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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.

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.

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.

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.

Tottenham star center back Cristian Romero has made it clear that he's thinking about things other than his current club, even though he is the vice captain of a side in crisis mode, comfortably in the bottom five places of the Premier League but with everything to play for in the Europa League.

Romero is one of the best players in the Tottenham squad but not untouchable, as his inconsistent performances have become a bit of a burden for Spurs fans to bear. For example, Romero cost the team in recent Premier League defeats to Wolves and Nottingham Forest with some shocking defending, even getting subbed at the halfway point of the most recent loss to Forest.

If Romero is dreaming of a move to Spain, Tottenham may be inclined to grant his requet if they receive a satisfactory transfer offer. Romero's overly aggressive playing style, recent injury woes, and apparent lack of commitment to the club erase any possibility of him being untouchable.

Tottenham could eye Marc Guehi

On his YouTube channel, top Tottenham reporter Alasdair Gold discussed the possibility of Spurs selling Cristian Romero this summer. Per Gold, if that were to happen, he feels the club would "make a big push" to go after Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi, who is someone the club "really like".

Guehi would obviously be a very difficult signing to pull off, but there's no question that he'd be an upgrade over Romero, particularly in the man-marking and consistency departments. A star at Palace for years after Chelsea rather foolishly didn't keep him around, Guehi has been the most coveted center back on the Premier League transfer market in each of the past several windows, though Palace have successfully rebuffed interest in Guehi from the likes of Newcastle.

So, again, it won't be easy for Spurs to sign him, but there's a sense from fans that even if Romero's future weren't on the line here, Guehi is the sort of caliber of player Tottenham should be going after anyway if they want to consistently make the top four. Guehi is a proven England international and an elite Premier League central defender who can go toe-to-toe with the absolute best strikers in this league.

As Tottenham continue to sour on Romero and grow tired of some of his antics on and off the pitch, the talented Argentinian international's exit could yield a dream get like Guehi. More likely, it will lead to a mediocre replacement, knowing Daniel Levy's track record, but if Tottenham want to show that they are turning a new leaf, truly, then signing Guehi would be a major step in the right direction.

It has been a whirlwind of a 2024/25 season for Tottenham, who have gone from contending to the Champions League to ranking 16th in the Premier League. And yet, Spurs may actually have a better shot at qualifying for the Champions League this season than they did last season, because all they have to do is beat underdogs Bodo Glimt and then either Athletic Club or fellow Premier League stragglers Manchester United to win the Europa League. OK, that might be a tough task, especially if they have to face Athletic in the Final, but it's a doable task for Spurs.

In addition to having a lot to play for in the Europa League, Tottenham still have loose ends to tie up in the final five games of the 2024/25 Premier League season. There is more than just pride to play for, as these games will tell the decision-makers in North London who belongs in the future and who should go.

In the last game against Nottingham Forest, Richarlison came up big, scoring one header after nearly scoring a headed goal earlier to salvage something out of an otherwise putrid home game. Tottenham supporters were literally raining down boos on the players at the half, so Richarlison's goal was an important silver lining for both the team and himself personally.

Richarlison is waking up in front of goal

Since coming over from Everton, Richarlison's Tottenham career has been a disaster, largely due to injuries. But with four goals in his last five Premier League appearances, Pombo is quietly showing the difference-making quality and eye for goal that made him such a hero for the Toffees over the years.

Tottenham pretty much know that current starting striker Dominic Solanke isn't the answer. He is a high-profile waste of money and the kind of profile Tottenham don't need up top. They already have a bevy of quality, young creators who can win off the dribble, get open off the ball, and provide assists. What they need is someone who can fluidly work with them but also have the instincts to bag around 20 goals in a season. Solanke isn't that guy.

But maybe Richarlison is. Chances are, Tottenham are going to have to pluck a young striker on the transfer market, such as recent opponent Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt, but the best options, Ekitike included, are going to be high-competition targets. Tottenham could end up empty-handed or signing someone who isn't ready to start every game, which is why it's important for them know how much they can expect from Richarlison.

Tottenham center back Cristian Romero has made it clear that he isn't 100 percent focused on Spurs, as the vice captain recently stated that he would be interested in making a move to LaLiga to collect all the top five European leagues as though they were infinity stones. Instead of dodging the question or affirming his commitment to the club like most vice captains at a big club in crisis mode would to close the season, Romero decided to let all the laundry hang out to dry.

Needless to say, Romero's comments didn't sit well with most Tottenham fans, who took them to be quite self-centered. And since Romero has made costly defensive errors in Spurs last two Premier League defeats to Wolves and Nottingham Forest, the questions regarding his consistency are beginning to crop up again.

Romero is one of the five best players in the Tottenham squad right now, but he isn't irreplaceable. His playing style has been grating to many fans because of how aggressive and error-prone it is, even if the positives generally outweigh the negatives. Tottenham have a better central defender in Micky van de Ven, and there's a feeling that Kevin Danso, once named the best player in Ligue 1, should surpass Romero if given the opportunity to do so.

Tottenham want 60 million for Cristian Romero

As such, Romero's name is already being floated around in Tottenham transfer rumors. According to a report from Tom Allnutt of The Times Sport, Tottenham would want at least 60 million pounds in order to sell the Argentinian defender, given they spent more than 50 million pounds on him in 2022.

If that's the case, then Tottenham are going to need to readjust their expectations. Romero is the most valuable of Spurs sellable assets, so setting the asking price high initially is just smart - and, honestly, obvious - negotiation tactics here. But realistically, it's hard to envision a team willing to spend more than 60 million pounds on a highly up-and-down player coming off an injury plagued season. The fact that Tottenham were so poor defensively won't reflect on Romero well either.

Tottenham may have to settle for somewhere closer to 50 million pounds, making a slight loss on Romero despite the fact that his reputation was enhanced globally after the transfer. But when you look at the actual play on the pitch, Romero made more errors for Tottenham than he did at Atalanta, where he had less pressure to perform.

The clubs that want Romero will be in the lower tier of the Champions League level, and those clubs usually don't spend elite-tier money on center backs. And Romero is closer to "good" than "elite". Tottenham should hold out for all that they can, but they may find less interest in Romero than they had hoped.

Tottenham left winger Mathys Tel has been taking advantage of a new opportunity afforded to him in the Spurs starting lineup with Son Heung-min out injured, and he has been standing out above his peers in the attacking trident.

Tel has that something special about him when he moves with the ball at his feet. His combination of explosiveness and agility enable him to create shooting opportunities for himself off the dribble above the capabilities shown by his teammates, and he has been one of Spurs leading chance creators since getting more opportunities.

The talent is unsurprising. Bayern Munich invested 20 million euros in Tel as a transfer from Rennes in 2022 back when his market value was 2 million euros and most people had never heard of him. Now, they are looking for 50 million euros in order to make his transfer to Tottenham permanet in the summer transfer window.

Tottenham can get a discount on Mathys Tel

Given Tel is valued at 40 million euros by Transfermarkt, a 50 million euro fee is far from outlandish, but Spurs, always looking to take the cheapest route possible, have been balking at the idea of paying full price for the Bayern forward.

They may get their wish of keeping Tel permanently without breaking the bank. Because according to a report from Kicker's Georg Holzner, via iMiaSanMia, Bayern Munich are now willing to negotiate a price less than 50 million euros for Mathys Tel with Tottenham. In fact, they are reportedly willing to accept "well under" that initially agreed option to buy and would be eager to get a deal done.

Now if that sounds too good to be true from a Tottenham perspective, then that's because it very well could be. At the same time, it is entirely plausible, because Bayern have been making some seriously head-scratching logical errors with Max Eberl at the helm, including their seeming vendetta against star center back Kim Min-jae.

Tel has been impressive lately

At no point since signing Tel have Bayern shown that they value him as a part of their future, and he, like Ryan Gravenberch, looks like yet another potential investment by the Bundesliga giants who could go on to have an excellent career in the Premier League after being unfairly passed over by the Bavarians.

With a horrible 2024/25 Premier League season winding down for Tottenham, this is the perfect time for both the club and supporters to take stock of the current members of the squad. Since Spurs are in the bottom five of the league table, even a Europa League title triumph won't prevent a house clearing in the summer 2025 transfer window.

Let's take a look at the 25 main members of the Tottenham senior squad right now in 2024/25 and rank them in order from worst to first.

Power ranking every player in the Tottenham squad right now

The veteran goalkeeper brings up the caboose of the squad rankings, as it's been three years since Fraser Forster has registered a save percentage of at least 70. He has started 20 games over the past two seasons, allowing around two goals per 90 minutes and more than one post-shot expected goal allowed in total.

Tottenham are set to bring Ben Davies back for another season, but that's really part of the problem for Spurs; they are unable to move on from aging players who aren't helping them enough. Davies is a versatile enough player and there are worse veteran center backs in the Premier League, but he's 31 years old and provides no real future value to the team. Any minutes to him are much better off going to Kevin Danso.

Former Slavia Prague goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky has had a rough go-around in four Premier League starts this season, but his work in the Europa League shows that the 22-year-old prospect has serious potential. I'd rather see him in the lineup than Forster, because once he gets through the growing pains, he could develop into a good keeper.

Although it may seem like Yves Bissouma is too low on the list, a thorough examination of his body of work this season reveals that he's been given more opportunities than his production on the pitch merits. Bissouma is the worst midfielder in the Tottenham squad despite having a 25 million pound transfer pedigree and having been a starter for both Brighton and Tottenham for years.

Right now, Bissouma isn't adding anything to the midfield. He's not secure in possession, he doesn't get into goal-scoring situations, he can't create many chances, and his progression and ball-winning are both fairly mediocre for someone who touts these as his strengths. Tottenham can easily find a better box-to-box midfielder.

Thank goodness we've slowed down from the rather obtuse comparisons to Neymar that certainly do no favors to this burgeoning young talent, but Mikey Moore did deserve high praise for a scintillating Europa League debut that will hopefully be the harbinger of a stardom to come. Tottenham have been careful to manage minutes and expectations around Moore, whose path to playing time is difficult with a glut of other attackers trying to prove themselves as 10's or wingers.

Moore is a skilled dribbler with electric acceleration. He is one of a handful of intriguing young talents in the Tottenham squad, and while he may have the most upside of any of the prospects, the 17-year-old still has the longest way to go before becoming a key part of the first team.

Summer signing Wilson Odobert has done enough to merit consideration for starts, and his last appearance in the XI against Nottingham Forest was an overall positive one despite the 2-1 loss for Spurs.

Odobert is an above-average athlete with a willingness to create and go for goal. He's versatile enough to play multiple positions in the front three, which could come in handy since his future as a starter is even more up in the air with Mathys Tel potentially securing a longer stay in North London.

Former Juventus prospect Radu Dragusin is yet another prime defensive talent whom the Bianconeri let go too quickly, and it was Tottenham who somewhat unsurprisingly snapped him up in winter 2024 after a half-season breakout in Genoa.

Dragusin doesn't seem to fit Tottenham exactly, which is why he's ranked so low on this list and why he finds it so hard to get starts, barring injuries to the top two center backs. But Dragusin is a good footballer, even if his future may very well be outside of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham spent roughly 40 million pounds this past summer to sign perhaps the biggest midfield teenage sensation in English football, Archie Gray of Leeds. Whlie Ange Postecoglou surely must refrain from the experiment of starting the uber-taletned 19-year-old out of position at center back, the fact that Gray can do a relatively passable job there at a Premier League level is another endorsement of his all-around quality.

Gray is very much a set part of the future of the Tottenham squad, and whlie he has started 14 games with 9 substitute appearances (similar numbers to Bissouma), he's still very obviously raw. Still, he's shown enough for me to rate him comfortably above Bissouma.

Dominic Solanke is looking like a bigger waste of money on Spurs' part with each passing Matchday, and while even a pessimist can appreciate his all-around ability, it hasn't actually paid any real dividends for a disjointed Tottenham attack that revolves around a No. 9 who lacks goal-scoring instincts.

The fact of the matter is that Solanke has scored fewer goals than youngster Brennan Johnson and as many goals as playmakers James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. If Tottenham can find a way out of Solanke, you had better believe they will take it.

There's nothing about Djed Spence that screams out "great player" at you, but he does so many things solidly and can occasionally put together a Man of the Match performance. Spence is never going to be a nailed-on starter for Tottenham, but it's hard to find a better rotational fullback to bring in against the right matchups - and I'm not just talking about restricting your search to the Premire League. Spence is such a good effort player on offense and defense.

I like Pape Sarr in midfield, and he has a future as a key rotational piece for Tottenham. Again, there's nothing about him that stands out enough to make you feel certain he is the future of this team, but he's willing to work and good enough at a bunch of different things as an 8 that you can say he should be a cog in the wheel. Sarr has provided five goal contributions in the 2024/25 season.

Maybe this is a little high for Richarlison considering he's done pretty close to nothing since joining Spurs from Everton, but it's hard to ignore how much injuries have played a role in that. At Everton, Richarlison was legitimately one of the most important players in the Premier League and pretty much clawed the Toffees out of relegation.

Richarlison is a flat-out better striker than Solanke, and it's pretty obvious to see that he provides more of what Tottenham need up top with his goal-scoring and movement off the ball. He just wants to score. Richarlison has bagged three in his last four Premier League outings, and that shows that when the Brazilian is healthy, he is capable of making a difference for Spurs.

Out of anyone on this list, Brennan Johnson just might be the most likely to shoot up the rankings, and it shouldn't be lost on anyone who follows this club that he is the leading scorer in the Premier League with 11 goals.

Johnson has a long way to go in terms of realizing his potential and maximizing the positions he gets into, because he's frustratingly inconsistent at a technical evel. But that will come for the 23-year-old. He has to do more creatively and on the ball when it comes to creating chances, but off the ball, he's one of the best in the entire Premier League at getting into threatening positions. That matters a lot.

Rodrigo Bentancur is just a solid footballer. He works hard, he gets into good positions in the box, he works to get open on set pieces, he keeps the ball moving in possession, and he has become a great shield for the defense which was something he used to struggle at with Juventus.

Since joining Tottenham, Bentancur has been one of Spurs most important players, and I don't see that changing, even as his starts begin to dwindle with more, younger midfielders coming in. He is still an asset to Tottenham.

Selling Destiny Udogie would be a move of unbridled stupidity, so, thankfully, it doesn't appear that Tottenham are contemplating such a transfer despite the apparent interest in him. Udogie is a talented, versatile player who can act as an auxillary midfielder or winger on either side of the pitch, and he has that left back spot nailed down.

Under a manager who can create more midfield stability, Udogie should become an even bigger weapon, and I think he's one of the highest-upside players in the Premier League when you look at how unique his profile is. Even this season, Udogie has been an overall positive with a team-high 3.1 tackles per game while allowing just 0.6 dribbles completed per match.

When you watch Mathys Tel play for Tottenham, you can just tell he is cut from a different cloth with how he moves. He glides about the pitch and has a different gear to his movements in comparison to his teamates, fluildly and agily beating defenders in one-on-ones.

Tel is the best player on Tottenham at creating shots for himself and others, and with more seasoning, he could be world-class. Tottenham need to seriously think about acquiring him from Bayern Munich, and while 60 million pounds is indeed a lot of money, it isn't far off from Tel's true market value.

Named the best player in Ligue 1 by The Guardian's French football coverage from GFFN a couple of years ago, Kevin Danso is another potential world-class player who has mostly been lurking on the Tottenham bench this season after being signed in the winter transfer window.

Danso is a better fit than last year's January center back signing Dragusin, because he's very calm and an elite passer. There are few young center backs in Europe who are as poised on the ball as Danso, and he almost never has to make an intervention on the ball because his reading of the game is so good. A year from now, I wouldn't be surprised if his reputation surpasses Cristian Romero's.

Guglielmo Vicario is one of the better goalkeepers in the Premier League, and Tottenham would probably be worryingly close to the relegation zone with a different keeper. When he was out with an injury earlier this season, you could see how much Tottenham were suffering. Even though Vicario has been mistake-prone in recent games and has an unorthodox style of goalkeeping, I'd still consider him one of Spurs best players.

Dejan Kulusevski has been utilized as a box-to-box midfielder and a right winger this season, and while I like him significantly more in the latter role (it is more natural for him, too), his willingness and ability to be a midfielder has helped Brennan Johnson get much-needed experience in the starting lineup to go with a much-needed 11 goals.

The former Atalanta, Parma, and Juventus winger has been a fixture at Tottenham over the last couple of seasons. I'd like to see his development progress more than it has, especially when it comes to his end product, but the positives with Kulu will always outweigh the negatives.

It may seem presumptuous to have Lucas Bergvall above the likes of Kulusevski and Vicario, but when you look at some of Spurs most important results this season and stack up how each midfielder has played, it's not out of line to state that the young No. 8 has been the best box-to-box player in the side.

Bergvall just has that something special about him. He is capable of changing games from nothing with a charge into the final third and a timely shot or pass. Bergvall is mature with his decision-making beyond what you'd expect from a 19-year-old, and his motor as a progressor and defender are top-notch. Tottenham have a real talent in Bergvall, and I think he will be truly unlocked with a new manager.

While Cristian Romero can be a frustrating player because of his inconsistency, overly aggressive playing style, and occasional boneheaded decisions, there is no doubting his overall talent as a center back and that the positives of his risky approach can pay off big-time for Tottenham when it all works.

Romero is a real asset going forward both in terms of his passing and ability to carry the ball. The Argentinian international is so good at hounding forwards into mistakes and nicking the ball off them to start counterattacks.

Micky van de Ven gets a slight nod over Romero because even though he makes fewer interventions than the former Juventus and Atalanta man, the ex-Wolfsburg star is a much better covering defender and an even better athlete.

It is truly scary how fast Van de Ven is, and his combination of speed and effort is just about unbeatable at the center back position. Still only 24, Van de Ven is the total package in terms of his physical ability, reading of the game, and technical quality.

I know there are Tottenham fans who would want Son Heung-min to be ranked substantially lower than this because of how poor he's been in the 2024/25 season, but I can't bring myself to dock him too much for what is obviously dysfunction caused by an unideal striker situation and an even more problematic managerial one.

Son is a legend of not just Tottenham and the Premier League but of world football as a whole. He was exceptional in the 2023/24 season and once carried Spurs to a Champions League Final appearance. Son was brilliant to start the 2024/25 campaign before things fell apart, and it would be dirty to place him any lower than third - even a ranking lower than first stings a bit.

There is no doubt in my mind that Pedro Porro is one of the best right backs in world football. The Portuguese international is literall everything you want from a fullback. He works hard, he defends well one-on-one, he carries possession at a world-class level, he creates clear-cut chances, and he can take the impetus to win you football games from a position that usually doesn't produce game-changers.

When a team is as bad as Tottenham has been, you begin to appreciate the players who perform at a high level even when everything else is crumbling around them, and that's perhaps the best bit of praise I can give to Porro. He is one of the best signings Tottenham has made in a while with the rare ability to both defend and create at an elite level.

Maybe James Maddison is a bit controversial to place in first, but I am a big believer in the notion that the players with the best technique and footballing brains are ultimately the ones who win you games and the ones you want to build your team around.

Maddison is third on the team in goal contributions as a midfielder with 15, and while he is more of an attacking midfielder, he has often ceded positions close to the striker to carry the ball and play deeper. As bad as Tottenham have been, Maddison has remained excellent and one of the best in his role in the league, drawing constant fouls with his intelligent dribbling in short areas, and he's even been a willing defender when pressing.

Undoubtedly, Tottenham will have a lot of work to do this summer. The pieces are clearly there for Spurs to return to being a top club in England, and they have shown resiliency in the Europa League with a semifinal berth on tap after knocking out third-placed Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt with a 1-0 win on the road (in one of the toughest stadium to play in Germany, I might add).

But even if Tottenham win the Europa League and qualify for next season's Champions League, this season won't be taken as a success with the team toiling in the bottom five of the Premier League. With a strong summer and a clear idea of which pieces to move forward with and which to discard, Tottenham can come back from this.

Before all that happens, there is still a major trophy on the line and five matches left to play in the Premier League. Here are the three biggest problems Tottenham have to look at in these final games and then work on solving in the summer.

Not enough attacking star power

Tottenham don't have enough star power to compete with the teams in the top four of the Premier League. Nottingham Forest are threatening Champions League football, but they might honestly be a one-off. The teams that consistently compete in the top four of the Premier League all have players who are among the best attackers in world football: Mohamed Salah, Bukayo Saka, Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer, and Alexander Isak all come to mind here.

Right now, Spurs don't have anyone. James Maddison has been the best of the bunch this season, and he's a step below the world-class level. And it looks like that's now the case for Son Heung-min as he approaches the age of 33 this July with Saudi Pro League rumors swirling.

Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski, and potentially Bayern Munich loan signing Mathys Tel are all quality pieces, but Tottenham don't have any real stars who can hit 25-30 goal contributions in a season. They may not even have a player hit 20 in the 2024/25 campaign when it's all said and done, and, worse yet, they still don't have a real top striker after Harry Kane's departure to Bayern.

Tottenham are going to have to unearth a real star in the front line if they want to shoot back up the table. The game is driven by difference-makers in the attack, and while Tottenham have a handful of good players, those assorted pieces won't be able to come together without a game-changer. On the bright side, Tel and Johnson have shown signs that they have the potential to be that kind of player for Spurs in the future.

Big Ange is a lame duck coach

I don't think anybody seriously buys Ange Postecoglou as the future manager of Tottenham Hotspur beyond this season. His attitude has begun to grate the fanbase, because it's one thing to be cocky and downtalk the fans when you are winning: it is another thing entirely to behave in this manner when you are at the helm of a historically poor team despite consecutive transfer windows of investment that more prestigious managers did not receive in the preceding seasons.

Postecoglou's seat is hotter than any other manager in world football, and Tottenham have been looking at replacements for months. Coaches like Marco Silva and Thomas Frank have been closely linked to Spurs. It seems increasingly likely that Postecoglou will be out of Tottenham, and it says a lot that many fans feel even a Europa League triumph would not be enough to save the former Celtic coach.

Tottenham are in a situation where everyone thinks their manager will be out. That's an immediate issue. It affects the status of the team and the culture, and you get the sense that players like Cristian Romero are so openly talking about futures outside North London because the stench of Big Ange has permeated so strongly across the grounds that its hard to see the future clearly through this fog of actively dissipating excrement.

Crack in the midfield spine

Tottenham have such a porous and disorganized midfield, and while a lot of that can be blamed on Ange Postecoglou's elementary school tactics that often leave cavernous gaps in the system, Spurs have been missing a critical profile in the middle of the park.

Right now, Spurs don't have a midfield who can control play. They don't have someone who can dictate the game, playmake from deep, and shield the defense. Rodrigo Bentancur is their best defender in the middle of the park, and he's not a real anchor point. In Lucas Bergvall, Tottenham have a highly promising box-to-box player, and Pape Sarr is not half bad either. Then, of course, there's James Maddison as an attacking playmaker, and both he and Dejan Kulusevski are more than adequate progressors on the ball.

But Tottenham have a massive crack in the proverbial windshield - a piece of jagged, shattered glass that draws a singular line over what would otherwise be a perfectly suitable window. As ugly as that crack is and as much as Tottenham are currently hamstrung by their lack of a midfield controller who can facilitate play, I'd rather have to make one big replacement that would make a night-and-day difference rather than toying around with trying to make two or three tweaks to patch up a bunch of small cracks.

Tottenham already did well to bring in Archie Gray and Bergvall as young, future stars in the midfield, and, again, they have a few experienced players who are, at worst, good enough to be useful members of a rotation. But until Spurs get that stabilizing presence at the base of the midfield, they are going to struggle to compete with the best teams in the Premier League that do have a good base like crosstown rivals Chelsea and Arsenal.