xavi Simons only bagged two Premier League goals.

From the year before, Ange Postecoglou and Co signed some promising young players in the form of Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall but they are for the future, not really for now.

So, you have to go back to three summers ago when Maddison and Micky van de Ven arrived in the same window for an inch of success. That’s an awful long time.

As a result, Senesi could well be their best signing since 2023. Why? Well, Spurs’ defensive troubles have been no secret.

This season, they shipped 57 goals in the league. Only the relegated sides conceded more. Combine that with the fact that Cristian Romero has likely played his last game in Tottenham colours and they need a replacement, they need a Premier League-proven player like Senesi.

This would be an excellent signing. He was one of the best centre-backs in the division this term. Only one defender in the league registered more defensive contributions per 90 minutes (11.4) than Senesi and that was Kevin Danso with 12.

Furthermore, only five defenders made more interceptions per 90 than Senesi’s 1.5. This is a player who loves defending, but he’s not just about being aggressive out of possession.

He’s also brilliantly composed with the ball at his feet, as the numbers above substantiate. Put it simply, he’s one of the most progressive central defenders in the game right now.

Like Van de Ven, Senesi is something of a dual threat. A strong defender, he also likes to penetrate passes through the lines to get his team on the front foot.

Sure, the Argentine may not play in a forward role like Maddison does but this signing looks like it could be a huge success on paper, potentially ENIC’s best in years.