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One of Tottenham's biggest issues over the years in the transfer market has been targeting the wrong caliber of players. Instead of signing transfer targets who can materially help them secure regular top-four football, they sign overpriced players who are several steps below the standard of peer players at rival top-four clubs in England.

For example, Tottenham signed a decent Premier League striker in Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth, but they spent 65 million pounds on a player who is closer to the league average, rather than someone who can compete with the best forwards in the Premier League.

The latest transfer target at striker is a little more exciting, though. According to a report from Joel Domenighetti of L'Equipe, Tottenham have begun transfer talks with Lille star Jonathan David, who is set to be a free agent at the end of the 2024/25 season. And with Liverpool star right back Trent Alexander-Arnold headed to Real Madrid, the Canadian international is now the best free agent transfer available on the world football market in summer 2025.

Tottenham aren't the only big club involved in the sweepstakes

David has a litany of big clubs interested in him, too. In addition to Tottenham, Premier League top-five rivals Aston Villa are also involved, as are Serie A giants Napoli and Juventus. All four of these clubs have aspirations of reaching a higher level than they are currently stuck in, but Spurs, in particular, have the biggest need for a difference-making attacker, as they are 17th in their league.

Over the years, David has proven to be a solid, all-around Ligue 1 striker. He has a consistent goal-scoring record of around 15 per season and uses his frame well to shield the ball and create chances. While David isn't quite as well-rounded as Solanke, he is a much better finisher and is a few years younger at the age of 25.

You don't often see top-class, 25-year-old strikers hitting the free agent market, so David and his agent likely have designs on high wages and bonuses with no transfer fee heading to Lille. Tottenham should be willing to spend this amount, though, because they have a high-revenue generating stadium and are one of the most beloved teams in the Premier League with a global following. They can afford him and have more ammunition than Aston Villa, Napoli, and Juventus financially.

Even if Tottenham win the Europa League on Wednesday night in Bilbao against fellow Premier League strugglers Manchester United, there's more than a good chance that current manager Ange Postecoglou finds himself on the unemployment line after two seasons in North London.

Postecoglou currently has Spurs in 17th in the Premier League, and they suffered yet another 2-0 loss in league play this past weekend to Aston Villa. Their 2024/25 season is the worst Premier League campaign in the club's storied history, so it is difficult to envision a road back for Postecoglou when his biggest sample size competition has been so abysmal.

Fulham coach Marco Silva has largely been discussed as the favorite to replace Postecoglou as Tottenham manager, but there are a handful of options in the English top flight at clubs outperforming Spurs who are mentioned as potential candidates.

Tottenham could hire a coach with two major titles under his belt

One of those is Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, a former Europa League winner with Eintracht Frankfurt. Glasner is actually the betting favorite to become the next Spurs manager, and he only increased his stock on Saturday afternoon with a 1-0 upset of Manchester City in the FA Cup Final to win yet another important piece of silverware for an underdog club - silverware that, also, Tottenham have yet to win at the time of this writing.

If Glasner was already the odds-on favorite to coach Tottenham, then securing the FA Cup for Crystal Palace surely makes him an even hotter candidate, not just for Tottenham but for other clubs interested in hiring a manager who can take a club higher.

Aside from a failed spell at Wolfsburg, which is one of the most dysfuctional clubs in European football despite not getting much "credit" for their mismanagement, Glasner has overperformed everywhere he's been. At one point, he was even getting shouts as a potential Real Madrid coaching candidate, which is close to the highest praise a manager can get.

Tottenham need to do their homework on Glasner and compare him to both Postecoglou and the other top managerial candidates, such as Brentford's Thomas Frank or Fulham's Silva. But Glasner now has a second compelling reason and an edge above the others, and after this FA Cup triumph over Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, Glasner has slayed yet another European giant in a big game and put himself squarely on everyone's radar. In conjunction with his overperformance at Palace in the second half of the Premier League season, this FA Cup win is a very big deal.

These last few weeks, one of the biggest storylines around Tottenham Hotspur has been the status of superstar forward Son Heung-min, who had been shut down with a foot injury since early April after the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Son had been struggling for form for quite some time, and it appeared that him playing through the pain of a foot injury in order to try and help Tottenham was the main culprit. The South Korean superstar had actually started the season reasonably well for Spurs, but his form had fallen off a cliff in the second half of the campaign, potentially because of this injury.

He returned to the Tottenham squad and got about 32 minutes of pain-free action about a week ago against Crystal Palace in a 2-0 loss. Then on Friday, just days before the Europa League Final against Manchester United on May 21, Spurs coach Ange Postecoglou upgraded Son's responsibilty to starting status.

Ange Postecoglou revealed the key to Son Heung min's status

Son was able to play 74 minutes without incident, and although this match was yet another poor 2-0 loss for Tottenham, the positive of having a healthy Son for almost a full start before the Europa League Final was bigger than a, truthfully, meaningless defeat in an already lost season.

Speaking after the game, via Football.London's Alasdair Gold, Postecoglou essentially confirmed that Son is ready to start against Manchester United this coming Wednesday night in Bilbao, “Well, he’s ready and he’s available. He started today. They’re all ready to start, so I think him playing 70-75 minutes today was important."

Even though this has clearly been a down year for Son, he's still a crucial player for Tottenham, especially in a game of this magnitude against Manchester United with both the club's season and overall trajectory on the line. Son can win his first major trophy and put an exclamation mark on his legendary Tottenham career by hoisting the Europa League title to save the club's worst-ever Premier League campaign.

Son once carried Tottenham to a Champions League Final without Harry Kane by his side, and even though he's not quite the same player at 32, he is still Tottenham's most productive attacking player in the final third with seven goals and nine assists in the Premier League this season. Without James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Lucas Bergvall available for the Final, those goal contributions are that much more important.

So barring an unexpected setback, pencil Son Heung-min in your Tottenham starting lineups vs. Manchester United. By getting 74 minutes of action against Aston Villa after his 32 vs. Crystal Palace, he is ready to be out the there and give it his all for the club he loves.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, for years, has been the lion eating the young in North London, selling off players before they get a chance to become stars at the club. With Tottenham sinking to 17th in the Premier League but holding a nucleus of promising players, the fundamental way the club operates has to change, and every single supporter knows it.

Already, Tottenham have shown that there may be some positive changes at the club. They signed Lucas Bergvall to an extension that should keep the Swedish midfielder tied to the club for the foreseeable future with powerhouses like Real Madrid already circling. And Levy himself is now among those banging the table for Bayern Munich loanee Mathys Tel to remain at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium permanently.

Next up on the list is keeping Mikey Moore. The gem teenage winger was one of the more underrated bright spots in this dismal 2024/25 campaign, shining when he got a cup of coffee in the Europa League. Moore is so coveted that notorious young star snatchers Borussia Dortmund are in on him, but Spurs fans can rest easy knowing that Tottenham aren't going to let another big European club steal him away.

Tottenham can't lose a phenom to another European power

According to a report from GiveMeSport's Danny Rust and Dean Jones, Tottenham have absolutely no interest in selling Moore and consider him unsellable. Amidst the interest from Dortmund, Spurs are working to sign Moore to a contract extension that will keep him away from other club, and they are going to offer him more money as a reward to keep the 17-year-old in North London.

This is obviously great news for Tottenham fans, and it's a deal Spurs have to get done. Moore is paid peanuts and has just two years left on his deal, so if he were not signed to a new contract, he'd be an obvious risk candidate to leave somewhere else like Dortmund, which, despite their own issues this season, have been in a better situation than Tottenham.

Spurs have the selling point of Moore being a possible face of the franchise for a rise back to title contention in the Premier League, but those kinds of "moral victories" don't count as much as dollar signs. Tottenham have to back up their talk financially, and there's something to be said about taking an approach with a young player that makes them feel valued from all sides. Spurs have to make Moore feel valued and keep him at all costs; this report is a positive sign they will do that. These kinds of players should be unsellable assets to Spurs.

Tottenham will face Manchester United on May 21 in the Europa League Final, but they will do so severely short-handed. Lucas Bergvall, James Maddison, and now Dejan Kulusevski have all suffered season-ending injuries, leaving Spurs without their main creative impetus in the attacking midfield.

All throughout the week, there's been speculation on what under-fire manager Ange Postcoglou will do in midfield in what is surely a must-win game with vital implications for the overall trajectory of Tottenham Hotspur.

In a recent press conference after Tottenham's latest loss, 2-0 to Aston Villa in the Premier League, Postecoglou had some praise for the young player he experimented as the No. 10 against Villa, summer 2024 signing Wilson Odobert, via Football.London's Alasdair Gold:

Ange Postecoglou had some high praise after Aston Villa match

“I thought Wilson was good. The issue with Wilson is that he has just missed so much of the season. You can see he lacks match sharpness, but he is an intelligent player...I think with Wilson, at least we have got him some significant minutes again. With the way we are in that midfield area, he might be one we need to rely on come Wednesday, so it’s good for him to play.”

Odobert looks like he's going to be the No. 10 for Tottenham vs. Manchester United. He was one of the few bright spots in another below-average game against Villa, though Spurs weren't really trying to win and were more resting and experimenting.

The Frenchman passed his test, and there really isn't a better option in the 10 role. Odobert has the creativity, feel for the game, and, maybe most importantly, the dribbling skills in the hole behind the striker for this role.

What Odobert needs to do is what he did against Aston Villa this weekend, and that is to link up with the players around him and facilitate play in tight areas. Tottenham just need someone who can combine and string passes together with Mathys Tel, Son Heung-min, and Dominic Solanke in a Tottenham attack that, even with all the injuries, should still be better on paper than Manchester United's.

Tottenham are going to have to make some tough decisions in the summer 2025 transfer window and bring in players who can win them matches on individual quality. Part of Tottenham's summer wheeling and dealing may involve tough sacrifices in getting rid of quality players, and one of those players could be Dejan Kulusevski.

The Swedish international is a versatile ball progressor and secondary creator who can play as a box-to-box midfielder but is best on the right wing. However, Kulusevski looks like more of a solid rotational player than an everygame starter on the right wing for a club with aspirations of finishing in the top five of the Premier League every season and competing in the Champions League.

So Kulusevski, as sad as it is to say (especially with him now undergoing knee surgery), could be expendable this summer. Tottenham are already looking at some of the best options on the market, including young Lyon star Rayan Cherki.

Tottenham, Arsenal, and Chelsea could compete for Bayern star

Now, according to a report from Dominik Schneider of Fussball Transfers, Tottenham are among the big clubs who have been offered the chance to sign Bayern Munich star right winger Leroy Sane amidst difficult contract negotiations between the German national team star and the biggest club in the Bundesliga.

Sane recently hired super agent Pini Zahavi - the one who helped orchestrate Robert Lewandowski's sudden blockbuster move from Bayern to Barcelona in 2022 - and that seems to have been the catalyst for a change in negotiations after Die Roten were initially confident they'd be able to keep the 29-year-old star on a club-friendly contract.

Instead, Sane has new transfer demands for his contract that don't fit with what Bayern are looking to pay as they transition to a younger future. Tottenham, who have strong interest in keeping Bayern left wing loanee Mathys Tel, now have the chance to sign Bayern's starting right winger as a free agent. London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea, as well as Europa League Final opponents Manchester United, have also been offered the former Manchester City star.

While Sane is a big name and can be signed for free, he's going to be expensive when you truly break the numbers down. Free agents get paid higher wages than other players, and with Zahavi as his agent, the additional fees are going to be high. Sane is an accomplished player at the Champions League level and has options, so Spurs aren't going to get a wage discount with clubs like Chelsea and Newcastle involved.

It makes more sense for Tottenham to pass. Sane was a bigger difference-maker when he was younger, and while he can still be a matchwinner, there's a reason why Bayern aren't giving in to his demands to pay him like a top player. He isn't a top player anymore and would have no resale value, giving him major transfer bust potential as a free agent since he's a 29-year-old commanding high wages. All told, Tottenham are better off looking elsewhere at Cherki - or even keeping Kulusevski.

Tottenham have one of the best fullback groups in the Premier League despite their futility this season, as Pedro Porro is one of the world's finest right backs while Djed Spence and the underappreciated Destiny Udogie form a versatile and occasionally electrifying platoon of left backs.

Even so, Tottenham are looking at potential depth options at both positions. They have been looking at Napoli star Mathias Olivera on the left while Kyle Walker-Peters is a legitimate option in free agency as a reunion to back Porro up on the right.

But if Tottenham want to sign a more exciting option as Porro's backup - or even to (unwisely) replace him if they get a big transfer offer - there is another candidate. According to a report from GiveMeSport's Dean Jones and Danny Rust, Tottenham are leading all the interested clubs in Monaco right back Vanderson, who could potentially cost 30 million pounds.

Tottenham could push Pedro Porro this summer

Vanderson isn't quite world-class, but the Brazilian international has been one of the best players in his position in Ligue 1 for the last couple of seasons since breaking out in 2021/22. Elite clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona have been looking at Vanderson for years, and there's a chance that the RB-needy Blaugrana secure the Brazilian this summer, too.

If Tottenham are looking for a reliable, two-way right back in the short-term with a little bit of long-term upside, Vanderson is perfect, and a 30 million pound valuation makes him perfectly affordable. He's good enough to even push Porro for minutes, which should light a fire under the Portuguese star - an additional benefit for Tottenham.

This season, Vanderson had three assists for Champions League side Monaco in Ligue 1 with an average of 2.7 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game. He's been a top starter in Ligue 1 for years but is still only 23, so he's yet to hit his prime despite having plenty of top-level experience, including in the Champions League.

It's wild to think that Vanderson hasn't gotten his big move yet, since all the big clubs do know about him. He has a great profile as an above-average creator and a top-level defender at his position. Tottenham could do a lot worse than Vanderson, and while he's not a priority because Spurs have Porro there, he could be a great market opportunity at that price point. Keep an eye on Vanderson.

Tottenham Hotspur's clash with Aston Villa today (May 16) could have massive implications for two former Arsenal men. Ange Postecoglou's men travel to Villa Park with little to play for on the Premier League front amid sitting 17th ahead of next week's UEFA Europa League final against Manchester United.

The Lilywhites could jeopardise the Villans' hopes of Champions League football next season by pulling off an away victory. It would be a disaster for former Gunners duo Unai Emery and Emiliano Martinez, who come up against the Lilywhites with the West Midlands outfit.

Spurs could end ex-Arsenal duo's hopes of Champions League football

Villa impressed in the Champions League this season and advanced to the quarter-finals where they were knocked out by finalists Paris Saint-Germain. They were the second best competing club in Europe's top-tier competition, behind Arsenal who suffered defeat to the same French team in the semi-finals.

Martinez, 32, has been between the sticks for Villa ever since leaving the Emirates for Villa Park in the summer of 2020. He's endured a difficult time against Spurs during his career, conceding 22 goals in 10 games, the second highest amount against any club.

Emery's Villans sit sixth in the league, level on points with Chelsea who face next week's Europa League opponents United tonight. If Postecoglou's Lilywhites come away with at least a point it could spell danger for two of the club's arch-rivals' former employees.

Postecoglou hints at resting star men vs Villa

While it's always nice to get one over your rivals no matter the circumstance it's undoubtedly more important that Postecoglou focuses on next week's final in Bilbao. Champions League qualification is up for grabs alongside a first trophy in 17 years for the North Londoners.

Postecoglou spoke about what type of team he'll likely put out against Villa and it suggests he'll be resting many of those expected to start next Wednesday (via BBC Sport): "Look, in a normal world you use this to be sharpening up, but we're not living in a normal world.

He added: "Even with the best planning we're still getting hit with these setbacks. From my perspective I've got to take that into account when considering the [Aston Villa] game."

Tottenham romped to a 4-1 win over Villa in the reverse fixture in November, courtesy of goals from Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke (2) and James Maddison. The Villans got revenge in the FA Cup in February with a 2-1 win that knocked the Lilywhites out of the competition.

As Tottenham prepare to fight for their entire season next week on Wednesday in Bilbao against Manchester United in the Europa League Final, the background thought on everyone's mind around Spurs is the future of manager Ange Postecoglou.

He's been ridiculed and vilified by supporters throughout the campaign, as Tottenham stare down what is officially the worst season in club history. Tottenham's futility is irrefutable, but what is up for debate is whether or not Postecoglou should be able to save his job by securing Champions League football and bringing a major trophy to Spurs if the club beat Manchester Unitd in the final.

In an appearance on the Sky Sports Back Pages podcast, The Athletic's David Ornstein, who is the most respected transfer insider within Premier League circles, dropped the hammer on Ange Postecoglou by stating that it is unlikely the coach saves his behind by winning the Europa League:

David Ornstein draws Tottenham parallel to Manchester United

“I think it’s unlikely. I think the direction of travel is for Spurs to make a change in the summer, irrespective of the outcome of this match. I do take the point on the emotion, and we saw what happened with Manchester United [under Erik ten Hag], although that may serve as a warning why clubs shouldn’t repeat what they did."

Manchester United qualified for the Europa League this season by winning the FA Cup Final over crosstown rivals Manchester City. Despite an offseason of heavy investment and a new ownership group, Man United were even worse under Erik ten Hag and ultimately fired him anyway months into the season.

Ten Hag's situation serves as a cautionary tale that it seems like Tottenham are willing to heed. After all, as Ornstein later noted in his podcast appearance, Tottenham invested more in Postecoglou and the squad he had than what they gave bigger name managers like Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte - and across a bigger sample size against better teams, Big Ange has led Spurs to their worst-ever season in league play.

Tottenham have already been working hard looking at coaching alternatives within the Premier League and abroad, mainly focusing on candidates already in the English top flight like Fulham's Marco Silva and Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola. Given these coaches have outperformed Postecoglou with much less financial investment, it is actually less reactionary to fire Big Ange on a poor Premier League season than on beating Bodo Glimt and an Omar Marmoush-less Eintracht Frankfurt.

Although Tottenham need to primarily concern themselves with signing young players who can be potential difference-makers for the club, they have a sea of significant needs in their squad amidst a current placement of 17th in the Premier League, officially marking their worst season in existence.

Tottenham also can't underestimate the importance of signing quality backup players. Ange Postecoglou and some fans will point to injuries as an excuse for why Spurs have been so putrid this season, but the reality is that any Premier League team with aspirations of getting anywhere needs to understand that depth is important. Spurs don't have enough depth.

Although Tottenham have one of the world's finest right backs in Pedro Porro, they don't have anyone behind him as cover, save for inverting Destiny Udogie or Djed Spence. Tottenham need a true backup right back next season to take pressure off Porro and serve as an emergency option.

Tottenham don't have many RB options on the transfer market

According to a report from Graeme Bailey in an interview with Leeds United News, Tottenham are among the clubs interested in signing Southampton right back Kyle Walker-Peters, who will be a free agent this summer transfer window after contract talks between himself and the Saints went down the drain several months ago.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold off the table to Real Madrid, Walker-Peters is arguably the best option at right back on the free agent market, because he has extensive Premier League experience and is a solid two-way player who could comfortably back up a top team's starter, such as Porro at Spurs.

Walker-Peters spent three seasons with Tottenham as a promising backup before becoming an above-average starting right back in the Premier League for Southampton. Now in the prime of his career at 28, Walker-Peters will have several top teams in England lining up for his signature because he's free and he's one of the only established options at a scarce position.

As with any free agent, Tottenham have to be careful not to overpay in wages, because Walker-Peters is a prime candidate to get too much money as a 28-year-old with high demand due to his position and the league he has played in.

Other than that, Walker-Peters makes sense from a footballing perspective. Tottenham know him, and he knows the club. Known commodities are extremely valuable in backups, especially backup defensive players in positions where there isn't a whole lot of depth. Tottenham know they can depend on him to progress play and perform well in one-on-ones defensively, so if the price is right, reuniting with KWP isn't a bad idea at all.