Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min has announced that he will leave the club this summer.

The 33-year-old South Korean joined the north London side from German outfit Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 and will leave after helping Spurs win the UEFA Europa League last season, their first trophy in 17 years.

Ahead of Spurs' match against Newcastle United on Sunday in Seoul, South Korea, Son's homeland, the club captain said: "Before we start the press conference, I wanted to say I have decided to leave the Club this summer."

"It was the most difficult decision I have made in my career. Such amazing memories."

"I need a new environment to push myself. I need a little bit of change - 10 years is a long time. I came to north London as a kid, 23 years old, such a young age. I leave this club as a grown man, a very proud man.

"I want to say thank you to all the Spurs fans for giving me so much love. I hope the goodbye is also good timing and this is the right time to make that decision. I hope everyone can accept that and respect that."

Head coach Thomas Frank added: "For me, personally, I would have loved to have worked with this fantastic person and player.

"He is a true Spurs legend in every aspect, one of the greatest players to play in the Premier League. It is never easy to find the perfect timing and me coming in from the side, it makes it a bit easier to end on a high."

Son's career at Spurs

Son leaves Spurs as one of the club's greatest players after making 454 appearances in all competitions, the seventh-most in their history.

In that time he scored 173 goals, the fifth-most in Spurs' history, with 127 of them coming in the Premier League.

Watch Son's best Premier League moments

He also won the Golden Boot in 2021/22, having scored 23 times and won the FIFA Puskas Award for his incredible solo goal against Burnley in 2019.

And after lifting the Europa League last season, Son became just the 13th Spurs captain to lift a trophy for the club.

Following Mohammed Kudus' move to Tottenham Hotspur, Opta Analyst's Ali Tweedale looks at what the former West Ham United star will bring to Thomas Frank's forward line.

Why have Tottenham Hotspur signed Mohammed Kudus?

The short answer is simple. They don’t have much in the way of exceptional dribblers, and new manager Thomas Frank clearly wants to add one to their attack.

Kudus is a genuinely elite dribbler. Only Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku completed more dribbles (107) in the Premier League last season than Kudus (92). On a per-90 basis, too, only Doku (6.4) could better Kudus (3.2) among players with at least 1,000 minutes under their belt.

And it’s also noteworthy that Doku was playing for a team who saw significantly more of the ball and did significantly more attacking than Kudus’ West Ham United. Doku averaged 71.9 touches of the ball per 90, while Kudus had just 52.2.

Click here to zoom in on image.

Kudus looks to beat a man remarkably often. He admits that he can’t help but try to take the ball into space as soon as he gets it, telling The Athletic last year: "When I see space with the ball at my feet, I don’t care what’s in front of me. I have to go for it."

Last season, he attempted more dribbles (195) than any other player in the Premier League. Dribble attempts made up 12.9 per cent of his on-ball actions. His dribble success rate of 47.2 per cent was on the higher side among the most active dribblers in the league. (As an aside, Dejan Kulusevski was the only one of the 22 players to attempt 100+ dribbles who played for Spurs, and he had the worst dribble success rate of the lot at 31.9 per cent.)

So, in Kudus, Spurs are getting a high-volume, high-output dribbler, and one who is up to speed with the Premier League, having spent the last two years at West Ham. That was largely a successful time, hence Spurs paying big money for him.

However, Kudus' most recent season, when he scored five Premier League goals and added three assists as West Ham finished 14th, was underwhelming compared to his debut campaign, when he scored eight goals and registered six assists as the Hammers finished ninth.

Watch Kudus' best goals, assists and skills

While Kudus is a transitional threat and he did well enough in a West Ham side who largely attacked on the transition in his two years there, he will surely do better in a team who dominate territory. His exceptional dribbling and ability to wriggle out of tight spaces should help Spurs break down low blocks more effectively than they did under Ange Postecoglou.

The opportunity to play in the UEFA Champions League once again was undoubtedly alluring, and so too was the chance to play in a team who dominate the ball more. A team who could get the ball to Kudus more often. Not since his impressive 2022/23 season at Ajax, when his performances convinced West Ham to pay reportedly almost £40 million to sign him, has he played for a possession-dominant team.

He is a different profile of attacker to anyone else at the club. Spurs players attempted more dribbles than those of any other team in the Premier League last season (790), but they ranked ninth for successful dribbles (308), with the worst dribble success rate in the league (39.0 per cent). They also have no standout dribbler, instead boasting lots of players who attempt dribbles fairly consistently, and none of them do it particularly well.

None of the top 20 players for successful dribbles per 90 in the Premier League last season played for Spurs (500+ minutes played), whose most prolific dribblers were full-back Djed Spence (1.9 successful dribbles per 90) and the now-departed and largely ineffectiveTimo Werner (1.8).Mathys Tel was their best-performing winger who is still at the club, with 1.5 per 90.

Tel and Wilson Odobert are tricky players who can beat a man, but Postecoglou largely favoured wingers who could run hard and run fast. Listing out all Premier League players in order of the top speed they hit last season, Spurs had more players in the top 40 (five) than any other club. No other team had more players overall in the top 40 positions than Spurs had wingers alone (four).

Under Postecoglou, Spurs sought to release their quick wingers down the flanks to put low balls across the face of goal. They scored a lot of goals playing that way, but they also chucked too many men forward with every attack and struggled to balance attack with defence; they conceded 65 goals in 38 league games and finished 17th in the table. Someone like Kudus, who can beat his opponent more effectively than any of his new teammates, should theoretically reduce the need for so many players to pile forward, and therefore might even help improve Spurs’ defensive record.

The truth is, however, that Kudus didn’t have the best 2024/25 season and, as well as being able to dribble past players, Spurs will obviously want end product from their new signing. In Premier League games last season, the Ghanaian recorded 40 carries (moving at least five metres with the ball) that he followed up with a shot or a chance created, but not a single one ended up with a goal or an assist.

Of the 47 players to register 25+ carries followed by a shot or chance created, Kudus was the only player to fail to record a single goal involvement from any of them. Some of that will be down to his team-mates, but it is still something he will need to improve on.

Click here to zoom in on image.

It is the season before last that will really have caught the eye of Spurs and Frank, who is said to have been a long-time admirer of the player. The 24-year-old picked up seven goals or assists from his 49 carries that ended with a shot or a chance created in 2023/24. That is the player Spurs hope they are signing.

Click here to zoom in on image.

The club will also hope Frank’s history of improving forwards such as Bryan Mbeumo, Ivan Toney and Yoane Wissa means he can unlock the best of Kudus. Doing so is likely to require playing the Ghanian in his best position.

At West Ham, Kudus was forced to play in a variety of positions, partly because he is versatile enough to play all across the front line, but also because Jarrod Bowen’s preference was to play from the right.

Kudus' positions played 23/24 and 24/25

Click here to zoom in on image.

When Kudus signed for West Ham, he said he prefers to play centrally as a No 10, but he didn’t play there all that much in east London. At Spurs, his opportunities there are likely to be even more limited given they will also have James Maddison and Kulusevski to play the attacking midfield roles. And considering they have Son Heung-min, Tel and Odobert as options on the left wing, Kudus is likely to play on the right. He can also provide back-up in the centre-forward position, but it doesn’t seem likely that will be where he is used.

It remains to be seen if Kulusevski plays on the right for Frank, but he was so good centrally last season that one would assume his future lies there. That would leave Kudus and UEFA Europa League final hero Brennan Johnson to battle it out for the spot on the right flank.

Kudus is more comfortable on the right, too. In Premier League games last season, there was a stark difference between his per 90 numbers when playing on the right and left: he had more touches, touches in the opposition box, shots, shots on target, chances created, possession regains, possession regains in the final third, and shot-ending carries when deployed on the right wing.

He likes being able to come off the flank and attack on his stronger left foot, while he can also go around the outside and head for the byline on his right. On the left flank, his game is far more limited.

There was an obvious weakness in the Spurs squad, and Frank has set about addressing it in his first few weeks at the club. Kudus adds something Spurs lacked, so he has the capacity to improve the team immediately.

This appears to be a signing that makes perfect sense.

Tottenham Hotspur have signed defender Kota Takai from J1 League side Kawasaki Frontale on a five-year contract.

Japan international Takai, 20, becomes the third centre-back to sign for Spurs this summer, following the arrival of Luka Vuskovic from Hajduk Split and Kevin Danso, whose loan move from Lens in the winter transfer window has been made permanent.

Takai will become the 16th Japanese player to play for a Premier League club when he makes his Spurs debut, should he feature before Leeds United midfielder Ao Tanaka.

Who is Kota Takai?

Born in Yokohama, Japan, Takai first joined River FC aged five, staying with them until moving to Kawasaki Frontale in 2011.

He was promoted to the senior side in 2022 and made his debut that year, going on to feature 49 times for the J1 League side and scoring four goals.

Takai has won four caps for Japan's senior side, making his international debut in a World Cup qualifier versus China last September. He also helped Japan reach the quarter-finals at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Watch Spurs' Takai announcement video

When could Takai make his debut?

Takai's first match in Spurs colours could come against Reading in pre-season on 19 July.

Spurs begin their Premier League campaign at home to Burnley on 16 August.

Spurs' new centre-back Kota Takai idolises Virgil van Dijk and has been compared to Dean Huijsen, as Asian football expert John Duerden explains.

Kota Takai’s rise to prominence may have been long-expected, but the last few months have been a whirlwind for the 20-year-old.

In September 2024, the classy defender made his international debut for Japan, in December he was named J1 League Young Player of the Season and in July, he signed for Tottenham Hotspur.

European, especially Serie A, interest has been rumoured for a year or so, but the London club paid out a reported £5million to Kawasaki Frontale.

It is a J1 League record for a Japanese player but looks like a bargain.

Japan's rising defensive star

Born in Yokohama just two years after that city hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup final, Takai joined the academy at nearby Kawasaki before his 10th birthday.

“He has great physical ability and technique and his ability to play well under pressure has helped him grow,” said Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu.

“It’s is not common to go directly to the Premier League and it’s great to see a Japanese player being recognised."

Takai’s idol is Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Moriyasu sees the Liverpool captain as the blueprint.

“I hope he can become Japan’s Van Dijk... play well at Tottenham and help them compete for the Premier League and the [UEFA] Champions League,” said Moriyasu.

Since breaking into the first team in 2023 and then becoming a regular, Takai has missed just one league game this season.

'Takai is special'

The sight of the 6ft 3in star using his pace to chase down an attacker and get in a last-ditch tackle has become a familiar one, as has his habit of getting on the end of set pieces.

Well-timed interceptions are another speciality, often followed by sweeping passes, from either foot, to start attacks, though he is comfortable in bringing the ball out of defence.

Opta Analyst has compared his style to Dean Huijsen, whose eye-catching performances for AFC Bournemouth last season persuaded Real Madrid to spend a reported £50m in May.

“It is unusual for a defender so young to be selected by Japan but he is special,” said Tom Byer, a Japan-based youth development specialist who has worked with the Japan FA.

“I think he’ll contribute significantly to Tottenham. He’s very good in the air and dangerous from set-pieces. At the back, he breaks up a lot of plays as he’s quite aggressive.

“What stands out is his great technical ability, especially as he is such a big guy.”

Tactically also, he is aware.

After one of his final games for Kawasaki, a 2-1 defeat against Vissel Kobe, Takai commented that he felt the gap between the defensive and attacking midfielders was too big, making it harder to start attacks.

From Kawasaki to the world stage

He won’t be the only Kawasaki alumni in England’s top tier.

Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma and Ao Tanaka of Leeds United, also arrived in Europe from the Kanagawa club.

Other old boys include established Japanese internationals Takefusa Kubo at Real Sociedad and Borussia Monchengladbach’s Ko Itakura.

Located just south of Tokyo, Frontale have one of the largest player pools in the world on their doorstep and are an attractive destination given their history of developing talent, top-level coaching, giving opportunities and success on the pitch with four championships in the past eight years.

With Wataru Endo of Liverpool, Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada, there are now five of Japan’s best in the Premier League.

Once Takai makes his Premier League debut, the entire total of Japanese players to play in the competition will rise to 16, after Junichi Inamoto was the first, joining Arsenal in 2000.

That figure could also rise to 17 if midfielder Ao Tanaka features for newly-promoted Leeds United this season.

Endo, who last season followed Shinji Kagawa, Takumi Minamino and Shinji Okazaki in lifting the trophy, is also captain of the national team, the first to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in March.

He announced that it is time to focus on winning the tournament.

The future of Japanese football

Given the country’s rise, it is no longer unthinkable, a reason why young Japanese players are in such demand.

More may follow Takai west. Wing-back Ryunosuke Sato (Fagiano Okayama) is only 18 and in June, became the youngest player ever to represent Japan, beating Kagawa’s record.

The J1 League Best Young Player of 2022 Mao Hosoya (Kashiwa Reysol) has also broken into the national team and the intelligent forward, 23, has admirers in Europe as has defender Junnosuke Suzuki (Shonan Bellmare).

All will be watching how their international team-mate Takai settles in London.

It may take time to break into a team with an abundance of talented centre-backs including Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin, Ben Davies and another new signing in Luka Vuskovic.

Just as teenage South Korean winger Yang Min-hyeok was loaned out to Queens Park Rangers by Spurs upon his arrival in January, Takai may get regular minutes elsewhere.

Time is on his side, however, but even if he is thrown straight in, he has already shown that he can handle most of what is thrown at his way.

Tottenham Hotspur Team News, Fixtures & Results 2025/26  Premier League

From Tuesday, 1 July, a number of top football players around the world will be out of contract, as most player deals in football expire on 30 June. Their availability could attract the attention of Premier League clubs.

When players' contracts expire, they can be signed for free, with no transfer fee paid to the player's club required. This has been the case since the "Bosman ruling" was introduced in 1995, when Belgian midfielder Jean Marc-Bosman successfully challenged RFC Liege's demand to receive a fee before permitting him to join another club after his contract had expired.

In the 30 years since then, we've seen some high-profile free transfers such as Sol Campbell swapping Tottenham Hotspur for Arsenal in 2001 and Germany captain Michael Ballack signing for Chelsea in 2006.

Below, we identify 20 players that clubs might consider signing this summer.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

When Everton spent £1.5million to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin, then a relatively unknown 19-year-old forward, from Sheffield United, few could have predicted the rise that was to follow.

Over the course of nine years, the young striker would go on to establish himself as a key figure at Goodison Park. He made 273 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees, netting 71 goals.

Calvert-Lewin’s most prolific season so far was in 2020/21, when he scored 21 times in all competitions, including his best Premier League tally to date - 16 goals in 33 appearances,

That momentum was soon disrupted. A series of injuries curtailed his progress in 2021/22 and 2022/23, when he was limited to just 18 league and cup appearances in each campaign.

Calvert-Lewin’s availability improved in 2023/24 (38 appearances in all competitions) and last season (26) but his goal tallies were in single figures. The 28-year-old's last strike for Everton came in January, in their 3-2 win over Spurs, just before another 12-match absence through injury.

Thomas Partey

Five years on from Thomas Partey’s arrival at Arsenal, it’s fair to say the Ghanaian midfielder has played a pivotal role in Mikel Arteta’s transformation of the team.

As the Spanish manager sought to usher in a new era at the Emirates, Partey became a key component in the finely tuned machine Arteta was building. He made 130 Premier League appearances, scoring nine times – including Arsenal’s Goal of the Season, against arch-rivals Spurs, in 2022/23.

Although a hamstring injury caused Partey to miss four months of the 2023/24 campaign, the 32-year-old returned to the fore last season and produced some moments of brilliance. One such highlight came on 23 November 2024, when he unleashed a stunning strike from outside the box against Nottingham Forest.

Nelson Semedo

Over the course of five seasons and 182 appearances in all competitions, Nelson Semedo developed into a dependable figure at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Portuguese right-back played a leading role in helping Vitor Pereira’s side remain in the Premier League, having taken on the captain’s armband following Mario Lemina’s departure in the winter transfer window.

While his tally of three goals and 11 assists may not leap off the page, the 31-year-old’s contribution to the club went far beyond statistics. His consistency, experience, and quiet authority made him a trusted presence in the squad.

Thomas Muller

In an era where one-club players have become increasingly rare, 35-year-old Thomas Muller stands as one of the last of a dying breed.

Having spent his entire professional career at Bayern Munich, the veteran forward has become synonymous with the club’s identity.

With a remarkable 755 appearances and 250 goals to his name, he is a Bayern legend and a towering figure in German football history.

Yet, as the club begins to pivot toward a more dynamic and modern style of play under new manager Vincent Kompany, Muller has found opportunities harder to come by.

The Belgian coach’s tactical vision has made it difficult to carve out a regular role for Muller in his system. He made 18 of his 30 Bundesliga appearances last season as a substitute.

Jonathan David

It's no secret that a number of clubs are searching for a striker this summer, and David has been linked with many of them including Man Utd, Newcastle United and West Ham United.

The 25-year-old Canada international lit up France's Ligue 1 with Lille last season, scoring 16 goals and producing five assists in 32 appearances. His seven UEFA Champions League goals in 2024/25 also drew many admirers from across Europe and Saudi Arabia.

In total, he has netted 109 goals in 232 games at club level since joining Lille in the summer of 2020. His contract expires on 30 June.

Olivier Boscagli

The classy 27-year-old French defender is said to be on Brighton & Hove Albion's radar.

As a ball-playing centre-back, Boscagli has impressive passing stats, playing 12.75 progressive passes per match last season for PSV Eindhoven.

Jamie Vardy

The player who wrote one of football's most remarkable stories is looking to add one final chapter.

Vardy's rise from the Northern Premier League to Premier League champion with underdogs Leicester City won't ever be forgotten. He has left the Foxes as a 200-goal hero, and the 38-year-old striker says his journey is not over yet.

Mario Pasalic

The Croatia midfielder, 30, has been with Atalanta for seven years - initially on loan, then permanently from 2020. His contract expires on 30 June.

The Serie A club are reportedly keen to retain Pasalic, who spent virtually all of his six seasons as a Chelsea player from 2014 out on loan. He did not make a single appearance for the west London club.

Mason Holgate

The versatile defender is a free agent, following his departure from Everton after 10 years.

The 28-year-old Jamaica international spent 2024/25 at West Bromwich Albion, in the latest of his various loan spells that have also taken him to Southampton and Sheffield United in recent seasons.

Stefan de Vrij

The experienced Inter centre-back, who plays alongside Virgil van Dijk for the Netherlands, has a contract that is due to expire on 30 June 2025.

However, De Vrij is reportedly in talks to extend his stay at the San Siro.

Christian Eriksen

Potential suitors have been alerted since Man Utd announced a new contract has not been offered to the Danish midfielder.

Rangers and Ajax are two of the clubs reported to be keen on the 33-year-old, who won the FA Cup and the EFL Cup during his three years at Old Trafford.

Danny Ings

Although Ings endured a quiet second season at West Ham, making only two starts and 15 substitute appearances in 2024/25, he has the reputation of being a deadly finisher.

Southampton fans certainly witnessed that, as he scored 41 goals in 91 Premier League matches for their club before his move to Aston Villa in 2021.

The 32-year-old's stint at the London Stadium may not have quite gone to plan but the UEFA Europa Conference League winner still has plenty to offer.

Willian

The Brazilian, now 36, has always been an eye-catching player.

The former Chelsea and Arsenal winger left Fulham on a free transfer last summer but, after a few months with Greek club Olympiacos, he returned to Craven Cottage in the January transfer window and made a further 10 Premier League appearances for the club.

Willian was named on Fulham's released list this week.

Ashley Young

He may be turning 40 in July, but Young apparently has no plans to mark his big birthday by retiring.

A Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Europa League winner at Man Utd, Young played 31 times for Everton in 2024/25 and said he feels as fit and fresh as he did during his 20s.

Ben Mee

The 35-year-old defender joined Brentford on a free transfer in July 2022 after 11 years at Burnley.

Mee played 67 times for the Bees in three seasons, scoring five goals, and although he made only two starts in 2024/25, his vast experience will be an attraction.

Lukasz Fabianski

A West Ham stalwart of seven seasons, the 40-year-old Polish goalkeeper is determined to play on.

Set to be forever remembered by supporters for his part in the Hammers' 2022/23 Conference League success, Fabianski made 195 Premier League appearances for the club, keeping 45 clean sheets.

Neal Maupay

Maupay spent two of his three seasons as an Everton player out on loan, firstly to his former club Brentford in 2023/24 and then Marseille in 2024/25, when he scored four goals in Ligue 1.

The 28-year-old forward, who has also played for Brighton in the Premier League, reportedly has suitors in France.

Victor Lindelof

The Sweden captain represented Man Utd for eight years and appeared 194 times in the Premier League.

Although it has been far from the most glorious period in the club's history, the 30-year-old free agent still has FA Cup and EFL Cup success on his CV.

Abdoulaye Doucoure

Everton paid a reported £20million to sign Doucoure from Watford in September 2020.

But it proved to be a very decent investment, especially when his goal against AFC Bournemouth helped keep the club in the Premier League on the final day of the 2022/23 season.

The 31-year-old midfielder made 166 appearances for the Toffees, scoring 21 times and producing 14 assists, and will no doubt be an attractive proposition. That said, he was included on Everton's retained list - published this week - as a player who has received an offer to stay at the club.

Sergio Reguilon

The Spanish full-back may have only made 56 appearances for Spurs since joining them in 2020, but loan spells at Atletico Madrid, Man Utd and Brentford in the past few years have given the 28-year-old a wealth of experience at the highest level.

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The Scout picks out clubs and players who can be paired together effectively in opening squads in 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League and give FPL managers a great run of early fixtures.

While it is a good idea to rotate cheap defenders from two different clubs according to their fixtures, data from last season suggests that, when choosing those clubs, it's best not to focus too much on getting lots of home fixtures instead of away matches.

See: How and why to rotate your defenders

After all, of the 17 clubs who have remained in the Premier League from last season, only SIX produced more clean sheets in home matches than they did away from home.

More often than not, then, the key factor for getting defensive returns was the strength of the opposition attack, rather than where the match was being played.

This only enhances the importance of using the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR) at the start of any season when building your opening squad.

Spurs and Wolves

You could barely ask for a better opening rotation pairing than picking a defender from both Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

According to the FDR - where the easiest possible matches are ranked as No 1 and the hardest are ranked as No 5 – as many as EIGHT of the first nine fixtures would score only 2.

Spurs and Wolves rotation, Gameweeks 1-9

GW Club Fixture FDR 1 Spurs Burnley (H) 2 2 Wolves Bournemouth (A) 3 3 Wolves Everton (H) 2 4 Spurs West Ham (A) 2 5 Wolves Leeds (H) 2 6 Spurs Wolves (H) 2 7 Spurs Leeds (A) 2 8 Wolves Sunderland (A) 2 9 Wolves Burnley (H) 2

*1 = easiest possible fixture, 5 = hardest possible fixture

The only match in this opening spell that scores more than a 2 in the FDR is in Gameweek 2, when the better fixture - Wolves’ visit to AFC Bournemouth - is rated as a 3. In that same Gameweek, Spurs visit Manchester City.

A further assessment of the fixtures also shows your starting defender would face a promoted opponent in FIVE of those nine Gameweeks.

Spurs host Burnley in Gameweek 1 and visit Leeds United in Gameweek 7. Wolves, meanwhile, host Leeds and Burnley in Gameweeks 5 and 9 respectively, while travelling to Sunderland in Gameweek 8.

Who could be the best budget picks?

Spurs and Wolves were both among the worst defences in the league last time around, claiming just six and eight clean sheets respectively.

While that might seem like a reason to avoid their defenders, it means there should be at least one from each club who will remain in the budget price bracket.

In the case of Spurs, it would be no surprise if it's Micky van de Ven once again - the Dutchman’s cost of £4.5m last season made him their only regular starter in defence who was under £5.0m.

Spurs are very much a work in progress right now, and the selections, tactics and summer transfers of new head coach Thomas Frank means FPL managers will have to keep a keen eye on Spurs’ pre-season friendlies.

Wolves’ progress after Vitor Pereira's arrival midway through last season looks hugely encouraging for their prospects in 2025/26.

SEVEN of their eight clean sheets in 204/25 came after the Portuguese took charge in Gameweek 17. That total put them level with Arsenal and Liverpool in that spell, and was bettered by just five other sides.

All of Wolves' defenders were priced under £5.0m last season and, despite their improvement under Pereira, that seems unlikely to change.

At present, wing-back Nelson Semedo and centre-back Toti could prove the best options, although managers will be hoping Pereira can find a suitable replacement for attacking left wing-back Rayan Ait-Nouri, who has moved to Man City.

Next: Everton and Crystal Palace

Also in this series

Thomas Frank has promised a risk-taking, front-foot approach at Tottenham Hotspur next season.

In an exclusive interview with Spurs' in-house media, the new head coach, 51, said he will follow in the tradition of Spurs' attacking style as he looks to build on the club's UEFA Europa League win and turn them into "serial winners".

“I know the ethos and the history of the club is massive on attacking football, and there is so much attacking talent in the squad," said Frank. "I’m very, very big on principles and what we do in the final third in terms of creating chances.

“I always say this one-liner: if you don’t take risks, you also take risks. So it’s important we take risks. Risk is you need to play forward.

"If you don’t risk the ball, you can’t create things. We need to be brave."

Predecessor Postecoglou a 'legend'

Frank has joined from Brentford on a three-year contract, replacing Ange Postecoglou, who was dismissed despite delivering Spurs' first trophy in 17 years.

The Dane spoke of his admiration for the person he is replacing and his desire to create more memories at the club.

“He will for ever be a legend at Tottenham Hotspur," Frank added. "It’s very important to understand that we all stand on the shoulders of others so I am going in on the foundations that Ange has built.

"I’m very humble about that and I’ll do my very best to continue the great work he put in.

“The feeling and excitement [following the Europa League victory over Manchester United] the joy and happiness you could see in the fans’ faces, the pictures you saw - wow!

"Hopefully we can create more of those moments. That would be the ultimate dream to do that and build on that. No one can say they are not winners; the team and the players are winners. Now we need to do our best to see whether we can be serial winners in the future.”

Frank also discusses the importance of alignment at the club from top to bottom in order to achieve success in the video below.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has said that winning the UEFA Europa League is not enough and that they need to win the Premier League.

In an exclusive interview with Spurs' in-house media, Levy spoke about their aspirations and why he, as well as chief executive officer Vinai Venkatesham, replaced Ange Postecoglou with Thomas Frank as the club's head coach.

"You saw the outpouring of emotion with the parade [after Spurs beat Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final to win their first piece of silverware in 17 years]. It was just incredible. We've won a European trophy," Levy said on the club's official website.

"But it's not enough. We want to win the Premier League. We want to win the Champions League."

Venkatesham: Thomas is outstanding developer of young players

CEO Venkatesham said that Frank was the clear candidate to be named as Spurs' new head coach, as he explained why the Dane was appointed.

"We analysed in real detail, through our technical staff led by Johan [Lange, technical director], more than 30 candidates," Venkatesham said.

"Thomas was absolutely the number one candidate.

"One of the things I'm really excited about is that he is an outstanding developer of young players. I really look forward to seeing what he can do with the squad that we have here."

Levy also spoke about Postecoglou and why he had no regrets appointing him in July 2023.