Hotspur HQ

There's an expectation that Tottenham will pull the trigger for one of several reported Premier League attacking targets this summer, and 'long-term' target Eberechi Eze is whom many supporters want.

Mohammed Kudus, Bryan Mbeumo and Antoine Semenyo have also been linked with moves to north London, but those deals will be tough to pull off for various reasons. While West Ham and Bournemouth want mammoth fees for Kudus and Semenyo, respectively, Mbeumo has his heart set on Manchester United, and the Red Devils have made an improved second bid for his services.

A reunion between the Frenchman and Thomas Frank in N17 thus seems unlikely.

If Mbeumo to United does go through, there will be greater pressure placed on Spurs to land their ideal attacking target. The calls for Eze will only increase—even if he drastically differs in profile to the Brentford star.

Eberechi Eze on Tottenham's radar, but when will club make their move?

Eze has been linked with a move to north London for years. He's not quite evolved into Leandro Damiao, but I can't remember the last time we enjoyed a window without the papers feasting on the potential of Spurs landing the England international.

Sky Sports have noted the club's 'long-term interest' in the 26-year-old, but add that 'nothing has advanced yet' in regards to a Spurs move for Eze this summer.

The question is: when will we pull the plug?

The creative talisman is believed to have a £60m release clause in his Crystal Palace contract, and recent reports suggest the Eagles are willing to make it easier for interested clubs to finance a deal for Eze this summer by accepting three instalments of £20m. The clause doesn't have to be paid in one lump sum.

There's been no ruling out of his sale from Palace, who allowed Michael Olise to leave last summer after Bayern Munich triggered his £50.8m release clause. I might be very wrong, especially given Steve Parish's history, but it doesn't look like they'll stand in Eze's way if Spurs pay the requisite fee.

While the majority are enamoured by the instinctive Englishman, some have questioned whether a move for a right-sided attacker should be prioritised, given the lack of depth down that flank and the presence of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski as central creators. I understand those cries, but I don't think that need should compromise a pursuit of Eze: the sort of talent worthy of building a team around.

We've previously needed an Eze-type more desperately than we do now, but the dazzling playmaker, off the back of a legacy-defining run of form to conclude 2024/25, makes this Tottenham team better. That's enough for me.

Although Tottenham have recently signed a player to their squad in 20-year-old center back prospect Kota Takai from the Japanese top flight, an unknown youngster for the future is hardly the big splash Spurs supporters were looking forward to after hiring Thomas Frank - and winning the Europa League title a month ago under Ange Postecoglou.

In order to compete at the Champions League level and finish substantially higher than an embarrassing 17th in the Premier League, Tottenham are going to need to sign difference-makers who can win games, especially with Son Heung-min getting older - and potentially even leaving to Turkey or Saudi Arabia this summer.

Tottenham have made no progress on a deal for Bryan Mbeumo, who was allegedly their dream target and would have been an easy solution on the right wing as a 20-goal and 7-assist forward under Thomas Frank last season for Brentford.

Mbeumo appears to be close to joining Manchester United after all, and Tottenham need options. They need to sign players who can win games on their own and contribute directly to 20 goals in a Premier League campaign, and, finally, Spurs are getting an update in the right direction with one of those targets.

A top player wants to join Tottenham

Per a report from The Sun's Tom Barclay, Crystal Palace star attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze does indeed have mutual interest in joining Tottenham Hotspur this summer. Barclay writes that while it isn't guaranteed that Eze will leave Palace after winning the FA Cup - and thus helping the Eagles qualify for the Europa League next season - he stands a good chance of leaving.

Tottenham have been closely linked to Eze this summer, and he is, for many Tottenham fans, the best Premier League player the club can realistically sign this summer if Mbeumo is indeed off the table and headed to Manchester United to join forces with Matheus Cunha.

Last season without Michael Olise by his side, Eze still had a strong campaign with 8 goals and a career-high 8 assists in the Premier League while averaging a solid 3.5 combined dribbles completed and fouls drawn per game

Tottenham already have a strong player in the No. 10 position in Premier League veteran James Maddison, who tied Son for the team lead in goal contributions in league play. But Eze is a more dynamic and versatile player who can play on both wings if needed, and it would be interesting to see how Frank envisions Eze's best position.

After Tottenham Hotspur decided to hire Thomas Frank as the replacement for Ange Postecoglou, rumors immediately swirled around Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, who was arguably the biggest breakout attacking player of the 2024/25 Premier League season.

Although Mbeumo was already clearly leaning in the direction of a Manchester United transfer, there was optimism that hiring his former manager would give Tottenham a leg up in the transfer battle.

That hasn't been the case for Spurs, as Mbeumo continues to show priority towards Man United, and Tottenham have been less involved in the Mbeumo transfer race than was initially reported. Now, according to a report from talkSPORT's Alex Crook and Jackson Cole, Tottenham are expected to focus their recruitment efforts on signing Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze with Man United accelerating their talks with Mbeumo further.

Tottenham were never serious about Bryan Mbeumo

At this point, it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that Manchester United are signing Mbeumo. They have been in the lead for him for weeks, and it's to a point where many Tottenham fans have to wonder if Spurs were ever in on Mbeumo at all. They may have just been leaking to English media that they were going after him as a means to strum up optimism for the fans, either knowing full well Mbeumo didn't want to go to North London - or knowing full well that they weren't actually going to submit a competitive bid to Brentford or to Mbeumo to match the salary Man United would pay.

Eze appears to be the big Premier League star most realistically on the transfer radar to join Tottenham this summer, but Spurs fans are a bit divided on the England international. He's an FA Cup winner and a proven commodity in the attacking midfield in the Premier League, but for only a little bit more, Tottenham could roll the dice on Bundesliga superstar Xavi Simons, who is more of a well-rounded attacking midfielder and a couple of years younger.

Right now, Eze is the top target for Tottenham of the big names in the Premier League, and it feels like Mbeumo is almost completely discarded. It would be an upset if Mbeumo didn't join Manchester United now, and the question for Tottenham becomes, is Eze the guy? And how long will it be until Tottenham fans hear rumors of the club concretely accelerating their interest in one of the major transfer targets of the summer like an Eze or a Simons.

Tottenham Hotspur did well to sign Mathys Tel permanently from Bayern Munich this summer, but aside from that rather obvious addition to the squad, Spurs haven't made any major additions to an attack that is in dire need of difference-making talent.

Plus, with Son Heung-min getting older and inching closer towards a retirement-minded move to Turkey or Saudi Arabia now that he has one year left on his contract, the impetus for Tottenham to land attacking talent has only increased.

Spurs supporters were optimistic that Thomas Frank's appointment as manager could be the boost they needed to be competitive for Brentford breakout star Bryan Mbeumo on the right wing, as a wide player who can score 20 goals is exactly what Tottenham need attacking-wise with a facilitator like Dominic Solanke at striker.

But Tottenham no longer seem to be competitive for Mbeumo with Manchester United closing in on a player they have, admittedly, always been favored to land. Spurs, though, have been linked to alternatives on the wings, including struggling USMNT star Timothy Weah over at Juventus.

Nottingham Forest are moving ahead of Tottenham

The thing is, Tottenham don't even seem well-placed to sign Weah either. According to a report from Fabrizio Romano, Premier League side Nottingham Forest, who replaced Spurs in the top seven as the 2024/25 season's Cinderella story, are currently in talks with Juve for both Weah and an arguably more promising gem on the wings, Samuel Mbangula. Forest could make a swoop for both players at a price of just over 20 million euros.

While Weah isn't a priority target for Tottenham and probably shouldn't be since his career never took off at Lille and he's predictably struggled to make an imprint in Turin, there's also little denying his natural talent or the fact that he still has plenty of upside at the age of 25 with traits that translate well to the Premier League.

The main thing for Tottenham fans about seeing Juventus and Nottingham Forest actively negotiating for two wingers, including Weah, is the frustration that Tottenham are so slow to go for the winger targets they want.

Mbeumo is about to be off the table, and if a guy like Weah is even about to join a top-seven team in the Premier League, what are Tottenham doing loafing around when they need to sign someone who can make a difference out wide? Weah isn't a starting-caliber target or a goal-scorer they need, but Mbeumo, for example, is, and they haven't been going after him, let alone a depth guy like Weah.

In February 2024, Tottenham Hotspur agreed a deal to sign the biggest gem in Swedish football for less than 10 million pounds, bringing home a future midfield star in Lucas Bergvall for the subsequent 2024/25 season.

The move alone was a great one for Tottenham at face value, but it earned additional praise and attention globally for the simple fact that Tottenham signed Bergvall ahead of Barcelona. The Blaugrana were seriously interested in Bergvall, a special prospect, and it was a rare case of Barca - known for attracting the best young players in world football - losing out on a gem to Tottenham.

Bergvall has been as advertised, if not better, for Tottenham and is so good that even Barcelona's rivals Real Madrid are eyeing him as a future Galactic signing once Bergvall blossoms into a truly world-class player. For now, the 19-year-old Swede is "just class" and, most importantly, a Europa League champion for Tottenham.

But Barcelona have improved a lot since their rough 2023/24 season, in which missing out on Bergvall was insult added to injury, as they cleaned up every domestic title in Spain and were a wild Inter Milan comeback away from potentially winning the Champions League.

Barcelona get a phenom of their own

Now, they've also got their gem prospect from Scandinavia, too, getting a bit of revenge over Tottenham in the process. According to Fabrizio Romano, highly coveted FC Copenhagen prospect Roony Bardghji will be moving to Barcelona next week, as the Champions League-caliber clubs have agreed on a transfer that will cost Barca just two million euros plus add-ons and a sell-on clause.

Bardghji was the next big gem Tottenham were looking to sign this summer, as Spurs were closely linked to the 19-year-old Swedish youth international. Less than a week ago, they were working hard on a deal and optimistic they could sign the exciting winger prospect to compete with the current crop of talents in Tottenham like Mikey Moore and 2024 addition Wilson Odobert, but Barcelona have swooped in and stolen Bardghji away.

Barcelona have a ton of pull on the transfer market, especially with young players, and while it is disappointing for Tottenham to not land a great young talent on the wings at such a low cost, they can't realistically beat Barca to everyone available.

Also, weirdly enough, Bardghji may have less competition at Barcelona with young players on the wings. Tottenham have Moore and Odobert, as well as two players already competing for stars on opposite wings in Europa League Final scorer Brennan Johnson and recent 35 million euro signing Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.

Barcelona can have their revenge, but there's no doubt that Tottenham and its fans will be ecstatic with how Bergvall is turning out already.

Andreas Christensen to Tottenham? Hear me out...

Some of you might be thankful that there haven't been any suggestions of a Spurs swoop for the Dane, but I think this may be one of those 'market opportunities' we'd be wise to exploit.

Christensen looks set to leave Barcelona this summer. The defender himself wants to stay, but Barca are keen to oversee his sale given their financial woes and the fact that his contract expires next summer.

While Christensen's current stance would make any deal tricky, Barcelona's willingness to usher him out of Catalonia means potential suitors should hold out hope. Spurs, who may be in the market for another centre-back this summer despite the impending arrival of Kota Takai from Japan, could do a lot worse than the former Chelsea man.

Andreas Christensen is ideal stop-gap if Cristian Romero leaves

There are reasons to be sceptical, of course, but we shouldn't let his connection to our London rivals cloud our judgement. We haven't had much success with ex-Blues bosses, but there have been several examples of former Chelsea players enjoying decent enough spells in N17.

Scott Parker was immense for a couple of years, while Carlo Cudicini and Eidur Gudjohnsen proved to be serviceable veterans as their respective careers wound down.

Christensen missed half of 2024–25 with an Achilles injury and took another month to recover from a muscle injury. There's reason for concern on the fitness front, but I otherwise have few issues with the Danish defender.

He's developed a lot since breaking through at Chelsea all those years ago, when teams were able to hone in on the young and gangly defender and overwhelm him physically. No longer is Christensen a defender you can bully in the air, and while he's not exactly Zeus in stature, the 29-year-old is undoubtedly more imposing than he once was.

He's underrated as a recovery defender, but also astute when tasked with defending on the front foot. The Dane showed off his fundamentals as a pure defender while Thomas Tuchel was in charge of the Blues' second Champions League success, and he's offered more than mere competence in the more aggressive defensive lines adopted by his Barcelona managers.

For me, Christensen is a very well-balanced defender who's long been lauded for his talent in possession. He could help fill the gaping void Cristian Romero would leave in the build-up should he leave the club this summer.

Spurs have a potential long-term successor to the Argentine in Luka Vuskovic, while Takai, all things considered, looks to be a talent worthy of some excitement. However, Christensen could operate as the ideal stop-gap, and Thomas Frank's arrival would allow the 29-year-old to reunite with his former Denmark U17s coach.

Back in 2022, Frank lauded compatriot Christensen as one of the world's best defenders, telling Bold: “He has always been enormously intelligent on the pitch, meaning very quick to anticipate all situations offensively and defensively.

“He is technically hugely strong for a defender in terms of bringing the ball forward, passing and making good choices.

“He is also foresighted and fast at the same time, so it’s almost the complete package," he added.

Keep Romero, and there's no need for Christensen, but I think we should expect a testing of these waters if we're unable to retain our star defender.

It's been a quiet start to the summer transfer window for Spurs, who have so far converted loanees Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel into permanent arrivals.

However, we were treated to an unexpected mini-bomba on Monday night, as news broke regarding the impending arrival of Japanese defender Kota Takai from Kawasaki Frontale.

Takai is a player who first entered my conciousness about two hours ago, and I'm not going to pretend that I know anything about the 20-year-old. What I do know, however, is that Spurs have taken a big step towards completing their centre-back room for 2024/25.

Tottenham agree deal to sign highly-rated centre-back Kota Takai

In Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven, Spurs are blessed with one of Europe's best defensive partnerships, and there's no need to make a major splurge at the position this summer if the Argentine commits his future to the club despite Ange Postecoglou's departure.

Kevin Danso proved himself to be an able deputy during the second half of last season, while Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies are also on the books. Luka Vuskovic is arriving after a string of successful loans, and Ashley Phillips has supposedly caught the eye of Thomas Frank. Takai joins this group of young centre-backs who might not be ready just yet, but there's reason to be excited about the new arrival.

Spurs are sending Kawasaki Frontale £5m for Takai's services—a record fee for a player in the J League moving overseas.

Given my previous ignorance, research on Takai was very much necessary after The Athletic confirmed the news of our agreement with the Japanese club. My major takeaway: Takai may well be the best centre-back none of you have ever heard of.

In all seriousness, Spurs are signing a really intriguing talent who already has four caps for Japan. He's right-footed but is comfortable performing on the left side of defence, suggesting that he could develop into a Van de Ven understudy.

The kid plays with elegance and poise, with his reading of the game allowing him to defend the channels with impressive assurance. The ease with which he performs from an array of angles in possession was encouraging, too. The montages are promising, but that's exactly what they're meant to be.

Takai is said to have attracted interest from clubs in Germany and Italy but wanted to join the European champions, while Alasdair Gold (via The Spurs Express on X) adds that technical director Johan Lange believes the 20-year-old can be the next U21 starlet signed by the club to step up and perform in the Premier League, following in the footsteps of Pape Matar Sarr, Destiny Udogie and Lucas Bergvall.

Low risk, high reward. The big-money moves you all crave will come. Don't panic.

Tottenham are currently not moving forward with a deal for Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo after learning the Cherries' valuation of the winger.

Spurs have a long list of Premier League attacking targets as they aim to best prepare their squad for its first season at the helm with Thomas Frank in charge. Champions League football beckons, and a mini-makeover is required in N17.

The club's first notable move of the summer saw Mathys Tel join permanently from Bayern Munich off the back of his six-month loan, but more moves are expected to be made to the frontline, especially if Son Heung-min departs after the pre-season tour.

There's no clear idea of whom Spurs' priority target is, but there's been an attempt to make a move for Semenyo. However, Bournemouth are asking for too much of Daniel Levy's cash.

Tottenham not willing to meet Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo asking price

The Cherries must be frustrated by the gutting of their defence at the start of the summer window, with Dean Huijsen joining Real Madrid and Milos Kerkez heading to Liverpool. Paris Saint-Germain are also after Illia Zabarnyi, but they've so far rejected a couple of bids.

Further up the pitch, Semenyo operated as Andoni Iraola’s X-factor powerhouse who enjoyed the most prolific season of his senior career, scoring 11 times in the Premier League. Bournemouth, who harbour grand aspirations, don't want to lose him, and they're currently asking potential suitors, including Spurs, for £70m.

The Athletic report that Johan Lange and company have enquired about Semenyo, but the Cherries' hefty valuation is currently deemed to high. As a result, they're 'not proceeding' with the deal.

Now, those who fancy a bit of transfer window excitement may be disappointed, and there will be some decrying a "lack of ambition" for not meeting Bournemouth's demands. The news arrives just days after Daniel Levy stated his desire to win everything off the back of our Europa League success, and many are now waiting for the chairman to walk the walk by backing the new manager with a healthy summer kitty.

However, dedicating £70m towards Semenyo would not be wise. That's just far too much money for a player who, while destructive and unique in profile, can be mightily wasteful and is prone to blowing hot and cold. I like him, but given Frank's track record of developing forwards, I don't think we should be breaking the bank for a player of Semenyo's ilk.

If we are to spend big, it has to be in central defence (if Cristian Romero leaves) or at the base of midfield.

New Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has to be scouting around world football closely and leaving no stone unturned as he and the other key decision-makers at the club plan a pivotal transfer window for the incoming manager with a Champions League return on the horizon from Spurs.

There are a few obvious choices for Tottenham to pursue, such as established Premier League attacking stars like Eberechi Eze and Bryan Mbeumo. And then there are the dream options around European football like Xavi Simons, as well as the talented deep-lying midfielders like Adam Wharton at Crystal Palace and Angelo Stiller over in Stuttgart.

It's obvious to anyone who watched Tottenham struggle in the Premier League last season that this team needs at least one top-level defensive midfielder to playmake from deep and/or destroy the opposition defensively. Preferably, they'd go for multiple players who can provide at least one of these qualities.

Palmeiras star Richard Rios isn't the first name on the lips of Tottenham supporters, but the Colombian international, who first emerged on the international radar after a sensational 2024 Copa America tournament, may be becoming a bigger topic this summer.

Standing out in another international tournament

Tottenham have already been linked to the talented 25-year-old defensive midfielder, who can be signed for potentially under 20 million pounds. And if Daniel Levy and Frank's interest in the player were already piqued, then Rios just cried out for significantly more attention from Spurs.

Teammates with incoming Chelsea gem Estevao Willian, Rios actually outshone the teenage phenom on Thursday in the Club World Cup against Al Ahly. Even though Willian picked up another rather undeserved Man of the Match award, everyone who watched the game saw that Rios was the clear standout.

Now obviously, Rios isn't a better player than Willian, nor does he have the same upside, but he is, right now, a standout in his own right and one of the best defensive midfielders in the world playing outside of Europe's top five leagues.

Rios recorded five fouls drawn with three tackles, three interceptions, two clearances, and even a key pass in a nearly perfect all-around performance in the Palmeiras defensive midfield. Palmeiras absolutely blanketed their competition in the Club World Cup, and so much of that credit goes to Rios's brilliant screening.

Hard-nosed in defense and capable of using his body well to progress play and draw fouls on the ball, Rios is a legitimate transfer target for Tottenham and a sign that Spurs must remain willing to expand their horizons beyond Europe for potential transfer bargains. He's worth a look.

Tottenham Hotspur know they need to sign multiple game-changers in the attack in order to improve their status as the 17th-placed team in the Premier League, especially since Thomas Frank's first campaign at the helm will be an even more grueling one with the Champions League on the horizon.

For the most part, Tottenham have been linked to names fitting the status of a star at a club like Tottenham, such as Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze and Brentford forwards Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo.

But Tottenham and Frank are also apparently looking at some players who are way off the beaten path, specifically those in Serie A, where Tottenham have had a great deal of success unearthing underrated gems like Guglielmo Vicario in goal.

According to a report from Foot Mercato's Sebastien Denis and Josue Casse, Tottenham have joined fellow Premier League strugglers Everton as two of four clubs (the other are unnamed by the reporters) with an interest in Juventus wide player Timothy Weah.

Tottenham add another wide player to their list

The son of Ballon d'Or winner and legendary forward George Weah, Timothy, a 25-year-old United States international has struggled to make the leap from Lille to Juventus. Although he wasn't really a star player for Lille and wasn't ready for a move to the biggest club in Italy, Juventini expected to see more dynamism and overall threat from Weah.

He's been a hard-worker and a useful utility player in a backup role for the Bianconeri, but he's also been pushed further away from goal as more of a wide midfielder than a winger in Turin because of his inability to make the right decisions or execute at a high enough level technically for Serie A.

So Weah, in that sense, looks like an underwhelming option for Tottenham. That said, because of his athletic traits and work ethic, he may be a better fit for the Premier League. There's also the reality that the coaching at Juventus has been woeful lately, and Frank may feel confident that he sees something in Weah that neither Lille nor Juve properly valued or coached up.

Everything with a small transfer gamble like this one depends on cost, but after missing out on Johnny Cardoso, it looks like Tottenham want to grab a well-known American player for their squad. There are worse options than Weah, but there are also way better options on the market in the wide positions.

On a loan deal, maybe Weah makes sense as a backup, but Tottenham will already have more talented mouths to feed on both flanks like Mikey Moore, Wilson Odobert, and, of course, Europa League hero Brennan Johnson.