Tottenham Hotspur survived Premier League relegation on the final day of the season, beating Everton 1-0 to finish 17th — two points clear of the drop zone — but the relief was swiftly overshadowed by a scathing assessment from Gary Neville and a frank admission from head coach Roberto De Zerbi that a sweeping rebuild is necessary.

Neville's damning verdict

Sky Sports pundit Neville held nothing back in his appraisal of Tottenham's campaign, describing the club's performances as an embarrassment to their own history. "Is it too far to say that they've been pathetic? That they should be ashamed of themselves? Probably not," he said.

Neville pointed to Spurs' proud traditions as the reason standards must be higher, acknowledging that last season's Europa League triumph offered a moment of celebration but insisting the subsequent collapse represented "another level underachievement and hitting new lows."

He reserved particular criticism for the club's ownership, calling for a thorough internal reckoning. "There's got to be a massive reset; there's got to be an autopsy that goes really deep right the way through the club," he said. "When you're owners of a football club — sometimes you have to start by looking in the mirror yourself."

Neville cited the chaotic managerial merry-go-round as evidence of poor decision-making at the top, pointing to the sackings of Ange Postecoglou and Igor Tudor — the latter dismissed within weeks of his appointment — before Thomas Frank and ultimately De Zerbi were brought in. "What a rollercoaster of a season," he said. "[The owners] have lost a lot of credibility and trust."

De Zerbi sets his sights on a new-look Spurs

With survival confirmed through Joao Palhinha's winner against Everton — following a similarly crucial goal he scored against Wolves — De Zerbi wasted no time in outlining his ambitions for next season.

"From tonight, we have to start to organise and to build a new team," the Italian said. "I think we have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay. And then we have to complete the squad with first level of players."

De Zerbi was candid about the difficulty of the campaign, both for himself and everyone connected to the club. "We are Tottenham and we can't suffer like this until the last second of the last game to stay up," he said, adding that his goal now is to begin pre-season with "the team I have in my dream, in my head."

When asked whether Palhinha would feature in those plans, De Zerbi left no room for doubt. "I would like to keep him 100 per cent. For sure I would like him to stay with me. Like Conor Gallagher. Like Kolo [Randal Kolo Muani]."

Van de Ven backs new era under De Zerbi

Centre-back Micky van de Ven struck a more optimistic tone, expressing confidence that the club's direction has shifted under De Zerbi's guidance.

"I think we have the right people now here, the right manager," Van de Ven said. "Two years in a row we end up 17th, which is unacceptable, especially for a club like Spurs. So things are going to need to change next season."

West Ham — relegated alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley — finished two points behind Spurs, meaning Tottenham's survival came by the narrowest of margins. Whether the upheaval promised this summer will translate into a genuine resurgence remains to be seen, but the pressure on ownership, staff, and players alike has never been more apparent.