Irish Examiner

Davies, who has appeared 363 times for Tottenham, was present for matches at Aston Villa and Chelsea before he helped with the team’s preparations before a final-day win at home to Everton.

The 33-year-old joined from Swansea in 2014.

“Tottenham Hotspur really feels like home. It’s been a huge part of my football journey and I’m grateful for what the club has given me so far in my career,” Davies told the official club website.

“It’s been difficult over the past few months, not being able to help the team on the pitch in some tough moments due to injury. So, I tried to help the boys off it as much as I could, being a voice in the dressing room and around the group, contributing in any way I could.

“My heart’s on my sleeve for this club and I’ll give everything for it.”

It was announced later on Wednesday that midfielder Yves Bissouma would leave the club this summer when his contract expires on June 30.

Bissouma joined from Brighton in 2022 in an initial £25m deal and played a key role in the club’s Europa League triumph last year, but his time at Spurs across 111 appearances has been blighted by disciplinary problems.

Mali international Bissouma was twice embroiled in off-the-field issues and caught publicly inhaling nitrous oxide, which is widely known as laughing gas, on two occasions.

Bissouma, 29, was also suspended for a game by then-Spurs boss Thomas Frank in August over repeated lateness.

Suddenly Everton substitute Tyrique George cut in from the left, arrowed in a shot to the top far corner only for Antonin Kinsky, Tottenham's young keeper, to tip the ball away.

That save, and Joao Palhinha's decisive goal in the 43rd minute, meant Spurs survived the ignominy of relegation just over a year after that famous night in Bilbao when they won the Europa League.

Fans and players celebrated loudly and long after the final whistle, and the centre of attention was Roberto Di Zerbi, the Italian appointed just a few weeks ago to salvage a rotten season. Not only did he oversee two away wins to lift Spurs out of the relegation zone, he oversaw this win, their first at home since December, in what he described before kick-off as 'more than a cup final'.

His record from seven games was three wins, two draws and two defeats, meaning Spurs managed salvation on the final day of the season, with West Ham, who also won their final game, going down instead.

Afterwards De Zerbi was in playful mood, looking for a particular reporter who had been sceptical about the Italian's chances of keeping Spurs up. “Bring him here,” he told stewards.

“It's OK, I want to hug him, not fight him. I don't have the energy for that. I just want the season over, and drink some red wine.”

But he was more serious when he said: “We are Tottenham and we can't suffer like this until the last second of the last game to stay up.

“We deserved this win, we played very well and I'm proud. Now starting from tonight we have to start to organise and to build a new team.

“I think we have now to change many players. We have 10, 11, 12 players good enough to stay. Good enough as players and as people. And then we have to complete the squad with the first (top) level of players.”

Understandably, given the high stakes, there was an air of tension among home supporters, but they got fully behind their team and Tottenham started well. Pedro Porro whipped in a free-kick that was headed over his own goal by James Tarkowski, and then the Spaniard had a shot blocked. Conor Gallagher and Kevin Danso tried their luck with shots that were blocked and wide, Palhinha volleyed high over the bar from another free-kick and Jordan Pickford did well to flick away a cross from Djed Spence with Richarlison lurking.

Palhinha was excellent at breaking up play too, and after winning the ball in his own half, surged forward before having a shot deflected away for a corner.

Everton's best chance of the half cae when James Tarkowski headed wide from a free-kick, but apart from a couple of dangerous runs from Iliman Ndiaye, the Tottenham defence had little to worry about before half-time.

Mathys Tel, who was giving Everton's makeshift right-back Jake O'Brien a hard time, and when his shot was deflected in the 43rd minute, swung in a corner from the left. Palhinha was unmarked at the back for a thumping header that hit the far post, but the Portuguese midfielder acted quickly to volley the ball back towards goal. Although Thierno Barry made a goal-line clearance, referee Michael Oliver awarded the goal, signalling that his wristwatch had indicated the ball had crossed the line.

Home supporters erupted in joy, the players celebrated wildly, and De Zerbi thumped a spare ball high into the sky in delight.

With West Ham still level with Leeds at this point, it gave Spurs a four-point cushion, but nerves were still jangling when news filtered through just after the hour mark that the Hammer had scored to reduce the gap to two points.

Everton raised their game considerably in the second-half, and Spurs dropped deeper. Both managers made changes, David Moyes going in search of a goal that might help his former side, De Zerbi looking to shore up Tottenham's fragile lead.

When the assistant's board came up showing nine minutes of stoppage time, there were audible groans of despair from home supporters. Everton suddenly had chances, Michael Keane and Beto put headers over the bar, before fellow substitute Tyrique George swung in a their first shot on target, which Kinski tipped away brilliantly. Seconds later it was all over, and the celebrations could begin in earnest.

Just over a year on from their Europa League win in Bilbao, Spurs fans finally had something to celebrate.

Now the hard work begins to ensure they do not finish like this again.

Tottenham Hotspur: 4-2-3-1 Kinsky 8; Porro 7, Danso 7, Van de Ven 8, Udogie 7 (Dragusin 89); Bentancur 7 (Gray 82), Palhinnha 9; Spence 7, Gallagher 8 (Maddison 82), Tel 7 (Sarr 73); Richarlison 5 (Kolo-Muani 73).

Everton: 4-4-2 Pickford 6; O'Brien 5 (Armstrong 62), Tarkowski 6, Keane 6, Mykolenko 6; Rohl 5 (George 62), Iroegbunam 5 (Coleman 84) Deswbury-Hall 6 (Alcaraz 84), Garner 6; Barry 4 (Beto 84), Ndiaye 7.

Referee: Michael Oliver 8/10

Injuries had delayed his impact at the Premier League club but the 18-year-old has featured since scoring on his U21 debut against West Ham United last month.

Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson will lead a team primarily of fringe players into Saturday’s friendly against Grenada in Murcia (5pm) before naming Melia in a stronger squad for the next two warm-up matches, at home to Qatar on May 28 and away to Canada on June 5.

The knee injury recently sustained by Celtic’s Johnny Kenny that ended his loan spell at Bolton Wanderers created the vacancy and given Hibernian forward Owen Elding is still awaiting his citizenship, Melia gets the nod.

“Mason is in the next camp,” confirmed the Ireland boss in Spain on Friday about the Ireland U21 international.

“I have to be honest, I haven’t seen him play for Tottenham’s U21s in their last games, but our U21 manager Jim Crawford has.

“Obviously I saw him last season in Europe for St Pat’s and he played really well there.

“He has the qualities that we are looking for in a sense of his running behind, he’s a hard working kid, he will fight for every scrap.

“All of those things he has we saw last year in the LOI and Europe.

“Hopefully he will get a run of club games and start pre-season well, hopefully at Tottenham and hopefully they will still be in the Premiership.”

Despite Stephen Bradley leading calls for his 17-year-old midfielder Ozhianvuna to be promoted through the age-groups to senior, the probability is for him to be called into the U21s for a double-header of friendlies in Croatia.

The classy midfielder, due to join Arsenal next January for €2m, has shone as a first-choice for league leaders Shamrock Rovers but the Icelander feels he’s sufficiently stocked in that department.

“We are not looking for a midfielder,” he said when asked why the teen was overlooked for Dundee United’s Will Ferry with a late call-up for the Spanish camp.

“We have Conor Coventry, we have Molumby, we have Rory Finneran, Andy Moran and Jason Knight, so we didn’t need a midfielder.”

Finneran’s inclusion has caused parallels with Declan Rice. The Newcastle United teen has been courted by England and the fear is that the FAI could eventually lose him to his homeland, like they did in the cases of Arsenal’s powerhouse Rice and Jack Grealish.

Early fast-tracking of the Newcastle United rising star is part of a plan to ensure he feels valued and comfortable in the Ireland system.

"It is a little bit of everything probably,” said Hallgrímsson, who extended his contract recently for the Euro 2028 campaign.

“We think he is the one to be looked at in a camp like this, like Jaden Umeh who we wanted but Benfica wouldn’t release.

“It’s just to see where they are and if we can help them to take the next step a bit quicker.

"That is selfish thinking but it is beneficial as well. Maybe it brings their attention to their club manager; maybe he will play them earlier than otherwise.

"But the warning is there for sure for high potential players."

He added: "At least we need to be more strategic in how we see the future. For me, as a first team coach, you tend to think short term.

"I need to win the game tomorrow. Instead of thinking four, five years ahead. All of these camps and the January camp should be about thinking long term.

"That is why it is fantastic to have this opportunity here. To see these players. It is a different way of thinking. We should always think long term but when we play a competitive game we can only think of results."

It’s understood five League of Ireland players, including Cork City goalkeeper Conor Brann and Shamrock Rovers midfielder Matt Healy, are in the provisional squad that will be pared down to 24 on Sunday ahead of them reporting for duty on May 18.

With Spurs and Leeds locked at 1-1, with a Dominic Calvert-Lewin penalty having equalised Mathys Tel's spectacular opener for Spurs, referee Jarred Gillett turned down a huge call for a Tottenham penalty deep in stoppage time.

James Maddison, on as a substitute for his first game since knee surgery in the close season, looked to have been tripped by Leeds substitute Lukas Nmechi, but Gillett said no penalty and Spurs had to settle for a point, which leaves them precariously placed above West Ham, who are 18th.

With two games to go, Tottenham are two points ahead of their London rivals but cannot afford another slip up.

There was much discussion beforehand about whether the Leeds players would be 'on the beach' after their Premier League safety was secured on Sunday by West Ham's defeat to Arsenal.

But Daniel Farke's side are not the sort to take any game easy, and having lost only one of their previous eight games, are even eyeing an unlikely place in Europe.

Their fans were in good voice, singing “We are staying up” from the start of a game that was cagey and took time to get into gear. Pedro Porro played Richarlison in for an early run at goal, but his former Tottenham team-mate Joe Rodon got between him and the ball. The Brazilian put an overhead kick wide of the far post, and then headed wide following one of many corners and long throws Spurs launched into the Leeds penalty area.

Richarlison also had a shot saved comfortably by Karl Darlow, while at the other end, Antonin Kinsky did well to hold a powerful header from Rodon. Spurs continued to threaten more, with Tel looking dangerous on the left and Randal Kolo Muani putting himself about on the right, but Richarlison looked off the pace.

Leeds were reduced to counter-attack, led by their excellent midfield pairing of Ao Tanaka and Ethan Ampadu, who went on a rampaging run to set up a chance for Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The former Everton forward felt he should have had a penalty when Destiny Udogie bundled him over as they went for a cross shortly before half-time, but an offside flag was upheld by a VAR review.

The first half ended even, and a nervousness spread around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But the second half was barely five minutes old when Tel lit up the night with a superb goal to put Spurs ahead. Pedro Porro floated a corner from the right, Jaka Bijol's glanced header reached Tel on the edge of the penalty area, and the Frenchman took one touch to control the ball before curling it with precision and power into the far corner of goal.

The home supporters roared in delight, and Spurs suddenly had a spring in their step. Richarlison had a run on goal but again ran out of steam, and then volleyed high over the bar after a smart bit of control and cutback from Kolo Muani.

Farke sent on substitutes Nmecha and Wilfried Gnonto and Leeds sensed there might be something in it for them. And so it proved, when Tel tried an overhead clearance following a corner, and caught Ampadu in the head. Referee Gillett initially waved play on, but after being prompted by VAR to review the incident on a pitchside monitor, and awarded a penalty. Calvert-Lewin smashed it past Kinsky and Leeds were level.

Spurs looked nervous again now, and needed a last-ditch tackle from Micky van de Ven to deny Nmecha.

With time running out, Roberto De Zerbi turned to his own subs' bench for inspiration and sent on James Maddison to huge roars from home supporters.

The England midfielder had been out of action for almost a year, and his recovery was disrupted by a second knee injury in pre-season.

Maddison added some much-needed creativity as Spurs went in search of the winner that could take them four points clear of West Ham in 18th. There was widespread disbelief when the fourth official held up a board indicating 13 minutes of stoppage time.

Both teams had chances to win it. Sean Longstaff hit the underside of the Spurs crossbar with a an angled shot, the ball rebounding out, while Lucas Bergvall hit a looping shot on top of the Leeds net.

But the biggest drama – and most controversial moment – was yet to come. With seconds ticking away, Maddison went to go past Nmecha, the Leeds man stuck out a foot to take him down and Spurs fans roared in vain for a penalty. Even VAR could not persuade Gillett to change his mind, and Tottenham's last chance had gone. Now they face Chelsea away and Everton at home on the final day of the season knowing they can barely afford a slip if West Ham win both their final games.

TOTTENHAM 4-2-3-1: Kinsky 7; Porro 7, Danso 7, Van de Ven 7, Udogie 6; Palhinha 8, Bentancur 7 (Bergvall 81); Kolo Muani 6, Gallagher 7, Tel 7 (Maddison 85); Richarlison 4.

LEEDS 3-5-2: Darlow 6; Bijol 6, Rodon 7, Struijk 6 (Bornauw); James 6 (Gnonto 63), Stach 6, Ampadu 9, Tanaka 8 (Longstaff 90+4), Justin 6; Calvert-Lewin 6, Aaronson 6 (Nmecha 63)

Referee:

Jarred Gillett 4/10

Bar a brief spell at Liverpool, the Dubliner spent nine years at Spurs to become a cult hero.

As well as captaining the club, became only one of 17 players to hit 100 goals for Spurs, reached 300 appearances and, most memorably, helped lift the Carabao League Cup in 2008 having dispatched of Arsenal 5-1 in the semi-final, second leg.

Redknapp took charge a few months after that triumph, lasting four years before his controversial sacking.

He’s adamant the hierarchy’s attitude towards him changed following involvement from then executive director Daniel Levy and famously reclusive owner Lewis.

Dutchman Rafael van der Vaart was even cited as having a walk-on role in the episode.

“I’ve never told anybody this but you want to know what really happened to me at Tottenham?” the 78-year-old told the Sunday Times.

“We played Man United at Old Trafford, October 2010 and we were flying in the table. I’m on my way to Stansted Airport to fly up to Manchester and I get a phone call from Daniel.

“Now, Daniel never rung me on a Friday, never interfered with the team.

“Daniel said, ‘Hello, Harry. It’s Daniel.’

“‘Hello, Daniel,’ I said. ‘Yeah, I’m fine. We have a few injuries.’

“‘Who are you gonna play up front tomorrow?’

“I said, ‘Robbie Keane.’

“He said, ‘Robbie Keane?’

“I said, ‘Yeah, Robbie Keane.’

“Then he said, ‘Why don’t you speak with Rafael van der Vaart about who he wants to play with?

“I said, ‘What’s it got to do Rafael van der Vaart, Daniel? I pick the team, not Rafael van der Vaart.’

“He said, ‘Well, I thought it’d be interesting to see what Rafa thought, you know.’

“‘No, not really,’ I said, ‘Robbie Keane’s playing.’”

Redknapp realised the background machinations once he landed in Manchester.

He added: “I’m checking into the hotel and - at this point, I’ve never spoke with Joe Lewis, the owner, not once in my life - but the phone rings.

“‘Hi Harry, it’s Joe Lewis’s secretary, Joe would like to speak with you.’

"‘Hello, Joe.’

“Joe comes from the Burdett Road in east London – that’s where I came from.

“He says, ‘I like that forward line of yours, [Aaron] Lennon, Van der Vaart and [Roman], Pavlyuchenko. That Robbie Keane is useless.’

“I said, ‘That’s your opinion, Joe,’ He then said, ‘Why don’t you ask Rafael van der Vaart who he wants to play with? I said, ‘What’s it got to do with Rafael van der Vaart? I pick the team, not Van der Vaart.’

“I will tell you what Joe then said to me. ‘If Robbie Keane plays tomorrow, I won’t even watch it on television.’ That choice is up to you, Joe,’ I said. ‘Yeah, it f***ing is,’ he said.

“Robbie Keane worked his socks off at Tottenham, and I never had a problem with Rafa, who was great for Tottenham.”

Redknapp, who managed a string of clubs including West Ham United, Portsmouth and QPR, is adamant he was on borrowed time after that exchange.

“I think that conversation was the end for me,” he recalls.

“We finished fourth in the Premier League next season, but lost our place in the following season’s Champions League because Chelsea, who had finished sixth, went to Munich for the Champions League final and beat Bayern.

“Bayern missed a penalty in extra time before Chelsea won on penalties.

After the game they kept the Chelsea supporters inside the ground and we had to walk behind the goal where they were. They’re all singing to me, “Thursday night Channel 5, Thursday night, Channel 5” because that is where and when you had the Europa League.

“A month later I was sacked.”

Keane, 45, is currently managing Hungarian champions and league leaders Ferencváros but has been linked to a Tottenham return as boss. Doubts have crept in over caretaker manager Igor Tudor as Spurs slump dangerously close to the relegation zone.

Tottenham will travel to Bournemouth on Wednesday unbeaten in three matches, but they have won only two of their last 11 in the Premier League and not scored from open play since December 6, which has resulted in sections of a disgruntled fanbase losing faith in Frank.

However, the 52-year-old has stayed steadfast about his long-term prospects in N17 and detailed the key role of ex-Arsenal chief Venkatesham this week alongside co-sporting directors Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici.

Venkatesham joined Spurs in April after a lengthy and successful spell at the Gunners, where he was one of the most influential figures during the early troubling days of Mikel Arteta, who is currently the second-longest serving top-flight manager.

“I think the biggest thing, which we are, is that we are completely aligned, so the biggest thing is that let’s say Johan, Fabio, Vinai and I are aligned. That’s the biggest thing and then we also aligned with the ownership,” Frank said.

“Vinai is one of the best communicators I ever met, as a CEO, leader or whatever, he is absolutely excellent in that. I think I’m OK, but he is way superior, which I think is crucial internally and externally.

“He’s calm and he takes sensible decisions – two rare abilities in football, but also two absolutely crucial abilities if you want to have success long term. For me, Vinai is crucial for Tottenham to have success in many ways.

“Then, of course, we have known each other for six months, so we are getting closer and closer and know each other better and better.

“Vinai is good and, besides being smart and taking sensible decisions, he also has got huge experience of 10 years at Arsenal, with how they built and experienced how they built it.” Asked if Venkatesham’s decision to stick with Arteta during a rocky first 12 months had influenced his approach, Frank agreed: “Yeah, definitely, no doubt about that, plus he also knows what good looks like and also knows how unfortunately it can take time to get up to where good should look like.

“That’s definitely beneficial because also he understands the journey we’re on.” While Venkatesham and Frank appear aligned, Paratici has continuously been linked with a move back to Italy with Fiorentina during recent weeks, which made the recent decision to send Manor Solomon on loan to the Serie A club particularly eye-catching.

However, Frank pointed out of Paratici: “We’re paying his wage, he’s working very hard.

“The last time I spoke to him? I spoke to him in the morning before the (Sunderland) game.” Frank was candid about several topics in Monday’s press conference, but declined to reveal if Dejan Kulusevski had suffered a setback in his recovery from a serious knee injury after a rough return of December had previously been set.

“It just takes time,” he said. “They are working very hard and he is working very hard to come back on the pitch.”

The 26-year-old sustained the problem while scoring the opener against Spurs – his second league goal of an already injury-hit debut season – in the 2-1 win after defender Micky van der Ven slid across and caught his leg as the striker planted it on the floor.

Isak, who had been on for only 11 minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute, left the pitch looking in considerable distress. Many of the Liverpool staff were puzzled as to why the challenge did not merit a further look from the video assistant referee during a match in which Tottenham had two other players sent off.

Immediately after the game, Liverpool’s head coach Arne Slot admitted the injury was “not a good thing”.

“If a player doesn’t even try to come back, that is usually not a good thing but I cannot say anything more than that,” he said. “That is just gut feeling and nothing medical...let’s not be too negative yet. We don’t know yet. Let’s hope he is back with us soon.” Slot will face the media again on Tuesday as he previews Liverpool’s home game with Wolves on Saturday.

It has been a frustrating season for the Sweden international after his protracted summer move from Newcastle, with the striker having no pre-season and then a troublesome groin injury punctuating his campaign.

He scored against Southampton in the Carabao Cup and against West Ham in the league but he has found it difficult in an evolving side. Ironically, the link-up between Florian Wirtz and Isak – which set up the goal against Tottenham – looked to have kickstarted his Liverpool career before the crushing blow of the injury.

Isak’s likely extended absence stretches Liverpool’s forward options with Mohamed Salah now at the Africa Cup of Nations and Cody Gakpo not ready to return from a muscle injury until early in the new year.

It leaves Slot with just Hugo Ekitiké, who has five goals in his past four games, and the little-used Federico Chiesa as his only senior forwards. The academy graduate Jayden Danns is stepping up his recovery from a hamstring injury and could be an option in the new year.

Liverpool are hoping to bring in Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth in a £65m deal, with the in-form wide man having reportedly agreed personal terms over a January move. Manchester City and Manchester United are also keen on the Ghana international but he is believed to favour a move to Anfield.

Guardian

Since Spurs shelled out €10m for the Swede, beating off competition from Barcelona, and he’s become the club second-youngest Premier League scorer as well as helping them win the Europa League.

There is no guarantee of the Londoners having a similar fast-tracking plan for their Irish import when he joins on January 1 but he could be heading to England with a second FAI Cup winners’ medal by the age of 18.

Melia celebrated reaching adulthood on Monday by bagging a brace in the 4-0 cakewalk over Cork City. It broadened his season tally to 14, with five leagues games and potentially two Cup ties left to usurp Pádraig Amond for the Golden Boot.

Saints meet Cork City again at Turner’s Cross on Friday week for a place in the national decider against either Shamrock Rovers or Kerry on November 10.

Melia was just 16 when he came on at Lansdowne Road in Pats' 2023 final success over Bohemians before a record crowd of 43,881.

When considering the array of suitors seeking his signature for his next move, the Wicklow native surveyed which could provide scope for first-team progression.

Harry Kane – after loans at four clubs – is their standout home-grown graduate but the strides Bergvall has leapt to become a regular by 19 caught their recruit’s eye.

“You have to think about all that stuff before you even sign for a club,” Melia said about the sight of fellow teens being part of Thomas Frank’s set-up.

“There's obviously reasons why I'm going to Tottenham. It’s where I feel most comfortable.

“Tottenham is a big club but I have to work hard to get to his (Bergvall’s) level.

“I don't watch Spurs all the time, to be honest because I’m busy myself but I keep tabs on them.”

Spurs, and the concept of a packed 62,850-capacity stadium on Champions League nights, must wait until he completes his home duties.

A brace for Ireland’s U21s completed a comeback win over Moldova in the recent opening Euro qualifiers.

There’s Lee Carsley’s champions England awaiting at St Andrew’s on November 14 in the same competition but he’ll hope to have another Cup medal around his neck that week.

Having already banked St Pat’s a couple of million, boosting their earnings by retaining European football in 2026 would be an ideal parting gift.

His uncle, former Ireland defender Clive Clarke, acts as his agent too, ensuring laser sight on the jobs at hand.

“They got the deal with Spurs done just before this season even so I’ve been fully focussed on Pats,” he explained.

“I can't be thinking of moving to Tottenham while I’m still here.

“Look, I think I come from a good family that keeps me going, keeps me humble. My friends are the same and I’ve good support around the club.”

His lull of action approaching Christmas will afford scope to properly enjoy a delayed 18th birthday celebration.

Monday’s visit of City shaped his big day.

“It was just quiet,” he said with a smile. “On Sunday, I just had family at my nanny’s for dinner. I couldn't do much on the day before, you know what I mean? It was an early night but this is the life I chose and I'm happy."

Navigating that hurdle of obtaining his driver’s license will also smooth his move to London.

“I got it ASAP when I was 17,” he explained about curbing the ritual of his mother Pamela driving him across the M50 daily to training.

“She was saying it’s the best thing that ever happened to her but it's the best thing I've ever done too. I have that bit of freedom.”

West Ham are in a right old ’two-and-eight’ as they say in the East End, and their fans want change, from boardroom to bootroom. Supporters groups are calling for protests at the next home game, against Crystal Palace, and fans have been voting with their feet already, walking out in droves long before the end of this defeat and the 5-1 thrashing by Chelsea three weeks ago.

The London Stadium is a soulless place at times like these, so there is a sense of “there but for the grace of God...” among Tottenham supporters who protested vehemently when Levy proposed moving the club out of their traditional home to the Stratford site, as well as demolishing the iconic stadium that was host for the 2012 London Olympics in order build a state-of-the-art football stadium for Spurs in its place.

Fortunately for Spurs fans, Levy's plans were scuppered by a combination of politicians and the police, and the club ended up building one of the best stadiums in world football on the site of White Hart Lane, which will be hosting Champions League football again when Villareal visit on Tuesday night.

When West Ham left Upton Park in similarly controversial fashion a decade ago, Karren Brady, the club's vice-chair, promised supporters a bright new future with a world-class stadium hosting a world-class team, but has failed to deliver either.

Few fans in football have any love for the stadium, save those away supporters who enjoy taking home the points. This latest defeat, completed in a 20 minute spell after half-time when Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Micky Van de Ven scored and West Ham were reduced to 10 men because of Tomas Soucek’s studs-up lunge on Joao Palhinha, was the seventh successive game West Ham have failed to win at home, and fans have to go back to February to recall seeing a home victory, over relegated Leicester City.

Graham Potter has lost 13 of his 24 games since replacing Julen Lopetegui in January, and looked crestfallen after his side caved in again. It would have been worse if referee Jarred Gillett had not harshly ruled out Cristian Romero's first half header, or if Thomas Frank's side had decided to go for the kill rather than ease up in the final 25 minutes, mindful of their upcoming Champions League clash.

Frank is able to rotate his side now that he has a stronger squad than the one that Ange Postecoglou led to Europa League success in May. The Aussie, now back with Nottingham Forest was sacked for failing in the league, as Spurs finished in 17th, three places below West Ham.

Yet now it is the Hammers who look set for a relegation battle, and perhaps Potter will be the next fall guy. Their supporters are calling for Brady and chairman David Sullivan to step down, having overseen years of underachievement and poor recruitment, with just one trophy in return, the UEFA Conference League in 2023. The club was valued at around €130m when they and the late David Gold bought it in 2010, while various valuations north of €1 billion are bandied around now. As 'preferred bidders' ahead of Tottenham for the London Stadium, they negotiated a bargain deal that costs them less than €3m a year on a 99-year lease, making the club highly profitable, yet progress on the pitch has been negligible.

Manchester City also took over a municipal stadium after the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and with smart investment by the Abu Dhabi Union Group after they took over in 2008, have become one of the world's most successful clubs.

West Ham fans can only dream of such success, and for most of them a change of ownership would be a good start.

It was a similar situation at Spurs in recent years, with fans wanting Levy out long before he went less than a fortnight ago. But it was boardroom politics rather than fan pressure that did for him. The family of Joe Lewis, an East Ender by birth but resident in the Bahamas, decided Levy's time was up and axed him dramatically, and suggest they are now looking to build Tottenham into a powerhouse of European football.

That appears to be an increasingly distant dream for unhappy Hammers fans, and there are bound to be more protests to come.

WEST HAM (4-3-3): Hermansen 6; Walker-Peters 6, Kilman 6, Mavropanos 5, Diouf 5; Ward-Prowse 5, Soucek 4, Fernandes 5; Bowen 7, Paqueta 5, Summerville 6.

TOTTENHAM (4-3-3): Vicario 6; Porro 6, Romero 7, Van de Ven 8 (Danso 79), Spence 7 (Udogie 71); Sarr 7, Palhinha 7, Bergvall 8 (Johnson 79); Kudus 6, Tel 6 (Odobert 79), Simons 7 (Richarlison 71)

Referee: Jarred Gillett 7

The Argentine only moved to Serie A side Como last summer, joining from Real Madrid, and the Italian outfit are hellbent on retaining the youngster’s services.

Spurs actually enquired for Paz earlier in the window but were rebuffed in their efforts to sign the 20-year-old as Como understandably set a high asking price for their star man.

While the north London side previously scoffed at a reported €70m valuation, their want, nay, need for a number 10 in the dying embers of the transfer window means they need to stump up the cash for a player Lionel Messi once deemed ‘incredible’.

Paz enjoyed a fine debut Serie A season having completed more dribbles (69) than any other player in the division.

The youngster also managed eight assists and six goals for Como, the former coming from 54 chances created, that the 12th most in Italy’s top tier. Adept at finding space between the lines and prying apart defences, Paz’s career is only on the rise.

In addition, Paz won possession in the attacking third the third most times (23) in the 2024/25 Serie A campaign, with his hard work off the ball a desirable trait in a Thomas Frank side.

Incredibly press resistant, too, on paper, Paz is the perfect fit as an Eze alternative.

Maghnes Akliouche - Monaco

Monaco kicked off their domestic campaign with a 3-1 home win over Le Havre.

The visitors looked primed to mount a comeback midway through the second half before Maghnes Akliouche put the result beyond doubt. That may have been just his sixth league goal since the start of last season, but the Frenchman has his admirers, and it easy to see why.

Despite starting 28 of 35 league matches since the start of the 2024/25 campaign, only two players have provided more assists than Akliouche (10) in Ligue 1, all of which have come from open play.

For a Spurs side that has Pedro Porro, Mohammed Kudus and, when available, Maddison on set piece duty, this ability to pick a pass without the need for free kicks or corners is a huge bonus.

And like Paz, Akliouche isn’t afraid to get stuck in to help his side in attack. Indeed, he has won possession in the attacking third more times (36) than any other player since the start of the 2024/25 Ligue 1 season.

Frank wants his attacking players to press high in order to force opposition turnovers, and Akliouche fits the bill.

There are minor concerns over the 23-year-old’s languid style yet he’s a player who has the tools to carry out the relevant number 10 duties for Spurs.

Morgan Rogers - Aston Villa

Jacob Ramsey’s move to Newcastle eases Aston Villa’s PSR concerns as we enter the final knockings of the summer window.

Even so, Villa are not quite out of the woods just yet and may need to make further sales to remain in line with the Premier League’s guidelines.

The most sellable asset on the books is Morgan Rogers, yet luring him away from Villa Park will take some doing.

Rogers has enjoyed a stunning rise following his arrival from Middlesbrough 18 months’ ago, and he’s now one of the first names on the Unai Emery’s team sheet.

It’s easy to see why, too. Rogers is a powerhouse runner when he gets up a head of steam, evident in that he ranks sixth for successful dribbles (68) in the Premier League since the start of last season.

Whereas Paz and Akliouche are more in keeping with the fee Spurs were willing to pay for Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White, the Villans will be looking for closer to £100m, such is his importance to Emery’s side.

As an England international, there is the English premium that comes with a player of his calibre and scope for development.

Destined to become a regular on the international stage before long, Rogers feels more like a pipe dream at this point. What Spurs wouldn’t give to make it a reality.

Alex Scott - Bournemouth

Another plucked from the EFL who doesn’t look out of place in the Premier League, Alex Scott is a bit of a wildcard pick as an Eze alternative, but one Spurs should be considering no less. As a Spurs fan himself, Scott would relish the opportunity to turn out for his boyhood club.

Injury restricted the 22-year-old to just eight league starts last season, and with Andoni Iraola settling on an XI in his absence, Scott found it increasingly difficult to force his way back into the Bournemouth side.

He’s a different profile to the aforementioned trio in that he won’t boast the same dribbling qualities as Paz or Rogers, yet Scott’s tenacity is one that’ll fit well with Frank’s hard-working demands.

Of course, there are concerns about Scott’s output, and rightly so. During his time with Bournemouth, the midfielder has just one goal and one assist to his name and has committed more fouls (38) than he has created chances (34) in his Premier League career.

More of an 8 than a 10, Spurs have a similar profile in the squad in Pape Sarr, so whether they need to add a midfielder of Scott’s style remains to be seen.

That’s not to say he wouldn’t be a handy option over a long campaign, but if Spurs are rightly prioritising a 10, then their efforts should be focussed on the above trio rather than the Bournemouth star.