With that in mind, and there only being 12 months left to run on Richarlison’s contract, has the time come to move the Brazil international on and reinvest elsewhere while a sizable fee can still be demanded?
When that question was put to Murphy, the former Spurs midfielder – speaking exclusively to GOAL in association with NetBet World Cup betting – said: “I think so. The problem is [Dominic] Solanke has got lots of attributes that De Zerbi would like. De Zerbi loves a high press and he likes intense football. Solanke at his best is brilliant at that, but he just can’t stay fit. When you look at that, and obviously he’s not getting younger, then I think De Zerbi will bring in a striker.
“I probably think Richarlison could be collateral damage in that because he’s not really got the fans behind him. He tries his best. He doesn’t have the quality that the Tottenham fans want to see leading in the line. I think a striker inevitably will come through the door.”
Murphy added on the minimum number of additions that Spurs will be hoping to welcome onto their books in what is shaping up to be another busy and hugely important summer: “I think De Zerbi will want to bring in at least four, maybe more, but probably down the spine. I know they’ve brought in [Marcos] Senesi, who’s a seasoned pro in the Premier League, wonderful passer of the ball, send it forward.”