Spurs vs Newcastle | Every word of Roberto De Zerbi's pre-match press conference

Here's what he had to say...

Can I get your reaction to your latest signing, Omar Marmoush?

Roberto: "A great signing for us, a great player, another great player. Every one of us loves him as a player, and we hope he can do what he is able. I think he can give more solutions in attack. We need players in attack capable to score goals, to play well with the ball also. Very fast player, great qualities, and we are all happy, very happy."

Are you done yet in the transfer window? Any more 'bombas'?

Roberto: "No, I think Savio and Marmoush are bombas. I don't know how you can call them, but they are high-level players for sure."

Do you expect any more business in or out?

Roberto: "It can be possible out, in. The transfer market, like I said last Tuesday, is crazy, and we have to be able to find the new players. If some players go out, leave or to make another player in. I don't know. It's different now. The transfer market is crazy. You can't understand the transfer market."

Tottenham vs Newcastle has never finished 0-0 in the Premier League. What do you want to see from your side in the attacking sense?

Roberto: "Newcastle sold many players, many good players, but they closed other very good players. It's a young team with quick players, good players, but we lost the first game at Brentford. I think we have to play better, much better. We have to fight in a different way, and we need to make results, for sure. Even though we have new players. Another thing, without excuses, we play in our stadium. We are working well with the right atmosphere, and enthusiasm for the new players. Difficult game, tough game, but in the Premier League there is not an easy game, simple game."

After the last game you said we need to show our qualities better, show who we are and need to become a team. Is that just the chemistry on the pitch, or do you need more time to put more in?

Roberto: "Maybe we are not ready yet to play at our best in terms of physical condition, in terms of style of play, quality of play, but anyway, we have the quality enough right now to win the game and to play much better because it's normal to play better than we did in Brentford."

On Omar Marmoush, how important is it that he can play across the front three, adding that versatility?

Roberto: "Yes, I think he works well. He's a very smart player. He understands football, like a coach. I hope he's like a coach and maybe not less and not more. He understands football. He feels football. He can cover different positions on the pitch. Anyway, we need all his qualities because we are not qualities like him on our squad. He was the perfect player."

You described the transfer window as 'crazy' - is it time to have the transfer window shut before the season starts?

Roberto: "It's a rule in football and we have to adapt. You can't change it. Like I said, you can't understand it but you have to accept it. I think it's crazy but at the end we are very happy with the transfer market we have done until now, because we signed all very good players, young players also. Mateus Fernandes and Savio are very young players and these are good things for the club, because the potential of these two players is amazing. We brought experience - Tonali, Robertson, Senesi and JP Van Hecke. Good guys, because I think the atmosphere and the behaviour inside the dressing room is important like the qualities of the players in this moment of football. I'm very, very happy. The transfer market has been more than my expectation at the beginning of the transfer market."

Last week you said you like working with smaller squads - does that mean you'll probably be looking for more players to leave before or on Tuesday?

Roberto: "I've been very clear with every player. If you speak clearly at the beginning, you can't expect a surprise. The players who want to leave, they left. Maybe we have some players who want to leave and they are waiting for the offer, we are waiting for the offer. I think to stay here they have to feel proud and happy to stay here. It's a long season but it's an emotional season I think, because we are building a new project with new players after we stayed up last season. We need the right spirit. First of all the right spirit and then the qualities, the organisation of the play., but I can remove in my mind the right spirit at the beginning."

Off the back of that, if players who want to leave can't get moves, how hard is that for you throughout the season to have players like that and you're stuck with them?

Roberto: "No, for me no. For me, it's not a problem. If you want to leave and you have not found the offer, it's your problem, not my problem. I give respect. I kiss you, I hug you, but at the end have to stay calm inside the dressing room. And not to speak too much because the rules have been clear at the beginning and the end of the season. It's not my problem."

Can I ask you about team news - whether players like Savio, Marmoush, Van de Ven and Porro are fit enough to start?

Roberto: "Yes, we are all in the right condition to play. Maybe Kudus can come on the bench. We have to see. Van de Ven is right to play. We have to look, we have to understand the beginning part of the game. Like Savio, like Pedro. Marmoush is available to play, maybe also the beginning of the game. Robertson is like Udogie. Udogie is a good news for us because Udogie is very important and he played well 60 minutes (against Charlton), like was the plan."

Marmoush, he is so versatile, but where do you see as the best position?

Roberto: "I think he can play as a central striker. He is a different number 10 than Gallagher or Maddison, more of an attacker, but he is a player of big qualities. The most important thing is to have players with qualities and in the end, why did I say we needed time? Also for me to understand the balance, the connection in the first 11, because it's not like immediate, the understanding of the characteristics of the players. The team is 11 players and you have to find the connection and the balance between them. I hope I would like to find the right first 11, but not the first 11 as names or players - as a balance."

How do you balance foreign players and home grown players for the Premier League squad rules?

Roberto: "It's another good question. It's an important question. I think it's right, because if we want the future of football, we have to put the eyes on the young players, the English players and it's a normal part. Like when you have to give the squad for the Champions League or the Europa League plan, it's normal. It's one point maybe we can't speak too much about this, but it's an important point."

How is James Maddison?

Roberto: "James Maddison has not a big problem, but he felt pain in Brentford on the left shoulder, I think. He's working, but I don't know if he's available for tomorrow."

What about Pape Matar Sarr?

Roberto: "Pape, no he's good. We have to see in the last day of the transfer market what can happen with him."

With Maddison, does everyone need to be patient, because he did have a big injury?

Roberto: "No, with James, I think we have to find the right plan. We have to work consistently for three or four weeks and then he is a different player - a different player on the pitch, outside the pitch, as a personality, as an experience. He's a very positive guy and we are lucky to have James in our team."

If the transfer window ended now, would you be happy with what's happened so far?

Roberto: "Listen, yes, because I told you 10 minutes ago, I didn’t expect one transfer market, one window like we have done. I think we can do one player more and in one specific position, but yesterday we went for dinner with the owner, with Vinai, with Johan and with Enrico. We spoke about this, but we have all of us on the same page and there is a very good connection."