Football.London

The last decade at Tottenham Hotspur has been one defined by significant change.

The decision of the club to leave White Hart Lane and press ahead with building a state-of-the-art new home has been, and will continue to be, transformational for the football club from a financial perspective.

Having a 62,850-seater stadium has helped satisfy demand and allowed Spurs to tap into lines of revenue that other clubs have not been able to do, most notably having the NFL sign a long-term deal to host games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium due to it being able to host such an event.

But, a Champions League final appearance in 2019 aside, competitive success at the very peak of the game has continued to evade the club, and while chairman Daniel Levy has long been noted to drive something of a hard bargain, a snapshot of the club’s manoeuvres in the transfer market over the last decade paints a picture of some underachievement.

Analysts at the Swiss-based CIES Football Observatory compiled the highest spenders and net spenders, and the lowest, across European football since 2015, a period completely dominated by the riches of the Premier League, with English football’s top flight accounting for a little over 28% of the overall spend across the continent, with the league’s spend standing at €23.02bn (£19.2bn) that has been committed in transfer fees during that period.

The huge media deals brought boom time in the 2010s and early 2020s, setting the English game on a trajectory to achieve near total financial dominance over the rest of Europe, even Spain’s La Liga.

Unsurprisingly, it is English clubs that dominate the spending list for the decade, but they also dominate the biggest net spend, the clubs that spend heavily and weren’t as strong at recouping what had gone out of the door.

In terms of the most committed by clubs for transfers between 2015 and 2024, Spurs sit seventh on the list at €1.41bn (£1.18bn). Only Barcelona, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Manchester City, and Chelsea have spent more, while Spurs’ outlay was larger than clubs such as Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Bayern Munich.

When it comes to net spend, the amount of funds committed against what was recouped through player sales, Spurs have posted the fifth-highest figure in Europe at €711m (£593.7m). Only Arsenal, PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester United have committed more.

What the Spurs spend points to, as it has done with Manchester United, is a lack of a coherent transfer strategy, and one where a high turnover of managers has led to tumult and poor value being achieved in the resale market, with the clubs in question often having to press the reset button when it comes to a squad overhaul with far more regularity than some of their rivals.

While the changing of managers and head coaches can be unavoidable, the theme that has remained the same for the clubs who have managed to fare better in terms of a negative net spend is having the strategy remain when it comes to the transfer market regardless of who is at the helm.

As clubs seek to try and maximise returns in the market and some signs already that the era of excess for many clubs may be starting to slow a little in the face of a potential shift in the media rights landscape over the next decade, finding ways to work smarter will become more commonplace, and Spurs’ figures show that they will have to have that at the front of mind, especially without the riches of regular Champions League football to rely on to support spending.

Guglielmo Vicario's Tottenham teammates have rallied around the goalkeeper after it was confirmed he suffered a broken ankle during their thumping 4-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday.

Spurs announced in a statement on Monday that Vicario, 28, has undergone surgery for a fracture in his right ankle and he is now expected to be out for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Vicario revealed in an Instagram post that he, in fact, played 60 minutes against City with the injury and was still able to keep a clean sheet.

"Sometimes football gives you its highs, and sometimes it challenges you in ways you don't expect," Vicario said. "I played 60 minutes at the Etihad with a broken bone in my ankle, giving absolutely everything I had for the team. Unfortunately there was no way around this one... I needed surgery.

"I'm disappointed I won't be able to help the team for a while. A massive thank you to the doctors and the staff. The operation went well, and from tomorrow I'll be working hard to come back stronger, fitter, and ready to give my all for you again. Thank you to the Spurs fans for all the love. See you soon on the pitch," with a flexed biceps emoji and football emoji.

Vicario's Tottenham teammates have shown support to him on Instagram after he revealed the extent of his ankle issue. In the comments section of his post, James Maddison said: "Back soon brother," followed by a white love heart emoji." Destiny Udogie added: "We'll be waiting for you brother," with a red love heart emoji.

Dejan Kulusevski posted a red love heart emoji, while Richarlison said: "Strong bro," alongside a raising hands emoji and a red love heart emoji. Manor Solomon, who is on loan at Championship side Leeds, continued: "Speedy recovery my brother," followed with a white love heart emoji.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, on loan at Marseille from Spurs, said: "Stay strong grande," alongside a red love heart emoji. "Forza". Former Tottenham defender Emerson Royal wrote: "Come on brother," with the fire emoji.

Dominic Solanke, Pedro Porro, Pape Matar Sarr were among the others to show their support for the Italian, who is now expected to miss a number of weeks, presenting a huge blow for Tottenham's top-four hopes.

Vicario's injury comes after Spurs thrashed City over the weekend, with a first-half James Maddison brace and goals from Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson after the break securing the win.

Fraser Forster looks set to get an extended run in the Tottenham team following the news that Guglielmo Vicario faces a spell on the sidelines. The Italian underwent surgery on Monday due to a fracture of his right ankle.

Vicario sustained the issue during a first-half collision with Manchester City ace Savinho as Spurs won 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening. The shot-stopper did manage to play on for the remainder of the match and the news that broke late on Monday evening came as a shock to Tottenham fans.

A statement from the club read: "We can confirm that Guglielmo Vicario has today undergone surgery for a fracture of his right ankle. Guglielmo will be assessed by our medical staff to determine when he can return to training. We're all behind you, Vic."

Vicario's absence looks set to see Forster take on the gloves with Tottenham facing a busy schedule in the Premier League, Europa League and Carabao Cup. The veteran goalkeeper has already made three appearances for the Lilywhites this term, with two of those coming in the Europa League and one in the late Carabao Cup win over Coventry City in September.

Brandon Austin and Alfie Whiteman will provide cover to the 36-year-old in the weeks ahead. Vicario's injury has seen some Tottenham fans question if the club can bring in a temporary replacement for the club's No.1

It is not uncommon for clubs to be given special dispensation to sign an emergency goalkeeper when they have no senior cover in the goalkeeping department. As per the Premier League handbook under rule V.7.6.2, it states: "The temporary transfer of a goalkeeper which in its absolute discretion the board may allow in circumstances it considers to be exceptional."

As Vicario is the only senior goalkeeper out injured at present, it is extremely unlikely that it would be classed as "exceptional" circumstances. That is because Tottenham have three other senior goalkeepers who are currently fit and available and part of the team's 25-man Premier League squad that was submitted after the closure of the summer transfer window.

Tottenham only named 23 players out of a possible 25 in their squad, with Vicario, Forster, Austin and Whiteman the four goalkeepers on the list. The north London club could well look to address the matter at the turn of the year when the January transfer reopens for business.

As we're now at the end of November, Premier League clubs will just have to wait over a month to add to their playing squad come the start of January.

Just as things were starting to look positive for Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, he's been hit with a major setback.

Less than 48 hours after his team shocked reigning champions Manchester City with a 4-0 victory at the Etihad, the Australian has discovered that goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is set for an extended period out of action following surgery on a fractured ankle.

In the immediate future, it's likely that 36 year old Fraser Forster will step in, with Spurs having two home games this week against Roma in the Europa League on Thursday and Fulham four days later.

Fortunately, there are a number of goalkeepers without a club that Postecoglou could turn to in hope of providing a short-term fix for Vicario's absence.

Here, football.london looks at four options that Tottenham could look at in the near future...

Keylor Navas

Keylor Navas only made six appearances for PSG last season before being released, but at 37, he would bring a wealth of experience to north London. The Real Madrid legend, who won three Champions League titles and a La Liga title with the Spanish club, is well versed in handling high-pressure situations at the top level.

He also has Premier League experience, having played 17 times on loan for Nottingham Forest in the 2022/23 season. The 114-cap Chilean international rejected a move to Al-Hilal last season, suggesting he's still driven by career legacy rather than money, and could prove to be an effective temporary solution.

Loris Karius

The name Loris Karius will forever be linked with the 2017/18 Champions League final, and unfortunately for him, it's not for positive reasons. After only making two appearances in his last two seasons at Newcastle, he was released by Eddie Howe this summer.

Despite doubts about his reliability, Postecoglou isn't one to worry about others' opinions. At just 31, Karius is well-acquainted with English football and should still have a burning desire to demonstrate why Jurgen Klopp brought him to Liverpool eight years ago.

Plus, he's readily available.

Edgar Badia

Edgar Badia has proven himself in La Liga and was a regular for Elche before losing his spot last year. This led to a loan move to Real Zaragoza, and Badia chose to end his contract with his parent club this summer.

This decision suggests that his hunger for first-team football is still strong. At 32, the former Spanish youth international shouldn't be out of form having played regularly since January, albeit in the Segunda Division, and might welcome the opportunity to rejuvenate his career in England.

Tomas Koubek

Tomas Koubek spent five years in the Bundesliga with Augsburg before leaving Germany this summer when his contract ended. He was the first choice only in his first season with the club, having previously played in Ligue 1 with Rennes.

With 11 international caps for the Czech Republic under his belt, the 32 year old still has a lot to bring to the table. However, having only played 15 club games since 2020, he would be a cost-effective option in terms of wages, but signing the former Sparta Prague player could also be a significant risk.

Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has shared a message on social media after undergoing surgery on his ankle on Monday.

The Italian star suffered the setback in a first half collision after Pedro Porro misjudged a header back to him and Savinho challenged the stopper for the ball. Despite staying on for the entirety of the match, he was seen limping when leaving the stadium after the game.

A fracture was later found in Vicario's ankle and Spurs confirmed an operation took place on Monday. "We can confirm that Guglielmo Vicario has today undergone surgery for a fracture of his right ankle. Guglielmo will be assessed by our medical staff to determine when he can return to training. We're all behind you, Vic," a statement read.

Taking to Instagram after going under the knife, Vicario shared a picture on the hospital bed. He wrote: "Sometimes football gives you its highs, and sometimes it challenges you in ways you don’t expect.

"I played 60 minutes at the Etihad with a broken bone in my ankle, giving absolutely everything I had for the team. Unfortunately there was no way around this one. I needed surgery.

"I’m disappointed I won’t be able to help the team for a while. A massive thank you to the doctors and the staff. The operation went well, and from tomorrow I’ll be working hard to come back stronger, fitter, and ready to give my all for you again. Thank you to the Spurs fans for all the love."

Vicario arrived at the club in the summer of 2023 from Empoli, replacing long-time number one Hugo Lloris as Ange Postecoglou's goalkeeper of choice. Saturday was the Italy international's 50th Premier League game and he was outstanding in helping Spurs keep a clean sheet at the Etihad Stadium.

Hugo Lloris has claimed that even his six months spent not playing under Ange Postecoglou showed him what Tottenham can achieve under the Australian.

Lloris spent the first half of Postecoglou's first season at Spurs watching on and training with the squad after the club signed the currently injured Guglielmo Vicario to replace him as he had signalled his intention to depart the north London outfit after more than a decade. That exit finally came in January this year with a move to MLS and Los Angeles FC.

However, in a recent interview with PA Sport, the former Tottenham captain said he saw enough of the vision that Postecoglou has for the club to know it can be a successful era in N17.

"I spent six months in the changing room, I was not even involved but I could enjoy the football vision of Ange," he said. "I still believe and I am still convinced you have to stick with this way and trust the process. The team and club is in a good position, they have talented players, different ages, different experiences but I still believe they can achieve something and win something.

"Part of the football world today, you have to deal with this expectation and I just hope and you don’t want to see the team affected by these things or the club affected.

"They have to be strong and stay together and make one in the club. And also I would say the fans need to trust the process because what we see, we enjoy. That is the football we want to see them playing and it’s not because of one bad result or two bad results that we need to question everything. You have to look about medium to long-term because I believe they can do it."

Tottenham are reportedly keen on signing Ajax right-back Devyne Rensch. The 21-year-old made his first-team debut in November 2020 and has since progressed to become one of the most sought-after young defenders in Europe.

Rensch made 27 appearances during his debut season in the Ajax first-team and has since played times for his boyhood club. Alongside this, Rensch has been capped twice by the Netherlands and is destined for a bright future in the game both at club and international level.

But there has been speculation that Rensch could leave Ajax. According to Spanish publication SPORT, Tottenham are among those interested in signing the right-back - with Liverpool and Barcelona also chasing his signature. Ange Postecoglou could be in the market to strengthen that area of the pitch despite the form of Pedro Porro.

Djed Spence and Archie Gray have both played in that position, with the latter being preferred in the Europa League so far this season after Postecoglou left Spence out of his squad for European games entirely. But Rensch would add an extra ounce of quality with his experience and also potential to get even better - and interest in the right-back could offer a further hint at Spence's future following his loan spells at Leeds United and Genoa last term.

Dutchman Rensch is a player who is comfortable on the ball, very fast both in and out of possession and impressive going forward. Speaking about the decision to leave Spence out of Tottenham's Europa League squad, Postecoglou said: “He’s disappointed. It was always going to be a difficult decision with the make-up of our squad currently. With the lack of club-trained players, we were always going to have to leave somebody out.

“Djed was the unfortunate one. But, at the same time, Djed has already played in the Premier League, and if you asked him at the start of the season where he sees himself, I think the fact he’s part of our squad and will play a huge part in our year as he has already, I don’t think he should take too much disappointment.

“Obviously, everyone wants to play, but in the end it was about team balance for us. We just feel that with the squad we’ve got, we’ve got some cover on the right side, some players that can cover on the left side.”

Interest in Rensch comes after Tottenham destroyed Manchester City 4-0 on Saturday. A first-half brace from James Maddison was added to by goals from Porro and Brennan Johnson as Spurs bounced back from the 2-1 defeat to Ipswich with a thumping win at the Etihad Stadium.

Tottenham have confirmed that Guglielmo Vicario has undergone surgery after injuring his ankle during the victory against Manchester City.

The Italian goalkeeper suffered the injury in a first half collision after Pedro Porro misjudged a header back to him and Savinho challenged the stopper for the ball. However, he played on as Spurs won 4-0 against Pep Guardiola's side and the 28-year-old could be seen to be limping when coming out for the second half and also when leaving the stadium after the match. A fracture was later found in Vicario's ankle and an operation took place on Monday.

The club said in a statement: "We can confirm that Guglielmo Vicario has today undergone surgery for a fracture of his right ankle. Guglielmo will be assessed by our medical staff to determine when he can return to training. We're all behind you, Vic."

Vicario arrived at the club in the summer of 2023 from Empoli, replacing long-time number one Hugo Lloris as Ange Postecoglou's goalkeeper of choice. Saturday was the Italy international's 50th Premier League game and he was outstanding in helping Spurs keep a clean sheet at the Etihad Stadium.

Now Tottenham will have to do without him for a spell with Fraser Forster set to step up between the sticks for the north London side. Forster may well have been in goal for Thursday night's Europa League game with Roma, having been between the sticks for the last outing against Galatasaray, but now Spurs will have to call upon the veteran shotstopper for a more extended period of time.

There were goals galore for Tottenham's loan players as a number of them couldn't stop scoring or setting up goals for their sides.

Spurs have got 14 players out on loan in the Football League, Spain and Belgium as well as a trio of young goalkeepers getting experience in non-league football. All of the loan players are either trying to get the attention of Ange Postecoglou, earn themselves a move to another club or are members of the development squad enjoying opportunities to further their experience.

There's also Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg on loan at Marseille, but with an obligation to move to the Ligue 1 club we're going to only mention him in passing occasionally. In contrast, we're including Luka Vuskovic in our round-up each week even though he hasn't officially arrived at Spurs yet, because the teenage defender is playing alongside Tottenham's Alfie Devine at Westerlo anyway.

football.london has taken a look at how Spurs loan players got on over the past week.

Bryan Gil (Girona)

Bryan Gil was in sensational form in Girona's 4-1 win at home against Espanyol in La Liga, weighing in with a goal and two assists before coming off in the 72nd minute.

The 23-year-old opened the scoring just four minutes into the match, running towards the Espanyol box and striking a powerful low shot into the bottom right corner of the net. Then on 15 minutes, Gil showed his tenacity to follow up one blocked cross by getting another in from the byline which Bojan Miovski tapped in from close range.

The young winger's magical 20 minutes continued with in a great one-two, ending with a pinpoint, chipped cross into the six-yard box for Miovski to knock home again. The hosts were 4-0 up by the half hour mark and that was pretty much the game done and dusted until the visitors' late consolation goal.

Girona are back in Champions League action on Wednesday evening as they travel to Sturm Graz. Gil has played 16 times now for Girona this season, contributing three goals and three assists across his 1,038 minutes.

Alejo Veliz (Espanyol)

Alejo Veliz was on the other side of the defeat to his Tottenham team-mate Gil's Girona side as Espanyol collapsed during that opening half hour.

The 21-year-old striker played 64 minutes up front but was unable to make a dent in the scoreline. Veliz has scored four goals in 14 appearances in all competitions this season for Espanyol.

Alfie Devine and Luka Vuskovic (Westerlo)

Alfie Devine got off the mark for Westerlo with two goals in their 4-0 home win against Kortrijk in the Jupiler Pro League.

The 20-year-old netted an absolute beauty before half-time, controlling a cross on the run inside the box before smashing a shot into the top left corner of the goal. For his second goal, he followed up a saved shot and rammed the loose ball into the back of the net on 70 minutes.

In a busy performance over his 84 minutes on the pitch, as well as his two goals the midfielder had eight touches in the opposition box, won three tackles and recovered the ball four times.

Luka Vuskovic helped Westerlo to a clean sheet at the other end with three clearances and had two shots himself at the visitors' goal. He had the highest pass success rate of anyone in a Westerlo shirt with 85.7% and made 49 passes, the second highest amount on the pitch. He made six successful long passes from the 10 he attempted.

Manor Solomon (Leeds United)

Manor Solomon had a day to remember as he bagged two goals for Leeds in their 4-3 win at Swansea in the Championship.

The Israel international swept home the ball from Dan James' pass in the 19th minute to level the score. With the goals going in at both ends, Solomon put Leeds into a 3-2 lead with a close range finish into the roof of the net.

Solomon went off in the 75th minute and Leeds almost messed it up after the 25-year-old's exit, conceding an 89th minute equaliser, but less than a minute later found a last-gasp winner through Wilfried Gnonto.

Solomon's performance was handed an eight in Leeds Live's player ratings, with a review that read: "Two goals and the ideal platform for him to now build from through the winter. They were finishes he would be expected to bury, but he did so emphatically. Not always involved in the build-up, but at the sharp end of the attacks when they did hit the box."

The Israel international has so far made nine appearances and provided two goals and one assist across 458 minutes, having missed a spell of games with a hamstring injury.

Dane Scarlett (Oxford United)

Dane Scarlett remains on the goal trail after getting his season up and running with Oxford United.

While it was only a consolation in his side's 6-2 defeat to Middlesbrough in the Championship, the 20-year-old came off the bench seven minutes into the second half and arrowed an excellent low finish into the bottom left corner from inside the box.

That strike meant he has scored four goals in seven matches, as well as his goal for England U21s against the Netherlands last week.

Scarlett got praise in the Oxford Mail's player ratings for his display with a rating of six with the review: "His goal gave hope for an unlikely comeback, while he offered a presence up top."

The Spurs attacker has now played 12 games for Oxford, scoring four goals in the Championship across 426 minutes.

Ashley Phillips (Stoke City)

Ashley Phillips got another 90 minutes under his belt as Stoke drew 1-1 at QPR in the Championship on Saturday.

The 19-year-old has become a regular starter in recent weeks under head coach Narcis Pelach and his performance earned a seven from Stoke-on-Trent Live's player ratings after the draw.

"The young defender made a big impact in the first half. Showed composure and stood up to the task well as QPR poured forwards at the end of both halves. Aerially dominant and kept his cool when under pressure," read his review.

Phillips has made nine appearances for Stoke, getting 695 minutes to his name and a lovely back-heeled goal in the Carabao Cup against Southampton.

Jamie Donley and Josh Keeley (Leyton Orient)

Goalkeeper Josh Keeley made it back-to-back clean sheets as he made his fifth straight start for Leyton Orient in League One.

The 21-year-old has become a key part of Richie Wellens' plans in recent weeks, having fought his way into the starting XI with some sparkling cup displays.

Unfortunately Jamie Donley is having no such luck under Wellens, with his game time having dropped off a cliff in the past month.

The 19-year-old has been left out of the squad in three of Orient's past four league games and in the other one, only came on for the game's final moments.

If this continues it seems more than likely that Tottenham will be looking for a different loan move in the January transfer window for the talented teenager, who was in demand during the summer and is likely to be the subject of plenty of interest from clubs across the Football League.

Matthew Craig (Barnsley)

Matthew Craig has found starts hard to come by in recent weeks at Barnsley and has spent the past couple of games as an unused substitute.

The 21-year-old has still racked up 15 appearances during his loan in League One, with two of those coming in the Carabao Cup, and he has 862 minutes to his name.

George Abbott (Notts County)

In League Two, George Abbott once again got another 90 minutes under his belt as a defensive midfielder in Notts County's 0-0 draw at home against Newport County.

The 19-year-old has made 13 appearances in the league, with one assist from his defensive position, and played in an FA Cup win this month as County saw off Alfreton 5-1 in the first round of the competition.

Carey Bloedorn (Aveley)

Nineteen-year-old Spurs goalkeeper Carey Bloedorn pulled off his second penalty save but couldn't prevent Aveley from going down 2-0 at Hampton & Richmond in National League South side.

Bloedorn has played 15 times now in the league for Aveley since making his first loan move out of Spurs.

Elliot Krasniqi (Bishop's Stortford)

Another 19-year-old goalkeeper has been out on loan in non-league football as Elliot Krasniqi continues to get starts for Bishop's Stortford in the South League Premier Central Division.

The teenager kept a clean sheet at the weekend as Stortford beat Barwell 1-0. He is on a month's loan, which began on November 12, and the club are looking to try to extend his loan after he helped them win three matches in a row with his eye-catching displays.

Charlie Warren (Barton Rovers)

Another young Spurs goalkeeper, Charlie Warren, who is just 17-years-old, is currently getting his first experience of senior football at Southern League Division One Central side Barton Rovers, where he will remain until at least the end of December.

The teenager got a weekend off as the team had no fixture but he will be looking forward to getting back in action after impressing for his new side.

Ange Postecoglou already knows his Tottenham squad will receive a major boost over the coming months. At the weekend, Spurs put in a dominating performance to beat Premier League champions Manchester City at Etihad Stadium and avoid a run of three consecutive defeats.

James Maddison (x2), Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson all scored in the 4-0 win with Tottenham going up to sixth and three points off top four in the league table. Following the triumph, Postecoglou was full of praise for his players following two consecutive defeats before the November international break.

"I thought in all four areas we got to a really strong level today where the players were really determined, after a disappointing game last time and we just got back to our core beliefs as a team. Credit to the lads. I thought they were just outstanding out there today," the Tottenham boss said in a press conference.

"We knew that in the first 10 minutes they'd come out flying, especially with the four losses they've had were away from home. So being at home, there'd be an energy in the stadium. We were going to have to weather the storm, which I thought we did fairly well and then we just grew into the game.

"I'm just so pleased for the players, for the belief they have in trying to play the way we want to and then you get a reward like that. I think it just furthers hopefully our progression." Considering their key absences, with Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Rodrigo Bentancur all out, it was a truly exceptional result.

Wilson Odobert, Mikey Moore and Richarlison were also unavailable for the clash. Those six players missing out leaves the Lilywhites somewhat light out wide and in the centre of defence, but that will certainly change very soon. In December, Yang Min-hyeok will arrive at Spurs from K League 1 side Gangwon FC.

The 18-year-old winger looked set to join in the January transfer window with his switch having already been announced, but the man himself has confirmed he will make the move early. "I will leave [for England] on December 16," he said speaking at the end of the K League season.

"Tottenham wanted me to come over early, so I will take some time off before heading over. I will focus on getting acclimated as soon as possible." Alongside that, another exciting teenager will soon make his long-awaited arrival at Tottenham after initially being signed over 12 months ago.

Back in September 2023, Spurs confirmed they had agreed a deal with Hajduk Split for Croatian wonderkid Luka Vuskovic. The defender is in the midst of a second loan spell since becoming a Tottenham player and is currently enjoying a fruitful period in Belgium at Westerlo with four goals to his name from centre-back.

Though Tottenham have already spent money to sign both, upon their official arrival, no further immediate fees will be spent with the duo potentially to form part of the club's core for the next decade.