Football.London

Tottenham have secured two of their five summer transfer targets, but Ange Postecoglou's squad is yet to see any new senior players.

Despite a promising start to last season, the Australian manager's tenure in north London has received mixed reviews. While fans can look forward to a Europa League campaign following a fifth-place finish, they are hungry for a trophy. Spurs' transfer window so far has focused on youth, with nearly £45million spent on two young midfielders, but it remains unclear whether direct improvements to the starting XI will be made.

Brentford's Ivan Toney is reportedly on Tottenham's radar, and the club could also bring in another midfielder who may offer something different to Postecoglou's squad.

Lucas Bergvall

Young Swedish sensation Lucas Bergvall was Tottenham's first signing this summer, although the deal was agreed upon on February 1st of this year. Joining from Djurgarden in his native Sweden for £8.5m, the 18-year-old has already shown signs that he could become a key player for Tottenham.

He came on at half-time in the club's 5-1 friendly victory over Hearts, assisting fellow starlet Mikey Moore and impressing fans. He suffered a knock during the next friendly against QPR but was given a start in that match, suggesting that he might play a role in the upcoming season.

Archie Gray

Another midfield prodigy who's caught the eye, Gray commanded a heftier sum than Bergvall after his standout performances in the Championship with Leeds. Spurs swooped in with a deal worth nearly £40m including add-ons, plus the exchange of defender Joe Rodon, snatching Gray from Brentford's grasp at the eleventh hour.

Gray, who has penned a four-year contract, was a key figure for Leeds last season, featuring 52 times across all competitions and playing the full match in their play-off final defeat to Southampton. On signing, he said: "When Spurs came and I had the opportunity to play in the Champions League eventually and Europa League this year I couldn't really say no. I know so many players that are here, not so much the first team but the young lads, and another thing is that it's a massive project under Ange, and it's something that I want to be a part of."

Yang Min-hyuk

In line with their strategy of investing in future talent, Spurs are on the verge of adding Korean sensation Yang Min-hyuk to their ranks. The 18-year-old Gangwon FC midfielder is believed to be joining for a fee around £3.5m, ready to team up with fellow countryman Son Heung-min.

With an impressive 24 senior appearances for Gangwon FC, the talented Yang Min-hyuk has become a striking sensation in the K-League with seven goals since March. Expert Sungmo Lee explained to football.london just how significant the youngster's impact has been: "Yang Min-hyuk is the best young player in the K League right now, and most significantly, he's still a high school student.

"He showed great performances in K League this season, winning the 'Young Player of the Month' award three times in a row from April to June. He is a great dribbler but also possesses great finishing skills, making Korean fans hope he can become the next Son Heung-min."

Conor Gallagher

When it comes to potential transfers in north London, Spurs may look towards experienced talent like Chelsea's Conor Gallagher to bolster their midfield. Speculation over Gallagher's future has been rife since the transfer window opened, stirring rumours of a move from the club he joined as a child at age eight.

Despite early competition, it looks like Aston Villa have stepped out of the running following their hefty £50m acquisition of Amadou Onana. This leaves Postecoglou with a clearer path to Gallagher, who is valued at £50m and whose Chelsea contract is ticking down and set to expire after the upcoming season.

While England team-mate Kieran Trippier has been nudging the midfielder towards a switch to Atletico Madrid, as he himself did in January 2022, Gallagher has expressed his optimism about working with new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca. "I've heard really good things, and I've seen really good things," Gallagher said on Maresca's appointment, adding: "Myself and everyone at Chelsea are really happy and excited to work with him."

Ivan Toney

Brentford's Ivan Toney is also the subject of frenzied speculation this summer. After slotting home a penalty against Switzerland and showcasing his nerve at Euro 2024, Toney's contract situation has become a hot topic. With just one year left on his deal, Brentford might be looking to cash in.

Initially slapping an £80m price tag on their talisman, the Bees could be swayed to lower their demands, potentially putting Spurs in the frame. Arsenal, meanwhile, seem to have other plans, focusing their attention on Riccardo Calafiori rather than a new striker. Manchester United have already wrapped up a deal for Joshua Zirkzee at £36m, and Chelsea's eyes are set on a younger option, with Atletico's Samu Omorodion reportedly in their sights.

Tottenham are reportedly in talks to sell a minority stake in a deal that could take the club value to £3.75billion.

According to The Times, Daniel Levy is looking for investment that values the club between £3.5bn and £3.75bn, including debt. Spurs want to raise fresh capital fresh capital for new player transfers and to help fund the development of an academy for its women's team, plus a 30-storey hotel next to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The report adds Tottenham owners Enic are in negotiations over selling a stake of the club - rather than a full takeover. Although the terms of any deal has not been agreed or finalised, it's understood Spurs are looking to sell about 10 per cent. The Times adds that the club is being monitored and advised by bankers from Rothschild.

Amanda Staveley, who was part of the Saudi Arabia-led takeover of Newcastle United, is said to be among the parties to have expressed an interest in Tottenham - just weeks after selling their shares in the Magpies. Staveley's fund, PCP Capital Partners, has raised about £500million to deploy on football club deals over the years. Meanwhile, the club is also likely to attract interest from American investors.

The deal for Spurs to sell a stake could pave the way for Joe Lewis and his family to sever ties with the club. Lewis, who bought a controlling stake in Tottenham from Lord (Alan) Sugar in 2001, relinquished his position as Tottenham's controlling shareholder when investigated for insider trader in the United States.

Tottenham are controlled by Enic, who are an investment company which owns 86.6 per cent of the club. Lewis gave his 70.1 per cent stake over to Enic in October 2022, with Levy, who is leading the search for a new investor owning the remaining 29.9 per cent. Spurs also has 30,000 smaller shareholders, which includes Goldman Sachs banker Michael Sherwood.

If the valuation increases to £3.75bn, that would still rank Tottenham below Chelsea, who was bought for £4.25bn by a consortium led by Todd Boehly back in 2022. Meanwhile, Sir Jim Ratcliffe secured a 25 per cent stake in Manchester United for £1bn earlier this year.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Tottenham are reportedly in talks to sell a minority stake in a deal that could take the club value to £3.75billion.

According to The Times, Daniel Levy is looking for investment that values the club between £3.5bn and £3.75bn, including debt. Spurs want to raise fresh capital fresh capital for new player transfers and to help fund the development of an academy for its women's team, plus a 30-storey hotel next to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The report adds Tottenham owners Enic are in negotiations over selling a stake of the club - rather than a full takeover. Although the terms of any deal has not been agreed or finalised, it's understood Spurs are looking to sell about 10 per cent. The Times adds that the club is being monitored and advised by bankers from Rothschild.

Amanda Staveley, who was part of the Saudi Arabia-led takeover of Newcastle United, is said to be among the parties to have expressed an interest in Tottenham - just weeks after selling their shares in the Magpies. Staveley's fund, PCP Capital Partners, has raised about £500million to deploy on football club deals over the years. Meanwhile, the club is also likely to attract interest from American investors.

The deal for Spurs to sell a stake could pave the way for Joe Lewis and his family to sever ties with the club. Lewis, who bought a controlling stake in Tottenham from Lord (Alan) Sugar in 2001, relinquished his position as Tottenham's controlling shareholder when investigated for insider trader in the United States.

Tottenham are controlled by Enic, who are an investment company which owns 86.6 per cent of the club. Lewis gave his 70.1 per cent stake over to Enic in October 2022, with Levy, who is leading the search for a new investor owning the remaining 29.9 per cent. Spurs also has 30,000 smaller shareholders, which includes Goldman Sachs banker Michael Sherwood.

If the valuation increases to £3.75bn, that would still rank Tottenham below Chelsea, who was bought for £4.25bn by a consortium led by Todd Boehly back in 2022. Meanwhile, Sir Jim Ratcliffe secured a 25 per cent stake in Manchester United for £1bn earlier this year.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Tottenham are reportedly in talks to sell a minority stake in a deal that could take the club value to £3.75billion.

According to The Times, Daniel Levy is looking for investment that values the club between £3.5bn and £3.75bn, including debt. Spurs want to raise fresh capital fresh capital for new player transfers and to help fund the development of an academy for its women's team, plus a 30-storey hotel next to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The report adds Tottenham owners Enic are in negotiations over selling a stake of the club - rather than a full takeover. Although the terms of any deal has not been agreed or finalised, it's understood Spurs are looking to sell about 10 per cent. The Times adds that the club is being monitored and advised by bankers from Rothschild.

Amanda Staveley, who was part of the Saudi Arabia-led takeover of Newcastle United, is said to be among the parties to have expressed an interest in Tottenham - just weeks after selling their shares in the Magpies. Staveley's fund, PCP Capital Partners, has raised about £500million to deploy on football club deals over the years. Meanwhile, the club is also likely to attract interest from American investors.

The deal for Spurs to sell a stake could pave the way for Joe Lewis and his family to sever ties with the club. Lewis, who bought a controlling stake in Tottenham from Lord (Alan) Sugar in 2001, relinquished his position as Tottenham's controlling shareholder when investigated for insider trader in the United States.

Tottenham are controlled by Enic, who are an investment company which owns 86.6 per cent of the club. Lewis gave his 70.1 per cent stake over to Enic in October 2022, with Levy, who is leading the search for a new investor owning the remaining 29.9 per cent. Spurs also has 30,000 smaller shareholders, which includes Goldman Sachs banker Michael Sherwood.

If the valuation increases to £3.75bn, that would still rank Tottenham below Chelsea, who was bought for £4.25bn by a consortium led by Todd Boehly back in 2022. Meanwhile, Sir Jim Ratcliffe secured a 25 per cent stake in Manchester United for £1bn earlier this year.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Tottenham wonderkid Mikey Moore has sent supporters a heart-warming message after the star found himself on the scoresheet yet again during Spurs' preseason tour of Japan this afternoon.

Ange Postecoglou's side faced a mid-season Vissel Kobe side in the Tokyo National Stadium but went 1-0 down early on, with the J League side's Yuya Osako finding the back of the net after a horror defensive error from Pape Matar Sarr saw him clear the ball straight across the box into Osako's path who struck it past Guglielmo Vicario to give Kobe the lead.

It wouldn't last long however, with Pedro Porro's brilliant finish following some nice link-up play between him and Dejan Kulusevski levelling up the scores. With it all square at the break, Postecoglou made four changes as he brought in Jamie Donley, Oliver Skipp, Brandon Austin and Lucas Bergvall for Ben Davies, Yves Bissouma, Vicario and James Maddison.

Just three minutes later, Heung-min Son put Spurs into the lead as Brennan Johnson's cross was placed into the far corner by the incoming South Korean who sent the stadium into raptures. However, Vissel found another goal to level the game again through Jean Patric's deflected effort.

With just three minutes of normal time remaining, 16-year-old Moore netted the winner with a close-range finish from Jamie Donley's low cross much to the delight of the Spurs bench, who were all seen applauding and cheering. The goal marked yet another impressive impact for the youngster who made a couple of cameo appearances off the bench at the end of last season.

After the clash, Postecoglou was full of praise for the 16-year-old who he believes has a bright future ahead of him. He said: "Mikey has been fantastic since we brought him in. He’s earned his spot on the roster at the moment - he did at the end of last year.

"He got a run with the first team because we could see in training that he was handling himself really well and that’s followed through into pre-season training. He’s been good in all the games - he probably should have had three tonight, to be fair - but he did take his goal well by being in the right areas.

"All we can do is keep allowing him to develop. We have to remember that last year he had some injuries and he is only 16, but yes - super exciting. I think the future with a lot of our young guys looks pretty promising, but it’s our responsibility to make sure they realise their potential and continue to work hard at their game.

"I thought it was a good game. The conditions did make it difficult for both teams to be fair and we've had a hard week of training. Credit to the boys. I thought we played some decent football and they put in as much effort as they humanly could out there.

"Entertaining game, you want to provide some sort of entertainment for the supporters who made a great turnout tonight, not just Spurs supporters but football supporters in general. It's always nice to give back in that way and overall I was pleased."

Posting to his social media account on X, Moore quote-tweeted the video of his winning goal and highlighted his appreciation for the support the club got in Japan, while delivering the simple four-word message that he was just 'happy to contribute again'.

He wrote: "Thank you to all the fans for the support out in Tokyo what a place, happy to contribute again," along with three white hearts. Spurs will resume their preseason tour with a friendly against K League All-Stars next Wednesday before facing Bayern Munich, who will be without Spurs former captain and record goalscorer Harry Kane on Saturday, August 3 in Seoul.

Ange Postecoglou has labelled Mikey Moore as "super exciting" after the Tottenham youngster once again made his mark for the team in pre-season. On the scoresheet in Spurs' first summer friendly against Hearts, the 16-year-old scored the winner on Saturday as the Lilywhites recorded a 3-2 victory against J.League side Vissel Kobe at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.

The game appeared to be heading for a draw after Jean Patric had restored parity following Son Heung-min's goal but Moore was on hand in the 88th minute to claim a win for Tottenham. It was a lovely team move from Postecoglou's men, with the teenager converting from inside the six-yard box after fellow academy ace Jamie Donley had put the ball on a plate for him.

Coming into the head coach's thinking in the final five games of the 2023/24 campaign, the Southwark-born player could be set for a more prominent role this time around after wowing in his game time. Postecoglou had admitted that his player has "earned his spot on the roster at the moment" and that they need to continue to allow him to develop.

"Mikey has been fantastic since we brought him in," said the Australian when speaking to football.london in his post-match press conference. "He’s earned his spot on the roster at the moment - he did at the end of last year. He got a run with the first team because we could see in training that he was handling himself really well and that’s followed through into pre-season training.

"He’s been good in all the games - he probably should have had three tonight, to be fair - but he did take his goal well by being in the right areas. All we can do is keep allowing him to develop.

"We have to remember that last year he had some injuries and he is only 16, but yes - super exciting. I think the future with a lot of our young guys looks pretty promising, but it’s our responsibility to make sure they realise their potential and continue to work hard at their game."

Taking to his Instagram account after the game, Moore was hailed by a number of supporters for his brilliant display against Vissel Kobe. Tottenham teammate Lucas Bergvall also took to the comments section and his one-word message perhaps perfectly sums up what Spurs players and fans think about the teenage star. The Swede commented "wow" along with the hearts eyes emoji.

Moore quite clearly has made a huge impression on his head coach and the first-team squad since taking the step up to the senior squad. The rest of the Premier League could now be about to witness just what the youngster can do on the pitch over the course of the 2024/25 campaign and beyond if Postecoglou continues to hand him an opportunity in the Tottenham team.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Ange Postecoglou has labelled Mikey Moore as "super exciting" after the Tottenham youngster once again made his mark for the team in pre-season. On the scoresheet in Spurs' first summer friendly against Hearts, the 16-year-old scored the winner on Saturday as the Lilywhites recorded a 3-2 victory against J.League side Vissel Kobe at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.

The game appeared to be heading for a draw after Jean Patric had restored parity following Son Heung-min's goal but Moore was on hand in the 88th minute to claim a win for Tottenham. It was a lovely team move from Postecoglou's men, with the teenager converting from inside the six-yard box after fellow academy ace Jamie Donley had put the ball on a plate for him.

Coming into the head coach's thinking in the final five games of the 2023/24 campaign, the Southwark-born player could be set for a more prominent role this time around after wowing in his game time. Postecoglou had admitted that his player has "earned his spot on the roster at the moment" and that they need to continue to allow him to develop.

"Mikey has been fantastic since we brought him in," said the Australian when speaking to football.london in his post-match press conference. "He’s earned his spot on the roster at the moment - he did at the end of last year. He got a run with the first team because we could see in training that he was handling himself really well and that’s followed through into pre-season training.

"He’s been good in all the games - he probably should have had three tonight, to be fair - but he did take his goal well by being in the right areas. All we can do is keep allowing him to develop.

"We have to remember that last year he had some injuries and he is only 16, but yes - super exciting. I think the future with a lot of our young guys looks pretty promising, but it’s our responsibility to make sure they realise their potential and continue to work hard at their game."

Taking to his Instagram account after the game, Moore was hailed by a number of supporters for his brilliant display against Vissel Kobe. Tottenham teammate Lucas Bergvall also took to the comments section and his one-word message perhaps perfectly sums up what Spurs players and fans think about the teenage star. The Swede commented "wow" along with the hearts eyes emoji.

Moore quite clearly has made a huge impression on his head coach and the first-team squad since taking the step up to the senior squad. The rest of the Premier League could now be about to witness just what the youngster can do on the pitch over the course of the 2024/25 campaign and beyond if Postecoglou continues to hand him an opportunity in the Tottenham team.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Tottenham Hotspur took on Vissel Kobe in Japan on Saturday in a pre-season friendly and here are our second half player ratings from the 3-2 victory.

Spurs were in action at Tokyo's National Stadium against a Vissel team that is 24 games into their J League season meaning they were match fit and sharp while the visitors had all played only 45 minutes each in every one of their friendlies so far. Ange Postecoglou named a strong team and made four changes at half-time with the score at 1-1.

He brought in Lucas Bergvall, Oliver Skipp, Jamie Donley and Brandon Austin for James Maddison, Yves Bissouma, Ben Davies and Guglielmo Vicario with Archie Gray switching from central defence into the number six role. Timo Werner was out through illness, with Richarlison, Destiny Udogie and Alfie Whiteman all also missing the game.

Vissel had opened the scoring early in the game when Pape Matar Sarr prevented a wayward cross from heading out and instead sent it across the six-yard box to Yuya Osako to smash home. Spurs were level though minutes later when Pedro Porro played a one-two with Dejan Kulusevski, who back-heeled the ball into his path and the Spaniard cut inside before rolling a left-footed shot home.

In the second half, Son netted soon after the restart, slotting home Brennan Johnson's low ball across the six-yard box. However, Vissel found another goal to level the scores again through Jean Patric's deflected effort. Sixteen-year-old Mikey Moore netted the winner with a close range finish from Jamie Donley's low cross.

Here are our first half Spurs player ratings:

Brandon Austin

Dealt well with much of what came his way before being wrong-footed by Patric's deflected effort. 6

Pedro Porro

A quieter half with a couple of tired mistakes, but he did start the move for Son's goal, before coming off after the hour mark. Don't forget these are ratings for the second half, he got a nine for the first! 7

Emerson Royal

Playing in central defence, he didn't do much wrong during the second half either before coming off. 7

Oliver Skipp

He started the half at centre-back, making some strong challenges, although he will have felt he could have done better for Vissel's second goal. He then moved into the midfield to good effect. 7

Jamie Donley

Another impressive showing at left-back, despite having played on Thursday night in the heat in a behind-closed doors friendly. In this game he hit the left-hand post with a low shot and then forced the keeper into a flying save, while defending well on the whole. He then set up Moore's goal with a perfect low ball. 9

Pape Matar Sarr

A better second half after a shaky first before departing the action after the hour mark. 6

Archie Gray

The new signing switched to the midfield for the second half and looked so comfortable on the ball. 7

Lucas Bergvall

A lively presence and always looking to make things happen. Another creative bright showing. 8

Dejan Kulusevski

Still playing as the centre forward he continued to work hard after his first half assist. 7

Son Heung-min

He started the second half with a fine finish into the far corner from Johnson's pass to cap a busy display. 8

Brennan Johnson

Made up for a quiet first half with a good assist to start the second before coming off. 7

Subs

Ashley Phillips

A solid display at the back on the whole for the final half an hour. 6

Djed Spence

Looked to take the game to Vissel throughout his cameo, Another bright performance. 7

George Abbott

Slotted into the backline and worked hard alongside Phillips in the heat. 6

Alfie Devine

Another very promising display from the midfielder, showing all of his experience from those two loan moves. 8

Manor Solomon

Busy but without the threat as the young players took their chance to shine. 5

Will Lankshear

Was inches away from scoring again in a hard-working display with some great movement. 6

Mikey Moore

Another pre-season goal for the 16-year-old, knocking home Donley's low cross after going close a couple of times beforehand, one effort hitting the hand of a defender behind the keeper. He was a constant menace to the opposition defence. 8

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

What did you make of the match?

I thought it was a good game. The conditions did make it difficult for both teams to be fair and we've had a hard week of training. Credit to the boys. I thought we played some decent football and they put in as much effort as they humanly could out there. Entertaining game, you want to provide some sort of entertainment for the supporters who made a great turnout tonight, not just Spurs supporters but football supporters in general. It's always nice to give back in that way and overall I was pleased.

There were a lot of Spurs fans inside the National Stadium and they turned it into your home stadium, can you speak about them overcoming the differences in language and culture?

Absolutely. It's not lost to us the support we have on this side of the world. As I said, our responsibility when we come here and the players have all been out in the community and we've tried to as much as possible reach out to everyone that supports us from this side of the world, which is challenging I know when distance and time zones make it really difficult.

You're right, they created a fantastic atmosphere today and it felt like our home game. That's why I'm pleased that we won, which is always good, but more importantly we played some good football, gave them something to cheer for. Myself, the players, everyone involved in the football club is very appreciative of the support we get here in Japan and on this side of the world.

For those new football fans who became aware of Spurs tonight, can you give those fans a message about what is so great about supporting Tottenham?

It's a fantastic club. Our role within that and my role within that is to try to create a team that they can be proud of and want to support and hopefully it gives them some nice memories as I'm sure we did today.

You played Son on the left today and he scored and he played through the middle last season at times, can you explain if tonight showed your plans for him for this coming season?

Sonny did well today. He scored playing left wing, he scored when he's in the middle. There's only one Sonny so I can only play him in one position. So depending on where we need him, we'll play him there. He's started pre-season really well and I'm pleased for him that he could get a goal because I know for him, he's popular wherever he goes but particularly over this side of the world and he's a bit of an ambassador for Asian football, not just Korean football. I'm sure that he gave a lot of people that admire him some nice moments tonight.

The young players impressed tonight and Mikey Moore at just 16-years-old has scored again, he seems more mature than his years, how has he handled it all since you brought him in last season?

Mikey has been fantastic since we brought him in. He’s earned his spot on the roster at the moment - he did at the end of last year. He got a run with the first team because we could see in training that he was handling himself really well and that’s followed through into pre-season training. He’s been good in all the games - he probably should have had three tonight, to be fair - but he did take his goal well by being in the right areas. All we can do is keep allowing him to develop. We have to remember that last year he had some injuries and he is only 16, but yes - super exciting. I think the future with a lot of our young guys looks pretty promising, but it’s our responsibility to make sure they realise their potential and continue to work hard at their game.

You've played Dejan Kulusevski up front tonight and you're waiting for Richarlison to be fit, is it fair to say that you'd like a new striker in over the coming weeks to bolster your options?

I think I said yesterday, nothing's changed. We had a strategy of the kind of players and what we need to bring in. We played Deki through the middle like we did last year, but obviously with Richy out and Timo was unwell today, we were a little bit short in that front third.

We've got a clear plan of what we need to do in this transfer period and that's what we're working towards and we know the areas we need to strengthen and the clear focus is on that.

Five years ago you participated in this world challenge with Yokohama to test yourself against the best, now you're here on the other side of the equation, how does that feel?

Firstly it's great to be back because I kind of left Yokohama and when I left for Celtic I thought I'd be back sooner than this but it hasn't worked out. It's great to be back and reconnect with people in the game here. I'd like to think I'm a small representation of the J League because I've been a big supporter of it from the moment I left these shores, not just bringing players over but making people aware of the strength of the league. You can see that any foreign teams that come here find it difficult, particularly because they're in season and Kobe was no different today.

Obviously I'm familiar with a lot of their players and it was a good challenge. I said to the boys that it would be a good challenge and it ended up being a good game, which was great. I guess on my travels around the world you kind of grab what you can along the way and take pride in it. A small piece of the J League is in me and Japanese football is in me. I'm happy to come back with such a big club and give something back.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham! Click here for in depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Mikey has been fantastic since we brought him in. He’s earned his spot on the roster at the moment — he did at the end of last year. He got a run with the first team because we could see in training that he was handling himself really well and that’s followed through into pre-season training. He’s been good in all the games — he probably should have had three tonight, to be fair — but he did take his goal well by being in the right areas. All we can do is keep allowing him to develop. We have to remember that last year he had some injuries and he is only 16, but — yeah — super exciting. I think the future with a lot of our young guys looks pretty promising, but it’s our responsibility to make sure they realise their potential and continue to work hard at their game.

Absolutely. It's not lost to us the support we have on this side of the world. As I said, our responsibility when we come here and the players have all been out in the community and we've tried to as much as possible reach out to everyone that supports us from this side of the world, which is challenging I know when distance and time zones make it really difficult.

You're right, they created a fantastic atmosphere today and it felt like our home game. That's why I'm pleased that we won, which is always good, but more importantly we played some good football, gave them something to cheer for. Myself, the players, everyone involved in the football club is very appreciative of the support we get here in Japan and on this side of the world.

I thought it was a good game. The conditions did make it difficult for both teams to be fair and we've had a hard week of training. Credit to the boys. I thought we played some decent football and they put in as much effort as they humanly could out there. Entertaining game, you want to provide some sort of entertainment for the supporters who made a great turnout tonight, not just Spurs supporters but football supporters in general. It's always nice to give back in that way and overall I was pleased.