Tottenham are reportedly in advanced talks to sign Bournemouth centre-back Marcos Senesi, who is set to become a free agent when his contract expires this summer.
Senesi has been hailed as ‘outstanding’ for Andoni Iraola’s side this season, and the case for his signing is clear: he is Premier League-proven, available on a free, highly compatible with De Zerbi’s build-from-the-back system, and at the peak of his career.
Senesi is adept at playing line-breaking passes from deep, completing 80% of his passes and delivering nine balls into the final third against Arsenal, precisely the profile De Zerbi seeks in a centre-back.
However, as in the case of Andy Robertson, there is a major caveat attached to any potential deal: Senesi will only consider joining Tottenham if they secure Premier League survival. That stipulation is telling—a player of his calibre, available for free, will not move to a club facing relegation.
Manchester United and Chelsea, who have also been linked with the Argentinian, carry no such uncertainty.
This is the side of relegation cost often overlooked beyond the headline financial projections. The revenue drop is usually well documented, but the impact on summer recruitment is equally damaging, as top-quality targets look elsewhere.
Senesi would not be the only one. He would simply be the first in a long line of players to assess the situation and decide that a club in the Championship cannot provide the platform they require.
Senesi has proven himself at Premier League level and would be a valuable addition to any top club this summer.
While Tottenham are in advanced talks, those discussions are meaningless without Premier League survival, and that is the harsh reality facing the club today.