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There’s more coaching news today — on the same day that Tottenham Hotspur announced that one of their academy coaches is leaving for Ipswich Town, there’s new reporting from Sami Mockbel at the BBC that Roberto De Zerbi is adding another assistant. Mockbel writes that longtime Brighton assistant Andrew Crofts is joining De Zerbi’s coaching staff.

I really can’t tell you much about Crofts — he had a 20 year career as a player, retiring in 2021 at Brighton where he was a player/coach for the Seagulls academy. Afterwards, he continued coaching in Brighton’s academy and has worked his way up the Brighton coaching ladder. He even served as interim head coach in 2022 after the sacking of Graham Potter. He was promoted to first team assistant coach under Roberto De Zerbi when he was at Brighton, so we know that RDZ knows Crofts and what he can bring to his staff. As of last season, Crofts was assistant head coach under Fabian Hurzeler. He also serves as an assistant for the Wales national team.

There’s no real indication that I’ve seen as to what Crofts will be doing on De Zerbi’s staff at Spurs, but I can’t think of a reason why hiring an assistant who’s worked under De Zerbi before could be construed as a BAD thing. He’ll be one of several new faces in Tottenham’s coaching ranks.

Spurs play their first preseason friendly this coming Wednesday against MK Dons at Spurs’ Hotspur Way training center. The match is not televised, but will be streamed on SpursPLAY, Tottenham’s in-house subscription video platform.

Add Spurs to the growing list of clubs interested in signing Arne Engels…

Celtic midfielder Arne Engels is a man in hot demand as teams throughout Europe, including the likes of AC Milan, Napoli and Lazio in Italy, as well as Borussia Dortmund in Germany.

The most notably interest in Arne is from English clubs such as Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Sunderland, along with Championship side West Ham United, who are all keen on the Belgian Internationalist.

You can now add another English Premier League club to that list, as according to Teamtalk, Tottenham Hotspur are among the clubs showing interest as they consider replacements for exit-bound Lucas Bergvall.

Crystal Palace also remain interested despite their failure to reach an agreement with Celtic in earlier talks. The Eagles are understood to still be monitoring developments closely and remain in contact with Engels and Celtic.

Now Spurs have seemingly entered the race as they look to the 22 year old as a potential replacement for Bergvall, who is pushing for an exit after the £185million arrivals of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.

But whilst they are credited with an interest in Celtic's record signing, the North London club's interest hasn't gone any further at this stage.

It's been reported that despite a £25 million price tag placed on the Belgian, that Celtic will be willing to accept a lower fee just shorter than that amount to conclude a deal.

Engels is in the last 18 months of his Celtic deal, and has expressed his desire for a move to the Celtic board and, following the conclusion of the World Cup, work on securing his exit is expected to intensify rapidly.

This had been proved by his recent change of representatives after he moved from the Wasserman agency to DWMA in a bid to get a move done this summer.

Sources have claimed that any move will happen over the next few weeks, due to the players desire to move, and the club hoping to sell to fund new incomings.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

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Tottenham Transfers: Benfica Stand Firm on Andreas Schjelderup as Spurs Make Early Contact

Tottenham's search for greater firepower in wide areas has led them towards one of Europe's most closely watched young attackers, with TeamTalk reporting that Benfica winger Andreas Schjelderup is firmly on the club's radar. Early contact has been made, but the message from Portugal is already clear, any deal will demand a major outlay.

Benfica's position is described in emphatic terms. Tottenham "have been told that Portuguese giants Benfica will accept nothing less than €80million (£68m / $91m)" for the Norwegian winger, a figure that underlines both the player's rapid rise and the Portuguese club's confidence in his long-term ceiling.

Andreas Schjelderup Price Set by Benfica

Sources indicate Spurs are "very keen to strengthen that side of their squad" and believe Schjelderup can bring "pace, creativity and end product" to their forward line. That profile explains the growing interest. At 22, he appears to fit the recruitment model of a club looking for immediate impact with significant room for development.

His recent form has only increased the noise around him. The report notes that Schjelderup "took his fine form from last season into the World Cup with some standout displays for Norway", including a goal against England in the quarter-finals and four assists across the tournament. Those performances have helped push his valuation higher, particularly with multiple clubs across Europe now monitoring the situation.

Photo IMAGO

Benfica, as ever, are in no mood to sell cheaply. According to the report, club sources "do not feel under any pressure to sell for less than €80million (£68m / $91m) and will drive a hard bargain". That has become a familiar posture for the Lisbon side, whose track record in extracting maximum value from elite prospects is well established.

Tottenham Transfer Interest Remains at Early Stage

There is, at present, no suggestion of an advanced negotiation. The update states that "talks between Tottenham and Benfica remain at a very early stage, with no formal offer yet submitted". That is an important detail, especially with Spurs also linked to other attacking targets, including a reported £60m move for Savinho.

What may encourage Tottenham is Schjelderup's stance. He is "very open to a move to the Premier League" after "rejecting the chance to sign a new contract extension at the Estadio da Luz". Even so, Benfica still hold a strong hand. His contract runs until 2028, and the club believe they can dictate terms from a position of strength.

The report also adds that Liverpool and Chelsea "do hold confirmed interest", which gives this story a familiar transfer-market edge. Tottenham's advantage, if there is one, lies in the fact their approach has been proactive and early. Whether that translates into a formal bid is the next point to watch.

Spurs Squad Planning and Forward Options

Schjelderup's appeal goes beyond one position. His "versatility across the forward line" is seen as a significant plus, particularly for a side wanting more fluidity and threat in attacking areas. In a market where elite wide players are scarce and expensive, Spurs will need to decide quickly whether Benfica's price is steep but realistic, or simply beyond where they want to go.

There is also a wider backdrop to the club's summer business. The same report says "interest in Tottenham striker Richarlison has intensified in recent weeks", a reminder that incoming and outgoing movement could shape how aggressively Spurs pursue a deal of this size.

Our View

From a Tottenham fan perspective, this is one of those links that feels exciting, but also slightly uncomfortable once the fee comes into focus. Schjelderup clearly has talent, and if he really can add "pace, creativity and end product", then he sounds like the sort of modern forward Spurs need. The World Cup performances only add to the intrigue, especially for a player who seems to be building momentum at the right age.

That said, €80million (£68m / $91m) is serious money for someone still proving himself at the top level. Benfica are brilliant sellers, everyone knows that, and Tottenham have to be sure they are buying a future star rather than paying a premium at peak hype. Supporters will love the ambition if the club push on, but there will also be understandable concern if this becomes another expensive chase that drags on.

The encouraging part is that Schjelderup is said to be "very open to a move to the Premier League". That always matters. Spurs need players who genuinely want the move, not just the salary or the platform. If the recruitment team believe he can grow into a leading figure in the front line, this may be one worth stretching for.

Still, the key is balance. Tottenham cannot ignore other needs in the squad for the sake of one glamour signing. If the numbers can be negotiated down, or structured smartly, then this could become a very interesting deal. If Benfica stay rigid, Spurs may need to decide whether conviction matches the cost.

Pedro Porro has etched his name in history as the Tottenham Hotspur defender was crowned World champion with Spain.

The Spurs right-back started against Argentina in the World Cup final on 19 July, helping Luis de la Fuente's team lift the prestigious trophy.

Roberto De Zerbi now has an in-form player who can make a difference coming back to the North London outfit ahead of next season.

Porro has been brilliant with Spain throughout the World Cup after a tough season with Tottenham.

La Roja conceded just one goal on their way to the final and subsequently locked down Lionel Messi's Argentina.

The 26-year-old right-back has shown De Zerbi just why he could be the perfect cog in his system at Spurs.

Pedro Porro's game in numbers as Spain beat Argentina

Spain dominated possession against Argentina in the final as Ferran Torres sealed their 1-0 victory after a goal in extra time.

Porro was part of the defence that controlled the ball for La Roja, with the right-back completing 90 passes in the game.

According to Sofascore, the Spurs star made seven defensive contributions, won two of his tackles, four of his 10 ground duels and one aerial duel.

Porro was also an attacking threat for La Roja, completing two key passes and recording two accurate crosses.

What will stand out for De Zerbi is the defender's 100 per cent passing accuracy in Spain's half.

The Italian manager is known for deploying the risky tactic of goading opposition attackers into pressing the ball by having his defenders hold on to it.

Porro has the composure necessary to ensure the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss' ideas succeed in North London.

Tottenham stars react as Pedro Porro wins World Cup with Spain Who will form Roberto De Zerbi's defence at Tottenham?

Tottenham News followed Porro's impressive displays for Spain throughout the World Cup.

The right-back is surely guaranteed a spot in Spurs' starting lineup ahead of next season.

Jan Paul van Hecke also completed a big-money move to the North London outfit this summer and it looks like he will partner Micky van de Ven at centre-back.

Tottenham Hotspur star center back Cristian Romero had a great World Cup tournament with solid defending, quality on the ball, and even clutch goal scoring, but it was not meant to be, as his villainous Argentina side were thwarted in spite of all the favoritism and cruel, Arsenal esque scamming, losing to a much more dominant Spanish side in the Final 1-0.

Romero had a fairly anonymous end to his World Cup, too, getting subbed off early after a mediocre performance in which he failed to help Argentina get any sort of a foot hold on the game on the ball. Spurs are hoping that Romero's big tournament will enhance his reputation and transfer value, getting some other big club to overpay for him on the open market.

For at least a year, Romero has been openly asking for a big move to La Liga, and though Atletico Madrid did not meet Spurs valuation last summer, Tottenham are hoping that new interest from Inter Milan and Barcelona, as well as potentially others in Spain and italy, can drive up the price for the 28 year old center back.

Cristian Romero is no longer worth it

And although there are some old timers from Tottenham's past who want the club to keep ahold of Romero for the 2026/27 season, that ship has cleary sailed. Spurs may have another reason to want to cut ties with Cuti, too.

Because according to Alasdair Gold of Football.London, even though some players respect Cristian Romero as a leader, there is an overall sense within the club that Romero has received too much power in the dressing room and that he has gotten his head "swollen" too much.

That all sounds exactly like what happened last season. There were frustrated leaks to the media from players about Romero and certain others getting passes from the club or not showing enough effort and not getting called out for it, and Spurs fans could start to see that happening with Romero making blatant mental errors and even walking around the pitch instead of defending hard when Spurs needed him the most in the relegation fight.

Spurs last straw with Romero may have been the captain asking to go back to Argentina instead of being in attendance for the decisive Matchday 38 encounter with Everton, but it seems like Romero getting pig headed was already a problem throughout the season. And let's face it, he was not a good enough player or captain for Spurs last season to warrant getting swelled up on a power trip. He must go.

Today's best reads

Fabrizio Romano confirmed what Tottenham fans knew about Cristian Romero's future

Fabrizio Romano raised a grim reality of the Cristian Romero transfer saga

Antonio Conte just struck a nerve with Tottenham fans over Cristian Romero

Teddy Sheringham said what Tottenham is afraid to admit about Cristian Romero

Why Tottenham might have a Cristian Romero concern from World Cup final

Some slightly sad news if you’re a Tottenham Hotspur Youth Watcher™ — 18-year-old attacking midfielder and academy graduate Tynan Thompson has been sold to Manchester United.

Thompson is one of the academy’s more promising players in recent years, and his sale price and clauses reflect that view. £4m plus an equal amount in incentives, a 20% sell-on clause and matching rights is significant and actually reflects excellent value on a young player whom Spurs clearly didn’t want to sell.

But if what Gold says is accurate, this is about more than football. I don’t know what happened in Thompson’s personal life that might have precipitated this move, but it seems like a family decision to get a fresh start away from London and in Manchester. And well, you have to respect that. Sometimes the best thing for a young player is to let them go and establish themselves somewhere fresh.

There doesn’t seem to be much of a pathway for young players to break into this current Tottenham Hotspur side at the moment, and I can understand if that also factored into Thompson’s decision to leave Spurs for another club. I’m not sure he’ll have a better pathway at United than at Spurs, though.

It’s sad when you lose a promising young player to another club, but that’s football. I’ll keep an eye on his development over the next couple of years and hope he’s able to establish himself.

One of the most intriguing soccer prospects is heading to Manchester United. The side agreed to sign 18-year-old Tynan Thompson from the Tottenham Spurs, the team announced Monday.

Thompson's deal is worth $5.4 million, but can double based on how he performs, according to The Athletic.

The Spurs retain sell-on and matching rights for Thompson.

Thompson, a winger, initially joined the Tottenham under-12s and worked his way through the organization, emerging as a strong prospect. With the team's under-18s to under-21s last season, Thompson scored 13 goals and notched six assists.

Thompson was named to the bench three times with Tottenham during the 2025-26 season.

The 18-year-old and his family reportedly wanted to relocate to the Manchester area due to personal reasons, per multiple reports.

Manchester United put up a short release announcing the signing. In it, the side said it wanted to "welcome Tynan to the club and wish him the very best of luck for the future."

AC Milan told star left winger Rafael Leao that he can leave the club at the beginning of this summer transfer window, and the Portuguese international is indeed looking for a change in scenery after another difficult season in Serie A in which he was woefully inconsistent and the Italian press continues to cook him for being up and down.

It is quite the fall from grace for Leao, who once helped drag Milan back to the top, briefly, in Serie A, winning MVP honors in the 2021/22 season as the Rossoneri captured the Scudetto. But the coaching, organizational support, and overall quality of the squad at the San Siro have plummeted, and, so, too, has Leao's stock.

Though Tottenham Hotspur do not have concrete interest in the player, they have been mentioned as one of the clubs that could go for the Portuguese international this summer transfer window, given their need to take a flier on a goal scoring left winger. And Leao did have a respectable World Cup tournament in the rotation for Portugal.

Rafael Leao looks like a real option

According to a new report from Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, via Be Football, while Rafael Leao is pushing to leave AC Milan this summer, nobody seems to want him. Milan tried to shop him to two big clubs who can take on his wages in Manchester United and Barcelona, whose president Joan Laporta once viewed him as a dream transfer target, but neither have bit. And the only teams interested in Leao are in Turkey and Saudi Arabia right now, but Leao has understandably blocked them with designs still being on Champions League football.

So with nobody at the top level going after Leao and the player himself rejecting available offers, Leao will be cheaper to sign. It was said that Milan were looking for 60 million euros, now Gazzetta are saying that it could take just 50 million euros for the Rossoneri to part ways with the former league MVP.

That is a much more palatable figure for Leao, and Tottenham Hotspur and former Serie A manager Roberto De Zerbi could suddenly be more interested in Leao on a loan deal with an option to buy at that price point.

And if Leao continues to get no interest from top European clubs, he could even drift lower than that to the 40 million euro threshold of Marcus Rashford's loan to Barcelona last season. Leao is getting even easier to acquire and all the more intriguing for Spurs.

Today's best reads

David Ornstein confirmed what Tottenham fans suspected about Marcus Rashford

Teddy Sheringham said what Tottenham is afraid to admit about Cristian Romero

Tottenham forward is nearing the end of his run

Fabrizio Romano confirmed what Tottenham fans knew about Cristian Romero's future

Xavi Simons said what Tottenham fans already thought about Sandro Tonali

Tottenham Hotspur will sell Lucas Bergvall this summer as Roberto De Zerbi does not rate him.

That is the opinion of former senior Tottenham scout, Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.

The 20-year-old is keen to leave North London this summer and has attracted interest from both Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.

The Magpies have had a £46million proposal turned down for Bergvall, with Tottenham reportedly looking for around £60m.

Nottingham Forest have also had a bid turned down for the Sweden international, as both clubs attempt to replace key players.

Newcastle have sold Sandro Tonali and are braced for Arsenal's Bruno Guimaraes bid, while the Tricky Trees have already sold Elliot Anderson to Manchester City in a £116m deal.

Tottenham do not want Lucas Bergvall

Bergvall was a revelation following his £8.5m move from Djurgarden in 2024. The youngster had been heavily touted by Barcelona and it was instantly clear why.

Under Ange Postecoglou, the midfielder was thrown in from the start and looked to find his feet quickly in the Premier League, becoming a key part of the Australian's team in the second half of the campaign.

But Thomas Frank's arrival and injuries made minutes harder to come by last season, with Roberto De Zerbi handing Bergvall only brief substitute appearances after his appointment.

"I don't rate him. He's not a player who's going to bring a championship to a football club for me. He's a good footballer, but he's two shots below [Martin] Odegaard in the way he plays the game," King told Football Insider.

"Good energy, but I can see this new manager, the same as me, I don't think he rates him either, and if they can get that kind of money for him, then I'm sure he's going to move on.

"I can't see his future being with this new manager. It'll be a good move for the club and for him financially. The club will receive money, way over what they paid for him. So, I can see that happening, but he does nothing for me at all."

Lucas Bergvall: New odds-on favourite emerges in race for Tottenham star Tottenham face young talent exodus

Luka Vuskovic has already left Tottenham this summer, joining Brighton in a £50m deal amid a desire for playing time.

Bergvall could be next, but he might not be the last young talent to leave the Lilywhites this summer.

Mikey Moore, Archie Gray and Mathys Tel have also been linked away, with Tottenham's recruitment drive coming with an unfortunate side effect.

For decision-makers, however, the benefits likely outweigh the consequences after such a dismal season.

Manchester United have announced the signing of teenage winger Tynan Thompson from Tottenham Hotspur.

The highly-rated 18-year-old had come through the Spurs academy, featuring on the bench for the first team last season.

Despite having a year left on his contract, Thompson has made his switch to Old Trafford where he is likely to begin with the U21s with reports suggesting that the Red Devils are promising a progression to the first team over the course of the season.

The England youth international was particularly impressive in last season's UEFA Youth League, where he scored seven goals in seven games for Tottenham, including a hat-trick in the 9-1 win over Slavia Praha.