Credit: Imago

Cameron Smith

Fri 29 May 2026 14:50, UK

Pedro Porro has become indispensable at Tottenham Hotspur after playing a huge role in securing the club’s Premier League safety.

Since joining from Portuguese giants Sporting in 2023, the Spaniard has remained a model of reliability for the Lilywhites.

Having developed into one of the league’s standout full-backs under Ange Postecoglou, Porro went on to become talismanic as Roberto De Zerbi rescued Spurs following the dismal spells of Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor.

Ahead of the summer window, Manchester City have been linked with a move for the defender.

However, he is simply undroppable for De Zerbi and must be central to the Italian’s looming rebuild at Spurs.

Pedro Porro numbers prove Tottenham importance amid rebuild year

There are certain holes in the defensive side of his game, but Porro is one of the most technically gifted fullbacks out there.

While he did score just once and register two assists in the 2025-26 season, his numbers do show that the blame does not necessarily fall at his feet.

With 53 chances created, no other fullback in the division can match Porro on this regard, with only Marc Cucurella and Hugo Bueno coming somewhat close, with 39 and 38.

At the same time, the Spaniard tops the charts for accurate long balls per 90 in his position, with 4.3 compared to Kieran Trippier’s 2.8.

In possession, he is a cheat code, and has proven crucial inverting into central zones, with De Zerbi not exactly blessed with possesion-heavy options in the middle of the park.

With this in mind, he has been the man responsible for almost everything in possession, with 2,429 touches, racking up 4.5 expected assists, once again the most of any fullback in the league.

Had those around him been more clinical with their chances, his numbers could well be higher, while he would highly benefit from more intricate runners and movement around him.

How does Roberto De Zerbi build a team around Pedro Porro?

Labelled by teammate Rodrigo Bentancur as a “machine”, Porro is the beating heart of Tottenham on the pitch.

Under a more possession-based manager, his importance will only increase, just as it did in his first year under Postecoglou, when he recorded three goals and seven assists.

If Spurs are to keep hold of him, the team must be built around him.

With a wand of a right foot and the intelligence to find space between the lines, Porro is far more than a standard full-back.

His passing ability and creativity demand runners and players to combine with – something that has been lacking of late due to the passiveness in midfield and the relative ineffectiveness of Mathys Tel and Randal Kolo Muani out wide.

As seen at Sassuolo and Brighton, De Zerbi often likes one player to be the “hub” of the team, as with Manuel Locatelli and Alexis Mac Allister. While Porro is not a midfielder, he can fulfil this role.

In building a more possession-dominant side, De Zerbi will look to control the ball and establish the patterns seen in his previous jobs.

Porro’s unique profile at right-back offers attributes found nowhere else in the squad, potentially enabling combinations with midfielders and wide players that simply would not exist if he were replaced.