Tottenham chief backs De Zerbi after winless start

Tottenham Hotspur chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has expressed confidence in manager Roberto De Zerbi and the club’s summer signings despite a winless start that has left the team bottom of the Premier League after five matches. Tottenham have two points from those games. Venkatesham’s comments were made at the club’s first Fan Advisory Board meeting of the season, held the previous week. Meeting minutes said he backed De Zerbi, the players brought in and changes made across the club, while recognizing that the overhaul could take time to have its full effect. He also acknowledged supporters’ frustration with the points total and said the club needed to earn their belief through results. The club brought in 10 players during the summer and made other squad changes. Reports put spending on new signings at either more than £300 million or more than £380 million; the available accounts do not reconcile the estimates. Tottenham also raised about £150 million through player sales, according to reports, though the precise accounting behind the figures was not detailed.