caughtoffside.com

Former Chelsea and Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino says he feels the Blues should be stripped of their Premier League title win in 2016/17.

The Argentine was in charge of Spurs at that point, with his side finishing second behind Chelsea in the title race that year.

Pochettino later went on to manage Chelsea, and he’s admitted that the fans of the west London giants probably won’t like him for coming out and saying what he’s saying.

Still, Pochettino feels it’s wrong that Chelsea were punished this summer for breaking rules regarding payments to agents between 2009 and 2022, but with no sporting sanction handed out.

Should Chelsea hand 2017 title over to Tottenham?

Pochettino feels that if Chelsea won due to cheating, then it’s only right that the team that finished second is now awarded the title for that season.

“For sure, we [Tottenham] deserve to be champions for that year because we were second best. We should have been awarded it. We should win one title, one Premier League,” Pochettino told the Telegraph.

Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust

“They [Chelsea] were punished, they admitted it, so that’s it. The title should be for the team that was second. It’s not me complaining, it’s the truth. We didn’t compete with the same rules.

“The Chelsea fans will be upset with me because I’m saying this. But if we were at Tottenham and broke the rules, I’d admit the same and say ‘look, we don’t deserve the title because we broke the rules’.”

Mauricio Pochettino open to Tottenham return

Pochettino is still loved by a lot of Tottenham fans, and it’s clear he’s still open to returning there in the future.

The 54-year-old says he was approached last season after the sacking of Thomas Frank, and he hopes the stars will at some point align so that he’s available when they also have a vacancy.

“The problem was that the timings were never the best,” he said. “When I was free, I never received a contact and then when I was working, I received a contact, but I cannot make the decision to come back.

“It was a little bit unlucky. But maybe one day the stars will align and it can happen. If I was free, of course, I would come. But I wasn’t free. I was preparing for the World Cup.”

Cody Gakpo is a target for Tottenham Hotspur this summer, and the player is open to a move.

According to Rik Elfrink, the player is ready to join the North London club and has already spoken with Roberto De Zerbi about a move.

Elfrink wrote on X: “Gakpo has, according to a usually well-informed source, already spoken with the Spurs coach last month. After that, the conclusion was that he is definitely open to a transfer to Spurs. Liverpool now seems willing to go along with it. There’s still good money in it for PSV, so interesting enough.”

Meanwhile, Mounir Boualin from Soccernews has confirmed that Tottenham have already submitted an opening offer of £60 million for the Liverpool star. It remains to be seen whether the Reds are willing to accept it.

Elfrink has already confirmed that Liverpool are ready to let the player leave for the right price. Gakpo is not an indispensable asset, but he has been a very useful player since joining the club. Liverpool will need to replace him properly.

They have yet to bring in a quality replacement for Mohamed Salah, and it remains to be seen whether they can bring in multiple attacking players in the remaining days of the window.

Meanwhile, Gakpo will hope to play regularly at a competitive level, and joining Tottenham could be ideal for him. They need more goals and creativity in the final third, and he could be a dynamic option for them. He can operate anywhere across the front three, and he could help them improve.

£60 million is a reasonable offer for a player of his quality, and it remains to be seen what Liverpool decide. He has shown his quality consistently in the Premier League, and he knows what it takes to play for a club hoping to win major trophies. He could prove to be the ideal acquisition for the north London club.

Tottenham have been very active in the market so far, and they have already spent in excess of £200 million. They are looking to wrap up the window by improving the attacking unit now.

Big money Tottenham signing Dominic Solanke could leave the club before the window shuts, with Nottingham Forest keeping a close eye on the player.

The former Bournemouth striker faces an uncertain future in North London as deadline day approaches, sparking significant transfer interest across the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest keeping tabs on Dominic Solanke

According to Dello Sport journalist Gianluigi Longari, Nottingham Forest are keeping a close eye on the profile of Dominic Solanke as they search for proven top-flight firepower.

Forest’s recruitment team is actively assessing the logistics of a deal for the 28-year-old forward, who has emerged as a high-priority target for Nuno Espírito Santo’s side.

Longari describes Forest’s interest as an “eye-catching” development late in the summer window, with the club exploring whether Spurs would entertain offers for the striker.

Eye-catching 🚨 Nottingham Forest #NFFC are keeping a close eye on the profile of Dominic Solanke, a striker leaving Tottenham.

Exc ? Il Nottingham Forest #NFFC guarda con attenzione al profilo di Dominic Solanke, attaccante in uscita dal Tottenham. pic.twitter.com/KuK5ybqxxS

— Gianluigi Longari (@Glongari) August 7, 2026

Solanke’s time at Spurs

The prospective move comes as a major surprise given that Solanke just joined Spurs two years ago in a marquee transfer worth up to £65 million from Bournemouth.

After arriving with immense expectations following a 19-goal Premier League campaign with the Cherries, Solanke endured an unpredictable first season at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Despite registering 16 goal contributions across 41 appearances in all competitions, rotation and tactical adjustments have led to speculation that Spurs could be open to sanctioning his exit for the right offer.

Spurs linked with Georges Mikautadze

Tottenham’s potential willingness to listen to offers for Solanke aligns with their ongoing pursuit of attacking reinforcements elsewhere.

Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust

Spurs are heavily linked with Villarreal forward Georges Mikautadze, with reports indicating that the North London club is actively exploring a deal for the Georgian star to revamp their front line.

If Tottenham succeed in securing Mikautadze or alternative attacking targets, Solanke’s starting spot would become further compromised.

With Nottingham Forest eager to bolster their goalscoring depth before the transfer deadline closes, a late deal for Solanke could solve problems for both clubs as the transfer window enters its final stages.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing the River Plate prodigy Ian Subiabre at the end of the season.

According to a report from El Transingiente, River Plate is unwilling to lose the Argentine prodigy and has set his asking price at €100 million. It remains to be seen whether Tottenham is prepared to make a move for him at the end of the season.

DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CAUGHTOFFSIDE APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAY

Ian Subiabre is an elite talent

Subiabre can operate as a forward and a dynamic winger across the front three. He is highly rated in South America, and he has a bright future ahead of himself. Tottenham would do well to secure his signature.

They need more quality and depth in the attacking unit, and the 19-year-old South American would be a long-term investment. He has the technical attributes to succeed in the Premier League, and he could develop into a key player for the North London club with the right guidance. Tottenham are looking to build for the future, and signing one of the most promising young players in South America would be a step in the right direction.

Subiabre asking price is an issue

However, the asking price is absurd for an unproven talent like him. There is no doubt that Subiabre is a promising young player, and he might be able to develop into a future star, but no club will want to pay €100 million for him now. It remains to be seen whether River Plate will be more reasonable with their demands.

The player is not against a potential move in the summer, and it remains to be seen how the situation develops. The opportunity to play in the Premier League could be exciting for him. Exposure to English football could accelerate his development and help him fulfil his tremendous potential.