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Tottenham star already agrees to leave club in summer 2025 transfer window

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Tottenham star already agrees to leave club in summer 2025 transfer window - Hotspur HQ
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It has been a nightmare of a 2024/25 season for Tottenham, who came into the campaign with high hopes after a fifth-placed rebound 2023/24 campaign under first-year Spurs coach Ange Postecoglou, who left the club with significantly more positives than negatives.

Now, though, it has all soured for Postecoglou, and even if Tottenham salvage something out of the season by winning the Europa League, the former Celtic coach is expected to see himself out the door of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the end of the season.

Postecoglou isn't the only one to blame, nor will he be the only one to suffer the consequence with a Spurs exit. There are a number of players on thin ice as Spurs sit 16th in the Premier League table with a mere handful of matches left in the campaign, and the most prominent of those names is center back Cristian Romero after he pretty much said he's out in an interview on the club's grounds.

Cristian Romero has told Atletico Madrid he wants to join

To make matters worse, it looks like Romero is accelerating his own departure from Tottenham for his dream move to LaLiga and specifically to Atletico Madrid, coached by compatriot Diego Simeone. Relevo's Matteo Moretto reports that Cristian Romero has given his "yes" to Atletico Madrid for a summer 2025 transfer to the Spanish capital.

It remains to be seen if a transfer will actually come to fruition, but, as they say, where there is smoke, there is fire. And there is a whole lot of smoke coming out of Atleti in the transfer rumor mill right now, and it is coming quite quickly.

At 26 years old, Romero is entering his prime and has a good track record of success in both Serie A and the Premier League. Atletico Madrid, moreso than Tottenham and other clubs, can afford the negatives with how aggressively Romero plays, and Simeone actually values that traits a lot, looking at the center backs he has recruited to the club over the years like Diego Godin and Stefan Savic.

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1 Tottenham: Player ratings as Brennan Johnson, Archie Gray struggle

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Liverpool 5-1 Tottenham: Player ratings as Tottenham fade quickly following surprise lead - Hotspur HQ
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Tottenham took an early lead but Liverpool came back strongly to win the Premier League in style. There was not much fight from Tottenham in response, as Spurs fell 5-1 at Anfield. Here are the player ratings:

GK Guglielmo Vicario

Struggled with corners and with distribution, which has been a feature this season. Lack of movement in front of him did not help with distribution but several times this put us in trouble. Difficult to single Vicario out for the goals but did not look in command of his area at all. Certainly he will finish the season as number 1, but questions do need to be asked for next season following recent form. Rating: 4

RB Djed Spence

Unusually static game for Djed Spence. He got caught out early on with a few diagonal balls and that set the tone. Stood still for the 5th goal, although there were several others doing exactly the same. Summed up a performance lacking energy with a tame effort which seemed to take an age to roll wide at 5-1 down. Rating: 3

LB Destiny Udogie

Like Spence, he got caught early on with a few diagonal balls. Looked positive going forward at times, but struggled defensively. Too easily beaten by Salah cutting inside for the 4th goal, and misplaced a pass for the 5th goal. Passing out from the back was inaccurate throughout. Rating: 4

CB Kevin Danso

Defenders are not helped by our tactics at all. Kevin Danso was not particularly poor today but looked nowhere near the quality needed to repel Liverpool's attack. Has been promising for Spurs this season at times, so difficult to say whether it was the quality of the opposition, the Europa game ahead, or just a poor game. Rating: 4

CB Ben Davies

Ben Davies was lucky to get away with some poor clearances even before we started shipping goals. Similar to Danso, offered only passive resistance to Liverpool attacks. Rating: 4

CM: James Maddison

Did seem industrious and busy. Put in two great deliveries for Solanke, one of which resulted in a goal and the other a save. From then on, he was largely ineffective. Maddison has great ability and does always look to create. Today though, he was part of a midfield that was simply overwhelmed. Rating: 5

CM: Lucas Bergvall

Not his best game and completely overrun by the opposition. At least, still showed his usual composure on the ball and the ability to glide away from opponents at times. Very weak header from a corner to give away a goal though. Bergvall was under a bit of pressure but seemed to turn away from the ball, and could barely have headed it into a worse area. Rating: 5

CM: Archie Gray

Has been asked to do a lot this season. Looked assured in the midfield early on but faded very quickly after Liverpool took control. Off the ball, he struggled. Caught out with the through ball for Liverpool’s first goal, and weak with the challenge for the second goal, albeit after a terrible pass from Tel. Rating: 4

RW: Brennan Johnson

Has struggled for form for a while. Took a long time to get into the game. Far too often when he does have the ball on the wing, Johnson just rolls it into the box regardless of the situation. Just before half time, he spun away from Robertson and put in a good cross which nearly resulted in a goal for Tel or Solanke. With 10 mins to go, he did the same despite no one being in a position to receive it. Much more situational awareness is needed. Rating: 4

CF: Dominic Solanke

Perfect header for the goal. We don’t score many from corners. Was under pressure but showed strength to score against his former club. Had another chance from the Johnson cross that took an unlucky deflection away from him. Aside from that, lots of the usual effort but not much threat. Rating: 6

LW: Mathys Tel

Tel was bright early on, showing some of that quickness of thought. Drove at defenders when he had the ball. Didn’t produce but, like Maddison, still at least gives the feeling he is capable of something. However, Tel played a terrible pass for Liverpool's second goal. It was very high-risk and a ball inside in that situation was always likely to get punished. That type of pass is a feature of our style under Ange and it has cost us all season. It did again here. It will be one reason Tottenham are likely to look elsewhere for a manager next season. Rating: 5

Substitutions: Richarlison, Oddobert, Kulusevski, Sarr.

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Another Tottenham starter could join Cristian Romero in LaLiga

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Another Tottenham starter could join Cristian Romero in LaLiga - Hotspur HQ
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The summer 2025 transfer window promises to be another busy one for Tottenham, and while it is difficult to say exactly who will stay and who will go before the future of manager Ange Postecoglou is sorted out, it isn't entirely impossible to start speculating on which key players could be out the door.

Even though Tottenham could still qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League title this season, the 2024/25 campaign has to be seen as an outright disaster by a Spurs team sitting in the bottom five and only safe from relegation due to the sheer futility of the three recently promoted sides (whose fates have already been sealed).

Even though he is one of the best players in the current squad, vice captain Cristian Romero could be headed for the exit door after giving an interview on the Spurs grounds in which he admitted that he is eyeing a dream move to LaLiga. Normally, this wouldn't cause a meltdown, but fans are rightfully upset that a leader made those comments on team facilities at a time when the club is in crisis and still has a lot to play for.

Atletico Madrid want Rodrigo Bentancur and Cristian Romero

The Romero transfer rumors have now begun in full swing, and Tom Allnutt of The Times is the latest journalist to report of interest abroad. Per Allnutt, LaLiga giants Atletico Madrid are indeed interested in signing Romero this summer. Not only that, but he reports that Diego Simeone's side is also interested in center midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur.

Although Bentancur isn't as touted as Romero, he is more consistent and has been a more steady part of the squad in recent weeks, as Romero had costly defensive lapses in losses to Wolves and Nottingham Forest.

Both players are seen as starters, and while Romero is more touted than Bentancur, the latter seems to be in better graces with Tottenham fans. He would have a role as a future rotational piece, even if he's not quite at the caliber of a weekly starter for a club that wants to make the Champions League in England, as fans have not soured on him the way they have with Romero in light of those comments and blown defensive errors in the Premier League.

Bentancur and Romero are both solid players who are important to Spurs, but neither can be considered world-class or untouchable. Romero may not want to even be here, while Bentancur is part of a midfield that needs an upgrade and is already revved up for a future change after the injections of prospects Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray this past summer.

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Tottenham can sign one of the best Premier League CBs for free

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Tottenham can sign one of the best Premier League CBs for free - Hotspur HQ
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Tottenham have a strong group of four center backs right now with starters Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, as well as winter 2024 signing Radu Dragusin and highly promising winter 2025 addition Kevin Danso.

However, Dragusin's future seems to be outside of North London while Romero has made it clear that despite being vice captain of Tottenham at a true crisis point for the club, his mind is elsewhere. Besides Van de Ven and Danso, the others are not safe, and Spurs could be looking for a more stable center back who makes fewer mistakes than Romero if they decide to grant the Argentinian international's dream and sell him.

Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi has been one of the most coveted names in the Premier League over the past few windows, though the Eagles have been able to rebuff all interest in the accomplished England international to this point.

Tottenham are 'keen' on Marc Guehi

Guehi's name has been floated around before as a possible Tottenham transfer target, and now Fabrizio Romano is also stating that Spurs are still "keen" on signing the talented 24-year-old, as are fellow Premier League clubs Chelsea and Newcastle.

Fab states that if Crystal Palace can't agree on a transfer fee this summer window, Guehi could leave the club for free in 2026. He would be eligible to sign in the winter on a pre-contract deal if he does not sign an extension with Palace or otherwise agree to a transfer prior to the January window.

Tottenham should be all over this. They could either get Guehi, who is rated as a 45 million euro player by Transfermarkt, at a cut price, or they could outright get him for free if Crystal Palace try to play hardball. Chelsea have been trying to sign Guehi back for years and Newcastle were close to getting him last summer, so Tottenham will have to be in a bidding war.

Spurs can't miss out on another ideal signing

But after losing out on a sure thing last summer in current PSG star Desire Doue, Tottenham fans will be gunning for Spurs to go after Guehi if there is any chance of nabbing him. Guehi is a proven commodity against the best Premier League strikers and is having another above-average season for Crystal Palace.

The dream would obviously be to sign Guehi for free, and there's no doubt that this avenue would be Daniel Levy's preference. But if it's the difference between Guehi and no Guehi, then Tottenham should sign the best possible Romero upgrade this summer at that, likely, discounted rate.

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3 Tottenham players on thin ice before the summer transfer window opens

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3 Tottenham players on thin ice before the summer transfer window opens - Hotspur HQ
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Tottenham are approaching a crossroads, as they currently sit 16th in the Premier League and are staring down a sea of necessary changes in the summer. From manager Ange Postecoglou to some of the club's biggest names, nobody at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium can be considered truly safe after such a disastrous Premier League campaign.

But there are some notable names who are less safe than others. As the weeks tick down on the 2024/25 season, here are three Tottenham players for whom the ice is especially thin, already forming precariously thin cracks in the surface.

LW Son Heung-min

Son Heung-min is one of the Premier League icons of the 2010s and the main reason for Spurs reaching the 2018/19 Champions League Final against Liverpool. A consistent goal-scorer and creator out wide, Son was even a successful striker in the 2023/24 season under Ange Postecoglou in the first campaign without Harry Kane.

He actually started the 2024/25 season pretty well, but his play fell off a cliff some time around January 2025. Son has scored just two goals in the calendar year of 2025 thus far, and his latest injury absence is highlighting a sad reality that Tottenham may be better off without him.

There are clubs in Saudi Arabia willing to spend 50 million euros on Son, and with the forward set to turn 33 years old this summer, that may be too good of a deal for Spurs to pass up on. And for just around that same fee - and potentially even less - Tottenham could secure the signing of a younger, more promising, and arguably already more effective left winger in Bayern Munich loanee Mathys Tel.

CM Yves Bissouma

The future looks bleak for Yves BIssouma at Tottenham, as the center midfielder has already been phased out of a regular starting role in the 2024/25 season. Bissouma has started 15 games with 9 appearances off the bench, becoming a rotational player - and not a very effective one, at that.

Purely a minute-eater in midfield who fits a mid-table Premier League club better than one with ambitions of the top four (though, sadly, Spurs aren't even mid-table at this point), Bissouma hasn't even registered a single assist this season.

He doesn't do anything particularly well other than make some tackles and dribble the ball here and there. His effectiveness as a progressor is merely average, his defending his more serviceable than great, and he offers no real creative solutions to the Tottenham midfield. If Spurs can find a willing transfer partner, they are better off moving on and using the money on a real midfield controller.

CB Cristian Romero

Although Cristian Romero is one of Tottenham's best players, he is already antagonizing himself to Spurs fans. Everything is on the line at this point for Spurs, and the club need to find out who really wants to be here to build something. It doesn't seem like Romero is, because the vice captain said in an interview on the Tottenham grounds that he is thinking of a dream move to LaLiga.

Well, it's hard to see Real Madrid or Barcelona wanting a player who makes costly errors on a regular basis, undermining the clear talent he has. Romero recently delivered disasterclass performances in Spurs losses to Wolves and Nottingham Forest, further raising questions as to how much he actually wants to be at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium beyond 2024/25.

Romero isn't a priority to sell, since he is a very good footballer. However, he isn't untouchable and may not be better than backup Kevin Danso. So for the right offer, Romero is expendable, and he is one of only a few likely sales who could actually fetch a decent return on the transfer market.

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6 Tottenham players who would benefit most from Glasner replacing Postecolgou

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Who would benefit the most from Oliver Glasner replacing Ange Postecoglou? - Hotspur HQ
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Even with a hypothetical Europa League trophy at the end of the season, it seems to be the end of the road for Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur. The Australian manager's low winning rate this season would be enough to jeopardize his future at White Hart Lane, even if he wins a trophy for Spurs after 25 years.

From the managers speculated in a substitute list, the Austrian Oliver Glasner, currently manager at Crystal Palace, has been linked with the lilywhites in the past and could be a surprising candidate to take over the helm. According to sources, Glasner even has a 17 million euro release clause in his contract, which could facilitate a transfer to the North London club.

In the faithful, or rather likely, event of Ange getting sacked, and Glasner were to become Tottenham Hotspur's next manager, who would benefit the most from the Austrian turning into the new boss?

Pedro Porro

Pedro Porro would immensely benefit from Oliver Glasner becoming Tottenham Hotspur, assuming that the Spanish international would stick around White Hart Lane. While playing for Sporting Lisbon under Ruben Amorim, the now Manchester United boss, Porro thrived as a right-back, a position that drew Spurs' attention to his profile with Antonio Conte at the helm.

With Pedro Porro adapting to a right-back role, or inverted fullback with Ange, I believe he has enough skills on the ball to adjust to central positions. However, his biggest issue lies in his defensive abilities, as is well known. More specifically, Ange's scheme requires the fullbacks to transition frequently, which aligns more with Udogie's profile rather than Porro's. With the Spaniard eventually returning to a role he is most accustomed to, and one that does not overexpose him defensively, would be highly beneficial.

Radu Drăgușin

Radu Drăgușin has had his fair share of criticism since joining Spurs, which is well-justified to an extent. The Romanian center-half does possess the same composure in possession of Romero's nor Micky Van de Ven's engine, which are both essential to Ange's tactics on and off the ball. Hence, when he was obligated to step up amidst the injury crisis, he struggled massively. For instance, Kevin Danso adjusted way better and way quicker than Radu.

However, a transition to a back-three would be extremely positive for him. With a more established defensive line and less responsibility in possession as a central defender, Radu Drăgușin could focus on his most prominent traits: physical and aerial duels. With that in mind, I believe Radu could do some good with a schematic change at Spurs.

Rodrigo Bentancur

It is undeniable that Rodrigo Bentancur's best time at Spurs was during the Conte era, when he played as an 8 in the Italian's 3-4-3 system. The Uruguayan is still that same player; however, he does not thrive as a single pivot in Ange's system, even though he has the on-the-ball abilitiy to do so.

To have a particular skillset does not necessarily mean that it is the best position for you, and I think that is the case with Bentancur. It still bothers me that people keep asking for Spurs to sell the South American, mainly because he was likely the second-best player at the club, apart from Harry Kane, during the previous manager's tenure. With a different system and him returning to the number 8 role, Bentancur could be back to his best at Spurs.

James Maddison

Madders was unquestionably Spurs' best player when the Ange Era began. With overwhelming performances and killer instincts, the former Leicester player has proved why Tottenham paid for his services. That standard was unfortunately interrupted after that first injury against Chelsea. However, it is still possible to see some sparks of that player, even though not to the same level of consistency.

Now, with Glasner behind the wheel, I believe one thing that would benefit Madders the most is taking his responsibility during the build-up. Often, more times than not, James Maddison drifts behind the midfield to support the build-up, which distances him from taking more threatening positions close to the opponents' half-spaces. As a genuine number 10, similar to Eze's role at Crystal Palace, the Englishman could prove more useful in those areas.

Son Heung-min

Sonny has arguably not been the same player in recent years. He no longer has the same speed, which hinders his ability to adapt to Ange's touchline winger profile. In fact, I was more of a fan of Sonny playing close to the box, similar to his first year under the Australians' tenure.

Not particularly as a striker, but as a second striker, which is similar to the role he played under Mourinho, Sonny can be way deadlier as he was a duo to Harry Kane. The truth is that Son was never the 1v1 machine profile, but his speed, which is no longer there, and especially his shooting abilities with both feet, were always his best traits. Therefore, the closer to the goal, the better, which is precisely what Glasner could bring to Tottenham.

Mathys Tel

Similar to Sonny's, although it is not a guarantee that Tel will be at White Hart Lane next season, the Frenchman could also be more effective playing in central areas close to the box. His speed, spatial awareness, and shooting potential could be a difference maker for him at Spurs.

Therefore, I thought Tel was the perfect honorable mention for this list, as he is an attacker who has been mistakenly used as a touchline winger by Ange. Just like Bentancur, he can indeed do that role, but it is not the one I think he can truly thrive in Lilywhite.

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Why Yves Bissouma can't start for Tottenham in 2025

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Why Yves Bissouma can't start for Tottenham in 2025/2026? - Hotspur HQ
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I have once been a Yves Bissouma believer; however, I can honestly admit that I have left the hype train a long time ago. When Ange Postecoglou arrived at Tottenham, Bissouma seemed like the perfect prototype for the Australian's do-it-all single pivot.

Since AngeBall relies heavily on physicality and control, Bissouma appeared to be a ready-made player for Ange to have a safeguard at midfield. A player dictates tempo, makes the connection between the center-halves and the inverted full-backs, and also provides a safety blanket in case of a turnover. To a certain extent, the Mali international was precisely that in the first eight matches of last season, or the most prominent spell of Ange Postecoglou at White Hart Lane.

Bissouma was the perfect engine that made Spurs' midfield tick correctly, as Ange would like, and his runs forward and ball control gave me goosebumps comparing him to Mousa Dembélé, which I now realize was a completely out-of-proportion comparison. But, to be fair, Bissouma was playing at a very high standard, and no one seemed to be able to take the ball away from him.

However, there was a clear divider in Bissouma's Spurs career, and no, it was not the Chelsea match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It was the 0-1 win at Luton in early October, with a solitary goal from Micky Van de Ven, where Bissouma made a poor tackle and left Spurs with 10 men. However, since that moment, he has never been the same player as before.

Indeed, many things have happened since then, but Yves Bissouma has never truly shown the potential he showcased at the beginning of the 2023/2024 season. On the ball, for instance, the Spurs' number 8 would often be overly confident at times and made some poor decisions, such as the goal he conceded to Grealish at the Etihad in December 2023. While off the ball, Bissouma would constantly fail to track the opponents' runs behind his sector and provide too much space for easy shots from outside the box.

The numbers don't lie either

But 2024/2025 was the year I unfortunately gave up on him. Last season, Bissouma played 2.083 minutes in only 28 matches. This season, however, he has 2.049 minutes in 37 matches, which is less than the previous campaign but with almost 10 extra matches. Rodrigo Bentancur often surpassed the Malean in the pecking order for the pivot role, and 19-year-old Lucas Bergvall has been having better displays and minutes (2.244) than Bissouma.

Now, if you dig into the numbers, it becomes clearer how big of a step back Bissouma had this season at Spurs. When comparing numbers from last season to the current one, it is noticeable that there has been a significant decline in all passing statistics, which is also reflected in his reduced playing time. However, this decline perfectly reflects his performance levels; for example, his xA decreased from 1.7 to 0.6 while his total progressive passes went from 169 to 71, according to FBref.

Not only did his xG, xAG, and overall progressive numbers decline significantly, which are his best traits as a midfielder in Ange's system, but his defensive stats also declined. His tackles, challenges, and block numbers all had setbacks, which explains Bissouma's rotational role in the current squad, while young players like Bergvall overshadowed him.

Therefore, I believe Bissouma's time in North London is virtually over, unless a complete overhaul in performance and attitude takes place in the last few matches of the season. However, even so, Bissouma has had three years to establish himself at Spurs, and, aside from a small but extremely high-level sample, he has not delivered the expected consistency. I still do like Bissouma as a player, but Spurs need certainty in such an essential role in modern football, and not question marks.

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The real reason why Ange Postecoglou is hiding Son Heung

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The real reason why Ange Postecoglou is hiding Son Heung-min injury return - Hotspur HQ
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Tottenham superstar Son Heung-min has seen his stock fall harder than any other player on the team in the calendar year 2025. Son has scored just two Premier League goals this year, falling off hard after what was actually a decent enough start to the 2024/25 campaign.

Unsurprisingly, Son's decline in performance has coincided with Spurs own tumble into full-on demise, and while it's hard to say which caused which, there's no question that Son hasn't been getting the job done over the last several months.

Lately, he hasn't even been playing at all due to an apparent foot injury that is without a concrete diagnosis but has held him out since Apr. 11 when he was anonymous in a 1-1 first leg draw with Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarterfinals of the Europa League. Cynically, because there is no concrete description of the exact nature of Son's injury, it makes you wonder if Tottenham are using the sudden injury as a reason to protect their most high-profile player and their biggest underperformer.

Son Heung-min is uncertain for the Europa League

Ahead of Sunday's big match against Liverpool, who can seal their Premier League title, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou told reporters, via The Spurs Express, that Son Heung-min will indeed miss the match against the Reds. That isn't a surprise, but the Spurs coach also stated simply that "We'll see" if the South Korean icon is ready to play in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals against underdogs Bodo Glimt.

Tottenham don't play Bodo Glimt until next Thursday, May 1, so that should be plenty of time for Son to return from what seems like a minor, nagging injury that didn't keep him out of that Eintracht game a couple of weeks ago. Son, per Postecoglou, is able to train well on the grass without any issues, so you'd think he'd be back next week.

And maybe he will be. But the fact that the Tottenham manager keeps playing coy on Son's status and the sudden nature of his absence makes me wonder if the real reason for all this theater is the simple fact that Spurs don't know what they want to do with Son in the future.

Tottenham are protecting Son from Mathys Tel conversation

Mathys Tel has outperformed Son since coming into the starting lineup in the Premier League legend's recent absence. He created a handful of chances against Nottingham Forest and was positive in the second leg of the Europa League quarterfinals. Tel is younger with higher upside than Son, who could be sold to Saudi Arabia for 50 million euros. And right now, Tel is playing better than Son, so there is no rush to bring him back.

Using a delayed injury return could be Spurs way of protecting Son from further fan criticism and scrutiny, as well as leave the door open for him taking back his job. Right now, this looks like a benching, and Tottenham just aren't saying it out loud. They are giving Tel a chance to shine and make a permanent move to Tottenham so that Son avoids the heat while Tel gets the praise. And if Tel flounders, then Spurs will go back to Son and simply state that Tel didn't grab the proverbial brass ring.

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Tottenham are looking in all the wrong places for their next manager

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Tottenham are looking in all the wrong places for their next manager - Hotspur HQ
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At this point, it is incredibly difficult to envision Ange Postecoglou coming back for the 2025/26 season as the Tottenham manager. He's lost a lot of goodwill around the park and the dressing room with his antics, particularly recently when it's become obvious that Spurs aren't going anywhere besides the basement in the Premier League.

Tottenham could still salvage Champions League football next season by winning the Europa League, but even that doesn't seem like it will be enough for Postecoglou to save his job at Spurs. And so the search for a new manager has already begun in earnest, though you wouldn't think it based on some of the names recently linked to the club.

Current Premier League standout coaches like Thomas Frank and Marco Silva make sense for Tottenham, but, now, we're getting some more bizarre candidates. Burnley coach Scott Parker is one puzzling recent link, and now BILD's Yannick Huber reports that Tottenham have enquired after Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac as a possible Ange Postecoglou replacement.

Niko Kovac can't build sustainable success for Tottenham

While Kovac helped Eintracht Frankfurt win the DFB Pokal many years ago, he got his big break immediately after and nearly ran Bayern Munich into the ground. He barely lasted long at mid-level jobs with Monaco and Wolfsburg before taking on this gig with Dortmund, where he was just hired a few months ago.

Granted, Kovac has done a good job to start with at Dortmund, but that was also the case at Wolfsburg and Monaco before he rubbed everyone the wrong way and got canned. Kovac has never proven he can be more than a mid-table coach, and his Draconian coaching style seems to quickly wear out its welcome.

If anything, Kovac is a short-term hire who can bring discipline to a talented team that needs it (Frankfurt and Dortmund come to mind), but you can never build something long-term with him, nor has he proven he can manage a high-profile club or take a club to heights greater than a cup win or the Europa League.

On no level does Kovac make sense as a potential hire for Tottenham, and he is, at best, a lateral move from Postecoglou and potentially worse. Because at least Big Ange's first season at Spurs was pretty good, and it's significantly better than what Kovac did for Bayern, which is the closest gig in size and ambition to what Spurs are hoping to achieve in the Premier League.

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Latest manager linked to Tottenham is straight out of the Bizarro World

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Latest manager linked to Tottenham is straight out of the Bizarro World - Hotspur HQ
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It seems like a foregone conclusion that Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou will be out by the end of the season, and there are widespread discussions around the club indicating that the former Celtic boss won't be able to keep his job in North London safe even if he wins the Europa League. Seeing as how Manchester United suffered badly and wasted their time after keeping Erik ten Hag just because he won the FA Cup, a different approach with Postecoglou from Tottenham would make sense.

So then, Tottenham have to continue to be vigilant with creating a list of managers around European football who could potentially replace Postecoglou. As expected, most of the names are within the Premier League at clubs currently outperforming Spurs, such as Thomas Frank of Brentford and Fulham's Marco Silva.

Both Frank and Silva have been linked to bigger jobs around England for a couple of years now, as they have overperformed in the table for their underdog clubs for multiple seasons. Yet it would also make sense for Tottenham to look for outside-the-box options, especially potentially undervalued managers around European football.

Scott Parker would be a strange hire

The latest name linked to Tottenham isn't that at all, though. According to a report from the Daily Mail's Mike Keegan, Burnley manager Scott Parker has "admirers" at Tottenham as a potential Postecoglou replacement.

If this manage rumor seems like it's from out of left field and completely bizarre, then that's because it is. Parker has done very well to get Burnley up to second in the EFL Championship and secure their promotion to the Premier League for the 2025/26 season, but to say that he's ready to coach Tottenham on the backs of that one achievement in the second division is a stretch.

Postecoglou had a bigger feat before joining Spurs, and he still looks totally overmatched when it comes to competing at the top level of the Premier League. Parker would be another huge risk for Spurs. The notion that his very limited experience with the youth team as a coach or his two seasons at the tail end of his career as a player for Spurs would make him a leading candidate is so bizarre that it is entirely ridiculous.

Parker could potentially be a strong Premier League manager. Tottenham, at this crisis point as a club, need someone more established with more exciting ideas and a proven track record. They can't go for an even less proven hire than Postecoglou as Big Ange's replacement. Parker just would not make any sense for Spurs.

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