Football.London

Ange Postecoglou could be in line for a much-needed boost on the injury front this weekend when Tottenham take on Manchester United. Spurs have endured some rotten luck in terms of injuries this campaign but things do appear to be easing up at such a key time for the head coach.

Following the Carabao Cup and FA Cup exits at the hands of Liverpool and Aston Villa respectively last week, Tottenham really have to return to winning ways against Manchester United. The Europa League is the club's last remaining chance of silverware this campaign and the return of the team's injured stars could prove vital when it comes to their European aspirations.

Speaking ahead of the recent win over Brentford, Postecoglou mentioned that it would be around 10 days for players such as Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert and Timo Werner to return. Ahead of this Sunday's game against Manchester United, the head coach revealed after the Aston Villa defeat that the players coming back from injury would be given a full week of training at Hotspur Way to help up their fitness.

In regards to Udogie making his comeback after sustaining a hamstring injury against Wolves in the team's final game of 2024, the return of the Italian will leave Postecoglou with quite a decision to make over Djed Spence. The ex-Nottingham Forest loanee has starred since coming into the Tottenham XI, notably picking up the man of the match award at Brentford, and has practically made himself an undroppable in the process.

At a time when a number of senior players have struggled to make an impact on the pitch, Spence has been a shining light and he was one of only a couple to come out of the Liverpool and Aston Villa defeats with any real credit. Udogie has been a key miss for Tottenham so far in 2025 but his absence perhaps hasn't been felt as much due to the performances Spence has been delivering week in, week out.

Thirteen of his 17 Tottenham appearances this term have come at left-back, with the 24-year-old only playing in his natural right-back role three times. Potentially, Spence's playing time at right-back could increase once Udogie has returned and can take his place in Postecoglou's side once again.

The opportunity will be there for Pedro Porro to be given a well-earned breather after playing in 35 of Tottenham's 39 games this season. The Spaniard has played a total of 2,950 minutes across the campaign, with 1,987 of them coming in the Premier League after only starting on the substitutes' bench three times.

Porro dropped down to the bench for last Thursday's 4-0 defeat at Liverpool, before coming on in the 57th minute with the team 2-0 down as Postecoglou made a tactical change. Due to the amount of minutes Porro has played this season and the rate Tottenham have picked up injuries, it is perhaps remarkable that the 25-year-old has not spent a period in the treatment room this term.

The ex-Sporting CP man has contributed with three assists in his last six Premier League appearances for Spurs but his productivity levels could perhaps increase even further if given a break from the team. One thing that has been mentioned about Porro this season is the number of goals Spurs have conceded from his side of the field, with the player caught so far up the pitch for Jacob Ramsey's goal for Aston Villa on Sunday.

Spence, on the other hand, has come in for so much praise for his defensive work in Postecoglou's team and also his play going forward. However, he hasn't managed to rack up the numbers like Porro (two goals and seven assists) in his game time after contributing one goal and two assists, although it is right to point out that the Spain international has played twice the amount of games as him.

Udogie's upcoming return does present Postecoglou with options and three quality full-backs to choose from. There is also going to be an opportunity to rotate his players and manage minutes, thus raising the possibility of Spence moving across to right-back.

Whether he plays from the right or left flank, Postecoglou knows exactly what he is going to get from Spence after a starring role in recent months.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham by clicking here forin-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

The Tottenham supporters could be heard chanting for their former head coach on Sunday. Despite crashing out of the FA Cup - seeing their hopes of domestic success ripped apart with two exits in four days - the Spurs supporters were in full voice at Villa Park on Sunday.

The away fans were the ones you could hear almost from start to finish during the 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa. And one chant will have resonated for the wrong reasons, just like one about Daniel Levy did days prior.

"He's magic, you know, Mauricio Pochettino," could be heard being sung from the visiting section inside Villa Park. With Ange Postecoglou under increasing pressure week after week, the Spurs fans are harking back to better days.

Pochettino has a job currently - he is head coach of the USA national team - and there are no indications that Tottenham would make a move to bring the Argentinian back to the club. football.london understands Postecoglou's position remains safe at this time and that no one is being lined up to replace him right now.

Spurs are 14th in the Premier League though, with the Europa League the only trophy left open to them this season - a season in which Postecoglou admitted he "always wins silverware".

Tottenham finished in the top four in four consecutive seasons under Pochettino and challenged for the Premier League title in two of those seasons. They also reached the Carabao Cup final and the Champions League final, although ultimately failed to claim any silverware.

Such heights seem a long away away right now and hearing chants about Pochettino are perhaps no surprise. He has been vindicated in what he said prior to leaving, however.

Before he was sacked in 2019, the Argentine declared there needed to be a "painful rebuild" in N17.

"When you talk about Tottenham, everyone says you have an amazing house but you need to put in the furniture," he said. "If you want to have a lovely house maybe you need better furniture. And it depends on your budget if you are going to spend money. We need to be respectful with teams like Manchester City or Liverpool who spend a lot of money. We are brave, we are clever, we are creative.

"Now it’s about creating another chapter and to have the clear idea of how we are going to build that new project. We need to rebuild. It’s going to be painful."

That painful rebuild did not come. Pochettino would be sacked in November of 2019 - six months after making that admission - and Spurs are now on their fourth permanent manager since those words.

In fairness, there has been something of a rebuild under Postecoglou. Spurs have moved to bring in talented young players like Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel and Antonin Kinsky in recent transfer windows to secure a budding future for the club. However, the here and now has been beset by injuries and Postecoglou is left paying the price of not being given a deep enough squad.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher saw if coming, even before Pochettino made those rebuild comments. In 2018, with Spurs flourishing under the Argentine, Carragher took aim at Spurs' lack of spending. In a segment on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football, Tottenham's net spend was highlighted in comparison with everyone else in the top four.

Carragher said: "What he has done is unbelievable. The money spent, to get Tottenham in the top four consistently, we're talking about net spend compared to the others.

"Tottenham in five, ten years' time this team will break up the manger will leave and no one will be going back and looking at net spend and points and what they did, they'll just be going 'did they win anything?'

"No way should that manager and those players get that thrown at them. If anyone is going to get it thrown at them why they didn't win anything it's Daniel Levy and the board at Tottenham, because net spend of £29million is not acceptable for one of the biggest clubs in the country. Teams who come up and get promoted have a bigger net spend than that!"

The net spend in the last five years has been much more comparable to the rest of the big six in the Premier League, but Tottenham have not got close to the Premier League title or silverware, bar one Carabao Cup final appointment, since Pochettino left.

Tottenham defender Radu Dragusin has stated he will do everything he can "to come back stronger as soon as possible". The Romanian international underwent surgery on Tuesday on the anterior cruciate ligament injury that he sustained to his right knee in the recent Europa League win over Elfsborg.

The injury has unfortunately sidelined Dragusin for the remainder of the season, with Tottenham since boosting their defensive numbers following the addition of Kevin Danso from Lens. After going under the knife, Dragusin gave all Tottenham fans an update after uploading a picture from his hospital bed to his Instagram account.

"This morning, I successfully got through the surgery, which went perfectly. I am grateful to the entire medical team for their care and professionalism," penned the defender.

"At the same time, I am thankful for all the messages of encouragement and your continuous support. It’s wonderful to feel this kind of support.

"I will do everything I can to ensure a smooth recovery and come back stronger as soon as possible."

Speaking last week about his injury, Dragusin said: "Football gives you incredible moments, but also challenges—some harder than others. Unfortunately, I now face one of those challenges: a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in my right knee.

"That being said, one of the many things I’ve learned from this sport is that behind every obstacle hides an opportunity to learn and grow. Football doesn’t just teach you how to win—it teaches you how to fight when things get tough. A difficult period lies ahead, but I will come back stronger, and I will work hard every single day during my post-surgery recovery to make that happen.

"Even though I won’t be able to be on the pitch with my teammates, I will support them with all my heart—both at Tottenham and with the National Team. I have no doubt that they will keep fighting with determination to achieve our goals.

"I want to thank you all for your messages of support after my injury—those mean a lot and give me even more motivation. Also, yesterday was a special day for me, and the overwhelming number of birthday messages I received truly surprised and touched me. Thank you all for your kind words!"

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham by clicking here forin-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

For the first time since the middle of November, Tottenham have a clear week. Spurs have played weekend and midweek matches since November 23 and it has not gone well.

The run started with a 4-0 thrashing of Manchester City - Spurs had had an international break off before that game started a period of 22 games in 79 days - a match every three-and-a-half days.

Tottenham have won just seven times in those proceeding 21 matches - twice in the Europa League, twice in the Carabao Cup, once in the FA Cup and only twice in the Premier League.

They have endured horrendous luck with injuries in that time, being without Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Wilson Odobert for the entirety of that period (bar a few minutes in one and two games from the two centre-backs).

They have also had to do without the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Timo Werner, Richarlison, Ben Davies and Destiny Udogie for much of that spell, with James Maddison, Mike Moore, Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson also sidelined for long periods.

Head coach Ange Postecoglou has reiterated that his players are tired in the face of intense questioning about Spurs' predicament in the league and having gone out of both domestic cup competitions in the space of four days.

With no midweek game for the first time in more than two months, Postecoglou has given his players time off, with the players not in at Hotspur Way on Monday or Tuesday this week.

And when they return to the training pitch, they will be boosted by the return to training of five first-team players too, with news coming out of Spurs that Vicario, Udogie, Werner, Johnson and Maddison are ready to return.

Spurs take on Manchester United in the Premier League at the weekend, so what could their strongest XI look like? And perhaps just as importantly, what could the substitutes' bench look like?

Four of the five returnees would be deemed by many supporters as first-choice starters, with perhaps only Werner the one to sit on the bench.

Vicario's leadership at the back has been missed, while Udogie as a more natural left-back would slot straight back in, allowing Djed Spence to move over to right-back and offer Pedro Porro a rest. There is a real argument to suggest Spence is the better player right now anyway and deserves to be the starting right-back over Porro.

Unfortunately, the centre-backs do not look ready to return just yet, so no changes can be made in the heart of the defence.

In midfield, Maddison's creativity has been missed and he could slot straight back into the No.10 role. That would allow Dejan Kulusevski to get a much-needed rest too, as he may not be required to play in the forward line given Johnson's timely return too.

Tottenham XI vs Man Utd: Vicario; Spence, Gray, Danso, Udogie; Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison; Johnson, Tel, Son.

The eyes of the world will be on Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday when Tottenham and Manchester United go head-to-head in the capital. Both teams have endured disastrous seasons in the Premier League, thus leaving them languishing in the bottom half of the table after 24 games of the campaign.

Tottenham, who currently sit 14th in the standings, are one place and two points behind the Red Devils going into this weekend's game but they do have the opportunity to leapfrog them by collecting all three points. The pressure on Ange Postecoglou's shoulders is huge right now and he really has to achieve maximum points following last week's FA Cup and Carabao Cup exits.

As bleak as it looks for Tottenham at present, they can still record a top-half finish if they put a winning run together. The return of their injured players could prove key to their fortunes and the hope will be that fans see a much-improved Spurs in what remains of the term.

As things stand right now, teams such as Tottenham, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Manchester United, West Ham and Everton are grouped together in the bottom half as they bid to finish as high up the Premier League table as possible. So who exactly do the aforementioned teams play in their next five Premier League games? football.london takes a look below.

Tottenham

Sunday, February 16 - Manchester United (H)

Saturday, February 22 - Ipswich Town (A)

Wednesday, February 26 - Manchester City (H)

Sunday, March 9 - Bournemouth (H)

Sunday, March 16 - Fulham (A)

Tottenham have some huge games coming up on the calendar over the next month. Facing some tricky fixtures at home with both Manchester clubs and Bournemouth visiting the capital, the games away at Ipswich Town and Fulham are far from straightforward.

As Tottenham return to Europa League action in March, the Bournemouth and Fulham matches will directly follow European fixtures.

Brentford

Saturday, February 15 - West Ham (A)

Friday, February 21 - Leicester City (A)

Wednesday, February 26 - Everton (H)

Saturday, March 8 - Aston Villa (H)

Saturday, March 15 - Bournemouth (A)

Brentford have been very poor on the road this season having only claimed two wins from a possible 11 in the Premier League. As three of their next five fixtures are away from home, Thomas Frank's side will be hoping to put things right and ensure that they don't slip down the Premier League table.

While they have been a lot more impressive at home, Everton and Aston Villa will present them with real tests.

Crystal Palace

Saturday, February 15 - Everton (H)

Saturday, February 22 - Fulham (A)

Tuesday, February 25 - Aston Villa (H)

Saturday, March 8 - Ipswich Town (H)

Wednesday, April 2 - Southampton (A)

Crystal Palace's home form has been a source of frustration in 2024/25 after only winning two of their 12 home games. However, the upcoming home fixture against Everton, Aston Villa and Ipswich Town give them an opportunity to boost their numbers and climb up the standings in the process.

Manchester United

Sunday, February 16 - Tottenham (A)

Saturday, February 22 - Everton (A)

Wednesday, February 26 - Ipswich Town (H)

Sunday, March 9 - Arsenal (H)

Sunday, March 16 - Leicester City (A)

The appointment of Ruben Amorim as head coach has not resulted in a major change at Manchester United that some initially envisaged. The Red Devils are on course for their lowest ever Premier League finish and that could well become a reality if they fail to rack up the points in their next five league games.

Away games at Tottenham and Everton are tricky fixtures and the same goes for their home encounter against Arsenal.

West Ham

Saturday, February 15 - Brentford (H)

Saturday, February 22 - Arsenal (A)

Thursday, February 27 - Leicester City (H)

Monday, March 10 - Newcastle United (H)

Saturday, March 15 - Everton (A)

West Ham's form has continued to fluctuate despite Graham Potter taking on the top job at the turn of the year. The Hammers certainly have some winnable games on the calendar, with Brentford and Leicester City to come at the London Stadium before the month is out.

Everton

Wednesday, February 12 - Liverpool (H)

Saturday, February 15 - Crystal Palace (A)

Saturday, February 22 - Manchester United (H)

Wednesday, February 26 - Brentford (A)

Saturday, March 8 - Wolves (A)

Everton have improved massively since David Moyes replaced Sean Dyche at the helm and they have triumphed in their last three Premier League fixtures. After winning away at Brighton & Hove Albion in their last game on the road, Moyes will want his side to deliver strong performances and hopefully do likewise at Crystal Palace, Brentford and Wolves.

Goodison Park can be a very intimidating place for opposition and Liverpool and Manchester United will certainly be given stern tests over the next fortnight.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham by clicking here forin-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

The January transfer window may have closed for business eight days ago but planning for the future does not stop at Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs were active in the winter market after confirming deals for Antonin Kinsky, Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel.

Kinsky signed on a permanent deal until 2031 after moving from Slavia Prague, with Danso's move also becoming permanent in the summer after initially signing on loan. Tel also made the move to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on loan but Ange Postecoglou's comments do seem to suggest that the Frenchman is here for the long haul rather than just staying for a matter of months.

In terms of the Tottenham squad, a handful of players will be out of contract come the end of the season. As part of the planning for the 2025/26 season and beyond, Postecoglou, Johan Lange and the club will have to decide very soon whether to offer the players in question fresh terms or allow them to depart come the end of June.

football.london takes a look at the six players who Tottenham must makes decisions on over the next five months:

Mathys Tel

Tel's loan deal ends in June but Tottenham do have a £45.8million option in their agreement with Bayern Munich to make the move permanent. Speaking a matter of days after Spurs finalised a deal for the highly-rated Frenchman, Postecoglou said: "He'll be a Tottenham player, mate. He'll be a Tottenham player. I think he'll show everyone he's going to be a Tottenham player in the next six months. I didn't bring him here for six months."

Despite suffering two defeats in his first two games, the 19-year-old, who scored at Aston Villa last weekend, is happy with his start to life in the capital. Perhaps a very easy decision for Tottenham to make in the summer.

Timo Werner

Timo Werner looks set to add to Postecoglou's attacking options very soon after spending the past month out of action with a hamstring injury. The German has struggled to make a real impact for Spurs since returning to the club on a season-long loan deal and he can now no longer play for the team in the Europa League after being cut from the 25-man squad.

With a host of options ahead of him in the pecking order, a summer return to RB Leipzig looks on the cards rather than Tottenham opting to sign him permanently.

Sergio Reguilon

Sergio Reguilon would have departed Tottenham on a permanent basis in January in an ideal world due to his contract status. However, due to the amount of injuries Spurs have been dealt over the course of the season, the north London club couldn't afford to part with the Spaniard as they had to ensure they had sufficient cover in defence.

A summer exit will come to fruition and Reguilon should have plenty of options as he will be available on a free transfer.

Ben Davies

Ben Davies' Tottenham contract expires in the summer but it would appear that he will be remaining at the club for the 2025/26 campaign. football.london reported in November that Spurs have decided to take up a one-year extension on the Welshman's contract, although Spurs have not officially announced the extra year on Davies' contract just yet.

Maybe not a player in Tottenham's first XI when everyone is available, the experienced defender has performed so well when called upon by Postecoglou and he most definitely deserves to stay as a valued member of the squad beyond this campaign.

Fraser Forster

Fraser Forster's time at Tottenham could soon be coming to an end. The 36-year-old, who has served Tottenham well since joining in the summer of 2022, is out of contract in the summer and has dropped down the pecking order following the arrival of Kinsky.

Not only has the young Czech ace moved ahead of the veteran goalkeeper, Brandon Austin has also done likewise after some good showings for Tottenham in January. As he turns 37 in March and with highly-rated goalkeepers Josh Keeley and Luca Gunter also to consider, it probably is the perfect time for both parties to go their separate ways.

Alfie Whiteman

The time is probably also right for boyhood fan Alfie Whiteman to move on to pastures new. Whiteman currently has Guglielmo Vicario, Kinsky, Austin and Forster ahead of him in the pecking order, thus meaning he has very little chance of adding to his solitary Spurs appearance.

As the academy graduate has very little first-team experience to his name despite turning 26 back in October, a Tottenham exit will give him the chance to become an established first-choice goalkeeper elsewhere.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham by clicking here forin-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Tottenham Hotspur could dent Arsenal's chances of signing Matheus Cunha in the summer. The 25-year-old forward was heavily linked with several Premier League clubs during the January transfer window following his impressive performances for Wolves.

Cunha, who sees his contract at Molineux expire in June 2029, has featured 23 times in the English top flight this season, scoring 11 goals and providing four assists. Playing a key role in Vitor Pereira's side, the Brazil international has managed to drag Wolves out of the bottom three.

That said, they're far from safety, with just two points – and a significant goal difference – separating them from the relegation zone. Nevertheless, Cunha's eye-catching displays haven't gone under the radar, with Tottenham reportedly interested in securing his signature.

What's the latest?

According to Spanish newspaper Diario AS, the Lilywhites have joined Manchester United in the race to sign the Brazilian. The report states that Spurs and the Red Devils have been following Cunha 'very closely' ahead of a potential move in the summer.

It's said that Arsenal and Nottingham Forest approached Wolves in January regarding the forward's availability, but their enquiries were shut down. Cunha recently penned a new long-term contract at Molineux, but Diario AS insist that this 'doesn't close the door to an exit in the coming months' with a £60m relase clause apparently inserted into the deal.

What has Cunha said about his future?

"Of course, there was a lot of noise around what Matheus would do," said Cunha in an interview with the club's official website earlier this month. "I used my heart to make this decision, more than anything. It was my passion. I love being here.

"I feel so good here, with the love the fans give to me and my family. I always go to the pitch and try to give back. Everyone wants something more for their career, but I feel this is the moment to keep fighting and show everyone what we have."

Who could he play up front with?

Cunha could very well be the next new face Ange Postecoglou welcomes to Hotspur Way after wrapping up a deal for Mathys Tel. The 19-year-old forward joined Tottenham on loan from Bayern Munich in the final hours of the January transfer window.

football.london understands that Spurs managed to insert an option-to-buy clause into Tel's contract. Initially, there were suggestions that Tel would only play for Tottenham until the end of the season, but the Lilywhites pushed for a more long-term deal.

"Why I chose Tottenham? It was the best option for me," the Frenchman told the official club website. "I’m ready to play, I’m here, I’m ready to grow. It was the best option for me and now I’m very happy. I felt the commitment, I spoke with the President, the team manager, the coach and as I said, that was very important for me."

On Harry Kane and Eric Dier, Tel added: "They said, if you want to work here, you have everything. You can enjoy it. That’s good for me, because it’s a good opportunity to work, to learn every day... that’s what they told me."

For Tottenham Hotspur, moving to a new stadium back in 2019 was a move that it was felt was required in order for the club to keep pace with their ‘big six’ rivals.

Leaving White Hart Lane for the 62,850-seater Tottenham Hotspur Stadium may have been a wrench from a sentimental point of view, but the ability for the club to drive matchday revenues beyond £100million per season, and for commercial revenue to rise by 237% since the last full season of financials at the old ground.

Commercial revenue for Spurs, according to the recently-published Deloitte Football Money League report, stands at a club-record £256million, still above the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal, although the Gunners leapfrogged Tottenham thanks to a return to Champions League football.

While the goal for long-term growth very much has to have competitive success as part of it, Spurs’ stadium play means that they are in a strong financial position, and it's one they want to continue to see improve.

With broadcast rights starting to show some signs of stagnation, club owners know that they cannot rely on the boom-time of the 2010s, where the rights shot up each cycle. There is a limit to what broadcasters will be willing to pay due to a squeeze on funds in the face of the rise of piracy and loss of subscribers.

Stadium income is something clubs are targeting heavily, either through redevelopment or starting afresh. Spurs’ ability to do that allowed them to create a home from home for the NFL in London.

To have such a world-class stadium in London is something that has huge value potential for Spurs, and hosting other events outside of the football calendar forms part of the grand plan to keep commercial revenue moving in the right direction.

In 2023, one of the world’s biggest musical artists, Beyonce, played five nights at Spurs’ home. It was part of the highest-grossing tour for a female artist in history. The sell-out nights were a huge success and showcased what Spurs’ home had to offer away from football, with such success ultimately aiding the club’s bottom line and its ability to invest into the product that goes on the pitch.

"It’s a really competitive market," said Donna-Marie Cullen, executive director at Spurs, speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London last year, where football.london was present.

"Venues tend to have their own sweet spot. So, Wembley, if you are Taylor Swift you know that you will sell out two nights, so you’ll probably do Wembley. Beyonce probably could’ve done that but she preferred to do five nights, she preferred the more intimate setting that our stadium gives.

“In fact, that turned out to be the highest-grossing concert ever for any female artist. She made £42.5m for five nights at the stadium."

The success of hosting concerts and other events leads to the requirement for other ancillary development, with a hotel soon to be built at the stadium. That is something which will, again, add to the bottom line.

"Beyonce was a bit of a tipping point, actually," said Cullen. "The stadium operates a bit of a sweet spot in the market in terms of the size and how you can construct it for concerts, so we do boxing, we do concerts, rugby, NFL, visitor attractions, conferences, and events and we are about to start building a hotel.”

Beyonce returns this summer. The 43-year-old singer had initially planned four dates on June 5, 7, 10 and 12, but has now added two more dates on June 14 and 16 to make it a six-night run, with the success of the 2023 tour a huge part of that.

Also playing at the stadium this summer will be rapper Kendrick Lamar, who dominated the headlines on Sunday as he took to the stage as the main act for the Super Bowl’s halftime show in New Orleans.

He and singer SZA, who joined him at the weekend, will take in one night at Spurs on July 22 as part of their global ‘Grand National Tour’. It, like Beyonce’s dates, is expected to be a sell out, and Tottenham will reap the benefits of a summer of live music when it comes to commercial income.

What usually happens when stadiums are selected as part of arena tours is that the owners of the stadium will be paid a rental fee for its use by the tour promoters.

What then happens is a running total for the club throughout the evening, as merchandise sales and ticket sales, as well as clubs being able to, often, upsell for such things as hospitality to generate more revenue. To use the average, Liverpool stood to make more than £1million per evening from the sale of Taylor Swift merchandise during her three-night run at Anfield last summer.

According to estimates, Swift’s three nights at Anfield secured Liverpool between £7million and £10million. To use the additional capacity at Spurs, a conservative estimate for Spurs for six sell-out nights for Beyonce and one for Kendrick Lamar could be placed at around £12million to £15million, potentially more, and that during the summer at a time when there is low cash flow for clubs owing to a lack of matchday revenue, which for Spurs is often around £4.9million per game as an average, the highest in the Premier League and a major miss when games aren’t played at the stadium. It is why putting it to extra use is absolutely vital.

Other benefits for the club include the additional exposure that the stadium and team might get from hosting famous names, and that is something that could have an impact on the club in their bid to get a partner willing to pay what chairman Daniel Levy feels is fair for the naming rights to the stadium. To be able to host world-class artists as well as football and the NFL means that Spurs should be able to charge a lot more than most.

This summer looks set to be one of significant spend on the player recruitment front, and it also looks like being a banner year in terms of driving commercial revenues from making the most of what the stadium has to offer, and that is why Spurs have become the blueprint for what other European clubs want to achieve from their own stadia.

When Mathys Tel stretched out a leg to divert Dejan Kulusevski's curling cross past Emiliano Martinez on Sunday it was not enough to rescue the FA Cup fourth round tie but it did keep one unexpected Tottenham statistic going.

The 19-year-old had endured a tough night at Villa Park on his full debut, along with his new Tottenham team-mates, as their hosts went ahead through a Jacob Ramsey goal just 57 seconds in and then doubled their advantage in the second half with a close range Morgan Rogers effort.

Then in added time, with Tel having switched to play through the centre of the attack, the young Frenchman made a well-timed run in front of his defender and knocked home Kulusevski's cross from the right wing. Spurs huffed and puffed in the remaining minutes and could not find a last gasp leveller to force the game into extra-time.

What Tel's goal did do though was continue an unusual statistic that Liverpool remain the only side in all competitions this season to have beaten Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham by more than one goal.

Despite being the joint-third top goalscorers in the Premier League, Spurs have had far too many defeats in the competition this season, with 13 of their 24 games lost, but every game apart from the 6-3 defeat to Liverpool, has been by a narrow scoreline.

Postecoglou will be hoping that when he gets those 11 unavailable players back again, the narrow defeats will start turning into more positive results.

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

Mathys Tel has revealed he is "not scared about the future" after tasting defeat in his first two Tottenham games. Joining on loan from Bayern Munich on the final day of the January transfer window with an option to make the move permanent, the Frenchman debuted off the bench against Liverpool on Thursday evening.

Tel was then handed a start in Sunday's 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The 19-year-old opened his Spurs account in stoppage time with a well-taken volley in the box after Dejan Kulusevski had picked him out with a precise cross.

Tel will likely be handed another start on Sunday evening when Tottenham host Manchester United at home in the Premier League. Amid Tottenham's current woes with the team 14th in the table and now only remaining in one cup competition this season, the new man has admitted he knows the quality of his teammates and staff and he fully believes in them.

"Honestly, we are sad about the results, but I know the quality of my team-mates, the staff... I believe in them. I'm not scared about the future," he said in his interview with SPURSPLAY. "We play next week against Manchester [United] and we are going to do our jobs.

"We have to be better, to do much more on the pitch and we will see what happens. Our mentality doesn't move. We have to keep this energy and keep going until the end."

A difficult beginning to his Tottenham career in terms of the two cup exits, Tel has admitted that, despite the two defeats, it has been a good start to his time at Spurs after registering his first goal. That is something he believes is good for his confidence, which in turn could bode well for Ange Postecoglou's team going forward.

"It's a good start for me... without the defeats," he confessed. "It’s something special for me to play my first game at Anfield, a semi-final, and now my debut and a goal, honestly, that’s good for my confidence. My goal was good, I'm happy, but it's a difficult day. We have to keep going.

"This game was not easy. The opponent was very aggressive. We breathed until the end but, as I said, it wasn't easy. We can be better. We have to trust in ourselves and go to the end. That’s our mentality."

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