Last Word On Sports

Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Micky van de Ven has taken to the press to react to the sacking of Ange Postecoglou. This comes as rumours gather on the growing animosity in the Spurs squad as a result of the club’s decision.

Micky van de Ven on Spurs “Strange” Decision

Players Appear to Have Fully Backed Ange

When the news of Postecoglou’s sacking was made official, the Spurs squad quickly took to social media to post about how grateful they were for their manager.

This included van de Ven, who thanked Postecoglou for believing in him and for being part of that historic moment of lifting Tottenham’s third UEFA Cup.

Meanwhile, club captain Son Heung-Min posted: “Gaffer, You’ve changed the trajectory of this club. You believed in yourself, and us, since day one and never wavered for a second. Even when others did.”

Earlier in the season, there were plenty of critics among the Spurs fans and the media who claimed that Postecoglou perhaps didn’t have the command of the dressing room.

There was even a leak somewhere in the club at one point.

Read More: Tottenham Hotspur ‘Stepping Up Interes’ for ‘Powerful’ Manchester United Target

Tottenham Have Made “Strange” Call to Sack Ange

Speaking to Voetbalzone after the Netherlands’ victory against Malta, van de Ven was asked about his thoughts on Postecoglou’s sacking.

He said: “I think many of the players got along with him well. And of course he is the first coach who has brought success to Spurs in a long time,”

“That also shows that he has a certain quality. That also means that he has a winning mentality, 100 per cent.

“From that, you would of course say that it is strange that he was fired.”

The lengthy silence from the club and the statement they eventually made suggest it was no easy decision for the board to take. If Postecoglou hadn’t won the Europa League, then sacking him was almost an inevitability. But, winning a major trophy has had a huge effect on the squad, the fans and the club as a whole.

As van de Ven points out, Postecoglou did have the support of the players. While Spurs’ Premier League form suffered, the manager did his best through various injury crises and fixture congestion to keep his squad focused on moving forward in Europe.

Winning that first trophy in 17 years (and the first European trophy since 1984) has called time on the ‘Spursy’ tag. It’s a reminder of Tottenham’s pedigree as a historic club for winning trophies. But more importantly, it has given the current squad members a unique feeling that they’ll keep chasing for the rest of their careers.

So van de Ven’s viewpoint that Ange’s sacking is “strange” is easy to understand. There was a chance for Daniel Levy to stop hitting the reset button and give Postecoglou another chance. This was a moment that could have been built on for everyone involved at the club.

Postecoglou’s Sacking: Impact on Players

There’s no doubt that the players will be feeling some disappointment after Ange’s sacking. At the same time, they’re professionals, and they too will understand how their 17th-place finish in the league was simply unacceptable.

But according to an exclusive from The Telegraph, there is more than just disappointment from the players.

An undisclosed source said: “The players are so angry about what has happened and how it has been handled. The next manager is going to inherit a difficult situation.”

Matt Law of the Telegraph has suggested that the next Tottenham boss will face a “huge task” to repair the dressing room “damage”.

With Thomas Frank expected to be announced as the next Spurs manager shortly, it will be interesting to see how he approaches getting to know his new squad. The general feeling among Spurs fans is that Frank is an astute appointment; he is a good communicator and likes to play attacking, possession-based football. Having spent almost seven years at Brentford, he also shows his ability to provide stability and deliver over a long period of time.

Antoine Semenyo is currently attracting interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United as we near the end of this early transfer window. Like many Bournemouth players, he has impressed greatly with his performances this season, and has caught the eye of big clubs.

Tottenham Hotspur Interested in Antoine Semenyo Whilst Manchester United Still Admire

‘Interesting Situation Brewing’

Lyall Thomas of Sky Sports has revealed that Tottenham have “been stepping up their interest” in Bournemouth’s Semenyo. This comes alongside the news that the hierarchy are looking at Thomas Frank to replace the departing Ange Postecoglou. Presumably the Ghanaian is a target that has been selected to go with his philosophy.

Read More: Personal Terms Agreed: £25 Million Star to Snub Tottenham Hotspur for Atletico Madrid Despite Spurs’ First Option

However, Manchester United are “still admirers” despite their active pursuit of Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo. The Red Devils offered a £55 million package (45 + 10) for him but had their bid rejected. We could see United switch preferences to Semenyo, as they “remain keen”, though they are expected to follow up on Mbeumo with another bid.

Where Does Antoine Semenyo Fit in at Tottenham Hotspur?

Semenyo’s player profile is a unique one, with his biggest trait being how he is “powerful”. This is true in two respects: firstly, he is very physical and can out-strengthen opponents. Secondly, on the ball he can drive well, and is very two-footed. His shots are often too powerful for goalkeepers to get near, or parry out, and due to his ability with both feet, he can shoot from all angles. This leads to him taking a lot of shots, something that suits Andoni Iraola’s system.

It is unclear whether Semenyo would start for Spurs straight away. On the left, they have club hero Heung-Min Son, though as he ages his minutes may reduce. On the right they have Brennan Johnson who has had a great redemption arc this season, following online criticism, scoring 18 goals in all competitions, including the goal to win the Europa League final.

Read More: ‘Different Class’: Tottenham Hotspur Midfielder Nominated for Unusual Premier League Award

Meanwhile, Wilson Odobert is still waiting to fully break into the side, and Mikey Moore is coming onto the scene. However, Semenyo’s strength here is that he can play on either wing, and has for Bournemouth in the last season, excelling on both flanks. He even has the ability to play up front, or as an inside forward, having spent some time as a striker in his development. It may be a case of waiting for his chance to shine, but when he does, he will surely impress.

Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso is moving ever closer to a move away this summer. But despite Tottenham Hotspur having a first option in place to buy the star, the latest update from Fabrizio Romano suggests he’ll be staying in Spain for his next move.

Spurs to Lose out as Jonny Cardoso Agrees Personal Terms with Atletico Madrid

The Latest on Cardoso Transfer

Cardoso only recently extended his contract with Betis in February until 2030. He has been an important player for the Spanish club, making 28 La Liga appearances while scoring three goals and getting one assist. The American even started in the UEFA Conference League final.

But the latest reports suggest that he has agreed personal terms with Atletico Madrid and the talks are now advancing to complete a deal with Real Betis. The current offer stands at around £25 million or €30 million.

Fabrizio Romano said: “Atlético Madrid have reached an agreement with Johnny Cardoso on personal terms and advancing in talks to get deal done with Real Betis.

“Package deal around €30m with bonuses and also potential players as part of the agreement now being discussed.”

Meanwhile, fellow Italian journalist Matteo Moretto has described Cardoso as one of Diego Simeone’s ‘main targets’ [translated] to strengthen his midfield. He has also affirmed that Cardoso remains a ‘very important player’ for Betis and that there will be ‘no quick negotiation’ for the transfer fee.

Read More: ‘Progressive’ Replacement ‘Appreciated’: Tottenham Hotspur to Make Decision on Ange Postecoglou

What Happened to the Tottenham Cardoso Deal

Originally, Spurs agreed to have the first option to sign Cardoso for a fee of around £21 million which came about as part of the Giovani Lo Celso deal.

Spurs’ first option has a specific two-week window in which to buy the player

But even if Spurs choose not to go ahead with the transfer, the club are meant to have a sell-on clause of around 20%.

Cardoso previously revealed in March that he felt boosted by Tottenham’s interest, but at the time, he affirmed his commitment to Betis.

He said: “I can’t lie, and it’s true that it’s something that gives me confidence, that makes me feel valued because I’m doing a good job…However, right now my focus is only on Betis. This season we have important things to think about.”

As it currently stands, Tottenham have not activated the first option to sign Cardoso. Other rumours among Spurs fans have speculated that Cardoso has ‘rejected’ outright a move to Tottenham, but there is yet any substantiated source to back this up.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly having discussions around Ange Postecoglou and his future. Despite winning the UEFA Europa League, they had a torrid season and are currently considering two potential replacements, should the “serial winner” leave. Regardless of who is in charge, next season must see a radical change in results compared to this one.

Tottenham Hotspur to Make Decision on Ange Postecoglou in Next Few Days

Tottenham Consider Two Premier League Managers

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Tottenham’s chairman, Daniel Levy, will decide Postecoglou’s future “in the next few days”. There has reportedly been “no final decision” made yet, and the situation is still “open”, after rumours had been circulating that he had already been sacked.

Read More: ‘Different Class’: Tottenham Hotspur Midfielder Nominated for Unusual Premier League Award

The journalist continues to reveal that the hierarchy is considering two potential replacements, both from fellow Premier League clubs. Brentford’s Thomas Frank and Fulham’s Marco Silva are reportedly “appreciated” and are being “discussed internally as options”; both of these exciting managers have been linked with the job for as long as Postecoglou has been under fire.

Thomas Frank a More ‘Progressive’ Manager

Frank is a potentially more radical option, described as having a more “progressive” system. He has operated in a data-led strategy, working with more niche players, often from Scandinavia. The Dane has been at Brentford for almost seven years, and has his tactics down to a tee in West London.

However, this does bring some concerns to fans. Frank’s system works perfectly with the Bees, with players that he has coached for many years. It is unclear how this will translate to a different club, let alone a much larger one with bigger personalities and player profiles.

Read More: Liverpool to Sell ‘Quiet Hero’ Who Was Key in Premier League Title Success

Furthermore, Frank’s ideas require time to turn performances into results. Meanwhile, Spurs need league results to start going their way immediately. They would be sacking Postecoglou, a progressive manager that needs time to improve, and replacing him with another progressive manager that would need time to implement. It may seem that they are just going back to square one, rather than sticking it out with their current project.

Marco Silva More Adaptable Than Ange Postecoglou

Meanwhile, Silva has worked with many different systems, and even just at Fulham has been very adaptable during games, or periods of the season. Finishing just two points behind Brentford this season, the pedigree appears to be similar at the moment.

Spurs need results, not just to please fans but to capitalise on their Champions League football too. Winning the Europa League means that, despite finishing 17th, they will play UCL football next season, and with that comes a lot of potential prize money. Bringing in a more adaptable manager, who can have an immediate impact, may be smarter.

This is the Tottenham confirmed lineup for the Europa League final. The Lilywhites are hoping to break a nearly two-decade-long trophy drought to secure Champions League football despite landing just outside the relegation zone in the Premier League. Ange Postecoglou has remained pretty confident in one thing, he always wins a trophy in his second season, an omen which will hopefully ease the worries of fans.

Read More: Tottenham Predicted Lineup vs Manchester United for May 21

Tottenham Confirmed Lineup vs Manchester United for Europa League Final

Tottenham Hotspur Team News

Guglielmo Vicario starts in goal as expected with Cristian Romero, Micky Van de Ven, Pedro Porro, and Destiny Udogie in the back line. Yves Bissouma, Pape Sarr, and Rodrigo Bentacure make up the midfield while Richarlison, Brennan Johnson, and Dom Solanke start up front.

Notable Changes

It’s back to almost the full strength lineup for Ange Postecoglou and his 4-3-3 shape after rotating and moving things around against Aston Villa. The only real surprise is not risking a start for Heung-min Son in such a big match.

Manchester United Team News

Onana, Mazraoui, Maguire, Mount, Fernandes, Dorgu, Hojlund, Yoro, Diallo, Casemiro, Shaw

Tottenham Hotspur Travelling Squad

Guglielmo Vicario

Antonin Kinsky

Pedro Porro

Djed Spence

Micky van de Ven

Cristian Romero

Ben Davies

Callum Olusesi

Damola Ajayi

Pape Sarr

Rodrigo Bentacur

James Maddison

Mikey Moore

Brennan Johnson

Wilson Odobert

Son Heung-min

Mathys Tel

Richarlison

Dominic Solanke

Dane Scarlett

Will Lanksheer

Stay tuned for the Tottenham confirmed lineup. There will be news as well as discussions on who started, who was left out, and what changes the manager might make to his setup.

Tottenham vs Manchester United has a chance to blossom into a Premier League rivalry if this 2024-25 Europa League Final in Bilbao, Spain in the Basque Country turns out to be a memorable affair. Two teams that are buried at the bottom of the Premier League table, only escaping relegation, despite their massive wage bills, due to historically poor performances from the three relegated teams this season. They have put together a contrasting campaign in Europe’s second competition, the Europa League.

The format for the Europa League was different this year than past years, “third placed” teams in the Champions League were no longer sent down to the knockout phase of the Europa League, and like the Champions and Conference Leagues, a league phase took place to determine which teams would advance to the end stages of the tournament. Both the Europa and the Conference League have been where the Premier League sides can flex their financial muscle and squad depth over the rest of Europe, as they can rotate in more talented players in a way most sides can’t.

Tottenham scored five wins in the league phase, including a win over Hoffenheim, while draws against Roma and Rangers and a loss against Turkish Champions Galatasaray were warning signs, but didn’t keep them out of the final stages of the tournament. Tottenham needed a comeback effort against AZ Alkmaar to advance at home in the round of 16, they held off Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarterfinals, before their depth and class was too much for semifinal opponents Bodo/Glimt from Norway.

Manchester United didn’t lose in the league phase, but had a tougher time than Tottenham in the knockout stages, they defeated Spanish side Real Sociedad in the round of 16, and needed a miracle comeback to put away Lyon in the quarterfinals at home, before defeating the hosts of this final, Athletic Bilbao in the semis, as Bilbao self destructed during their opening home game in the tie.

Fans of both of these “big six” Premier League sides have endured a rollercoaster season, nearly every week the performances in the Premier League and domestic cup competitions have been shambolic, both Manchester United and Tottenham have been held scoreless in their last two Premier League games, and their table positions are some of the worst ever compiled for both storied clubs. How many European cup finals have featured teams where fans led midseason protests against ownership over poor results?

Manchester United watched rivals Liverpool just pull ahead of them in the trophy competition and would love to get another a piece of hardware, while an oft maligned Tottenham Hotspur side last won a trophy in 2008. Star striker Harry Kane left for Bayern Munich and finally won hardware this season. The irony is not lost on supporters.

Manchester United sacked their manager midseason, Ruben Amorim from Sporting Club in Lisbon hasn’t done them much good in the Premier League, but will get plenty of credit along with Bruno Fernandes for steering this team in the Europa League, while fans have called for Ange Postecoglou’s firing, but the much maligned Australian promised a trophy within 2 years of taking over Spurs, and he has backed it up when it comes to the Europa League thus far.

The business approach and ownership styles of Manchester United owner Jim Ratcliffe, and Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy has been come under fire as well, both how they manage finances and their transfer market policies. While Tottenham in particular dealt with a rash of injuries that saw them relying on youth and untested players for large parts of the season. Tottenham fans enter the Europa League final daring to dream for the first time since the 2019 Champions League final, where a miracle Spurs side crashed out in an all-Premier league clash against Liverpool, a 2-0 result, with the first goal scored after 2 minutes due to a handball, that began a decline in performance for Tottenham Hotspur.

Manchester United first won the Europa League under Jose Mourinho (who later managed Tottenham) in 2016-17, and they are back in the Europa League final for the first time since tasting defeat against Spanish side Villarreal on penalties in 2020-21. While Tottenham’s significant talent in the Premier League era hasn’t turned into trophies.

For both sides the domestic season was lost long ago, but for something like 90 minutes in Bilbao, the fans of these global giants will forget all that and put their hopes behind the Red Devils or the Lilywhites to secure glory on a memorable European Night. This game will resonate far beyond England, with Manchester United still the a top 5 brand in global football, with fans in every continent, and Tottenham a powerhouse in Asia and the United States thanks to players like South Korea’s superstar Son Heung-Min. For the winner, it will be glory, Tottenham supporters dream about it, Manchester United supporters have come to expect it, for the loser, there will be significant changes coming next season, especially with Champions League football only happening for the winner of this game.

Here are your predictions for Wednesday’s final in Bilbao

Tottenham vs Manchester United

(Wednesday in Bilbao, Spain)

Steen Kirby: Tottenham will enter the final with a measure of confidence—despite failing to score in their last 180 minutes of Premier League action. They’ve already beaten Manchester United twice this season in the league, as well as winning their EFL Cup meeting. Most of those matches were tight affairs, though a standout moment was their emphatic 3-0 victory over United under Erik ten Hag—arguably the highlight of Spurs’ Premier League campaign.

Manchester United, on paper, boast more talent and greater championship pedigree heading into this final, which they should approach as favorites. Their talisman Bruno Fernandes is eager to further cement his legacy, while young striker Rasmus Højlund has emerged as a rising star for the Red Devils.

Injuries are a factor for both teams. United are missing some defenders, but Tottenham face a bigger setback with the absences of Dejan Kulusevski, Lucas Bergvall, and James Maddison—all key attacking players. Spurs will rely on Dominic Solanke to lead the line, with Son Heung-min also chasing a lasting legacy in the white shirt, as the captain who ended the trophy drought.

Tottenham’s defense has been shambolic at many times this season, and United have the quality to exploit those weaknesses. While many long trophy droughts have been broken across Europe this season, I’d still be surprised if Spurs manage to hold their own parade returning from Bilbao. Prediction: Manchester United 3, Tottenham 2

Manuel Traquete: Both teams are looking to save their season with a European trophy that will also grant them a spot in the Champions League, so the pressure couldn’t be any higher. The two teams have faced three times this season and Tottenham dominated all three; at full strength they’ve looked like the better team this season and should have the slight edge. Prediction: Tottenham 2 Manchester United 1

Luke Fletcher: Tottenham Hotspur may not be in the best form domestically, but their Europa League campaign offers a genuine chance to end their season on a high and to claim their first major trophy since 2008, potentially. In what is shaping up to be the year of the underdog, with Crystal Palace lifting the FA Cup and Newcastle securing the League Cup, Spurs have a chance to complete a remarkable hat-trick of surprise success. Manager Ange Postecoglou, despite facing criticism during a difficult league campaign, has often pointed to his track record of success, stating,” I always win things in my second year,” a promising omen for the North London club.

While Spurs have been inconsistent, if not outright poor, in the league this season, they do have quality in the team when not plagued by injuries. They also have a strong record against Manchester United, having not lost to United in their last six meetings. The Europa League may provide the perfect stage for Tottenham to defy expectations and finally deliver silverware under Ange’s leadership. Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur after Extra Time

Main Photo Credit: IMAGO / Every Second Media

This is the Aston Villa confirmed lineup for their Premier League clash with Tottenham. This is part of a Friday evening double-header of domestic action. With the Lilywhites hoping to keep as many stars fit for the Europa League final as possible this is a great chance for the Villans to get a strong win and keep their hat in the race for Champions League football. With momentum behind them, Unai Emery’s side could slip into the final qualification spot despite a dip at the turn of the year and some key injuries.

Read More: Aston Villa Predicted Lineup vs Tottenham Hotspur for May 16

Aston Villa Confirmed Lineup vs Tottenham for Premier League Tie

Aston Villa Team News

Emi Martinez starts in goal once again behind a defensive line of Pau Torres, Ezri Konsa, Ian Maatsen, and Matty Cash. Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara amke up the double pivot once again. John McGinn, Marco Asensio, and Morgan Rogers fill in as the attacking midfielders. Ollie Watkins starts as the striker.

Notable Changes

The only optional shift is Maatsen coming in at left-back for Lucas Digne. The other is the mandatory move of McGinn replacing the suspended Jacob Ramsay in a fairly standard move for Emery who rotated the squad for the Champions League and FA Cup runs.

Tottenham Team News

Kinsy, Spence, Danso, Davies, Reuilon, Sarr, Gray, Odobert, Moore, Tel Son

Aston Villa Premier League Squad

Emi Martinez

Robert Olsen

Matty Cash

Ezri Konsa

Tyrone Mings

Lucas Digne

Pau Torres

Ian Maatsen

Lamare Bogarde

Andres Garcia

Axel Disasi

John McGinn

Youri Tielemans

Jacob Ramsey

Boubaca Kamara

Leon Bailey

Ross Barkley

Amadou Onana

Ollie Watkins

Morgan Rogers

Donyell Malen

Marcus Rashford

Marco Asensio

Stay tuned for the Aston Villa confirmed lineup. There will be news as well as discussions on who started, who missed out, and any changes the manager could make to his setup.

This is a Tottenham predicted lineup for their Premier League clash with Aston Villa. This is one of two Friday night outings featuring the Europa League finalists who will have five days to rest for the final. With that in mind and based on recent matches, Ange Postecoglou is likely to phone this one in and play a largely second-string side to protect his key starters for the more important European tie.

Tottenham Predicted Lineup vs Aston Villa for Premier League Tie

How Tottenham Have Lined Up Recently

Guglielmo Vicario has been the starter in goal whenever fit. In defence, the preferred starting unit is definitely Cristian Romero, Micky Van de Ven, Pedro Porro, and Destiny Udogie. The four are capable of playing with the necessary physicality and pace in the system’s high line. When those four need a rest, an out of position Archie Gray comes in alongside Kavin Danso, Ben Davies, and Djed Spence.

Read More: Aston Villa Predicted Lineup vs Tottenham Hotspur for May 16

Similar rotations are made in midfield with Rodrigo Bentacur, Yves Bissouma, and one of James Maddison or Dejan Kulusevski being preferred but Gray, Lucas Bergvall, and Pape Sarr have also been used there to rest starters.

Read More: Who Could be out the Door for Tottenham as Tough Summer Expected

Up front, Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, Richarlison, Wilson Odobert, and Mathys Tel have been the main starters. Kulusevski filled in as an added body against Crystal Palace, a match where Heung-min Son also made his return from the bench.

Tottenham Recent Form & Tactics

Postcoglou has been resilient in his use of the 4-3-3 setup with a brief shift to a 4-2-3-1 being an absolute rarity against Bodo/Glimt. The idea is to press high, play with a high line, and overwhelm the other team with wingers, attacking full-backs, and three midfielders occupying attention when on the ball, this does leave the team prone to counters however.

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Results in the league have been truly abysmal with both the players and manager seeming uninterested in the competition. The Lilwhites have collected just 14 points since January 1, putting them as the fourth worst in the league form-wise. They have managed to keep things together in Europe and made it to the final of the Europa League, although it could be argued they had a very easy run outside of the Eintracht Frankfurt tie.

Tottenham Injuries to Consider

According to PremierInjuries, there are a number of injuries for Postecoglou to work around. Kulsevski is the newest concern with him now ruled out for the season. He joins Radu Dragusin, James Maddison, Timo Werner, and Lucas Bergvall on the sidelines.

Tottenham Predicted Lineup vs Aston Villa

The manager would be smart to wrap his best eleven in wool ahead of the big European final so we predict a mostly second-string lineup where availability allows.

GK – Guglielmo Vicario

FB – Djed Spence

CB – Ben Davies

CB – Kavin Danso

FB – Archie Gray

M – Pape Sarr

M – Yves Bissouma

M – Rodrigo Bentacur

W – Wilson Odobert

W – Mikey Moore

ST – Mathys Tel

This is an Aston Villa predicted lineup for their Premier League clash with Tottenham. This is one of two Friday fixtures featuring teams in both the Europa League final and the race for Champions League football. This is a should-win outing for the Villans as their opponents will be focused on their European endeavours and have abysmal domestic form this year.

Aston Villa Predicted Lineup vs Tottenham Hotspur in Premier League Tie

How Aston Villa Have Lined Up Recently

Emi Martinez has been the goalkeeper of choice whenever he’s fit. The primary back four appears to be Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, and Lucas Digne from right to left. Tyrone Mings and Ian Maatsen can get starts if the manager needs to rotate. With injuries limiting options, Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana are the main defensive midfield pairing.

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Jacob Ramsay, Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, and Marco Asensio have started behind the striker with Tielemans also capable of playing in the defensive pivot. Ollie Watkins is the usual striker since Marcus Rashford’s injury.

Aston Villa Recent Form & Tactics

Unai Emery has used his 4-2-3-1 setup for pretty much every match this season. There’s been slight twists to how it plays on the pitch and he briefly used three natural central midfielders instead of two which created more of a 4-3-3 of sorts but recently he’s gone back to the three attacking midfielder lineup to support Watkins up front.

Read More: ‘Highly Likely His Campaign Is Over’: Aston Villa Dealt With Major Injury Blow Amid Late Push for UCL Spot

Results have been very strong, the Villans are in fine form in the Premier League. Losses in the Champions League and FA Cup definitely set them back but they can focus fully on getting through matches against Tottenham and Manchester United as they aim to surge into the top five. They’ve kept two clean sheets in a row and have had no problem scoring themselves which is a recipe for success.

Aston Villa Absentees to Consider

In his pre-match conference, Emery confirmed that he will be without three players. Rashford is still injured, Tielemans is still injured, and Ramsay is suspended after a red card. The rest of the squad is fit to play.

Aston Villa Predicted Lineup vs Tottenham

GK – Emi Martinez

LB – Lucas Digne

CB -Pau Torres

CB – Ezri Konsa

RB – Matty Cash

DM – Boubacar Kamara

DM – Amadou Onana

AM – Marco Asensio

AM – John McGinn

AM – Morgan Rogers

ST – Ollie Watkins

Ahead of Tottenham’s most important game on Thursday night against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt, News has come out that Spurs may have to “sell to buy”, according to Matt Law, The Telegraph.

According to the article, although they could spend over £200m this summer on players and still not breach profit and sustainability rules, the club are still facing the prospect of having to sell to buy. Without a cash injection from Enic, it is expected that the Lilywhites will have a tough summer in the market, if led by Ange Postecoglou or someone else.

Tottenham Hotspur Could See Summer Clearout

Who Could Depart the Club?

Tottenham are on course to have their worst league finish since the 1976/77 season, where they finished 22nd. On paper, the Tottenham squad is not one of the worst in the league, full of international players who will truly believe they can play at the highest level, something that Spurs can only guarantee if they win this year’s Europa League. The combination of this and the fact that they need to sell to buy,there could be some names on the exit list this summer.

One high-profile player that could be making an exit from Tottenham Hotspur is the club’s vice captain, Cristian Romero. Romero has been linked with moves in previous years, however, this summer seems the most likely time that Romero will depart the club. According to Marca, Atletico Madrid have made Romero one of their two “priorities” for this summer. The Argentinian has even spoken about a move away from the club. He stated that he would love to play in LaLiga as it is the league he is missing, in an interview with Gaston Edul. Not only Atletico, but Romero has also been linked with city rivals Real Madrid.

Another player who could be on the move this summer is out-of-favour Yves Bissouma. The Mali international has struggled with game time in recent weeks, having only played more than an hour once in 2025. According to TBR Football, Spurs are working on “moving on” Bissouma, whilst Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr’s futures remain uncertain. Bissouma is currently being linked with a move to Spain, Italy, or Saudi Arabia. This summer will see Bissouma with only one year left on his deal at Spurs, so it would be a surprise to nobody if the team look to move him on for some cash this upcoming window.

Destiny Udogie has also been linked with a move away from London, this time to Manchester. The Italian has been linked with a move to Manchester City, who, according to Fabrizio Romano, has been added to the shortlist for City. This is deemed as an unlikely deal to go through as Spurs have zero intention of selling Udogie, according to Florian Plettenberg.

Tough Time Ahead for Spurs Fans

With the side rumoured to have to sell before buying, almost ruling out any sort of squad overhaul, it looks to be a difficult time to support Spurs. Tottenham could have been in a much more precarious position if one of Ipswich, Southampton, or Leicester had taken to life in the Premier League better. If there is no Europa League win this summer, then this will be Tottenham’s worst season since the Premier League was formed, and there is no light at the end of the tunnel.