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Manchester City came into this game in good spirits after a comfortable and routine win for Pep Guardiola at Molineux, following a 4-0 victory.

Started the game on the front foot and controlled the game and handled the high press of Thomas Frank's Spurs, and forced Guglielmo Vicario into a few good saves early on.

But with mistakes from John Stones and James Trafford, they found themselves two down at half time.

The second half flew by and Manchester City failed to show any sign of urgency.

James Trafford - 4

Struggled throughout the game, had a few good saves but when asked to play out the back, he didn't have the ability to do so, which lead to Tottenham's second goal.

Rico Lewis - 4

Had problems dealing with Brennan Johnson, Djed Spence and Wilson Odobert. Let Johnson get in behind him which allowed the Spurs man to get his second goal of the season.

John Stones - 4

Couldn't deal with the Tottenham press and let the ball bounce too many times, which caused his team problems and encouraged Mohammed Kudus and his team mates to attack.

Ruben Dias - 5

Similar to Stones couldn't deal with the press but had a few chances from set pieces, however he failed to convert.

Rayan Ait-Nouri - 5

Didn't make any real difference after suffering an ankle injury early on and had to be replaced by Nathan Ake, however linked up well with Omar Marmoush on the left hand side.

Nico Gonzalez - 4

Failed to impress again after a poor performance, with many mistakes and was partly the cause for Tottenham's second goal after asking for the ball in a dangerous area.

Tijani Reijnders - 5

He got into a few good positions to hurt Tottenham but lacked the attacking threat that he showed last weekend.

Oscar Bobb - 4

Was completely shut out by Djed Spence, due to his speed, and couldn't create any chances for himself or his teammates. But is still a young player who is coming back from a lengthy injury.

Rayan Cherki - 5

He struggled to create chances, after an impressive debut last weekend, had no shots on goal but showed good desire to defend from the front with his press.

Omar Marmoush - 6

Showed great pace down the right hand side and caused Pedro Porro problems. But failed to show any signs of scoring.

Erling Haaland- 5

Couldn't get out of the pockets of Cristian Romero and Micky Van De Ven, however he showed a side that many aren't used to and tried to drop back and create chances for the wingers.

Substitutions:

Nathan Ake - 4

Lacked the attacking threat that Ait-Nouri has and made the job easier for Porro as he only had really one player to worry about.

Jeremy Doku - 5

Tried to cause problems and attack his full back but again didn't cause the Tottenham keeper any problems.

Bernardo Silva - 6

He created a couple good chances himself but lacked that clinical edge that we have seen from the Portuguese.

Rodri - 6

Changed the game slightly as he drove forwards with the ball and pushed the Spurs backline back towards their own goal.

Phil Foden - 4

Didn't really do much as the midfield of Tottenham dealt with the midfielder with ease.

Tottenham Hotspur came into the game with confidence after a 3-0 win against Burnley in Thomas Frank's first league game in charge of the club.

A very impressive performance saw goals from Brennan Johnson, Joao Palhinha.

With a high press that caused Manchester City problems and make mistakes, and a solid defensive performance gave Spurs a great platform to build on.

Guglielmo Vicario - 8

Didn't have an awful lot to do but showed great confidence when he was called upon, great distribution and knew when to play it long and when to play out from the back.

Pedro Porro - 8

Dealt with Omar Marmoush and Jeremy Doku well and nullified any threat down that side and prevented any byline crosses.

Cristian Romero - 8

A great captains performance at the Etihad, prevented Erling Haaland from having any real chances, was determined from being to the end to keep that well earned clean sheet.

Micky Van De Ven - 8

Another fantastic performance from the Dutchman, threw himself at shots and composure on the ball.

Djed Spence - 8

Despite playing on his weak foot against a talented Oscar Bobb, had him, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva quiet and like the rest of the squad a real desire to defend.

Pape Matar Sarr - 7

A great performance all round, helped the front line and showed strength when winning headers from Vicario and won the ball at the edge of the box, which lead to a Joao Palhinha goal.

Joao Palhinha - 8

After a poor pre season, Palhinha looked like his usual self, and the type of player we saw when he was a Fulham. A solid all round performance, keeping the Man City attackers quiet and helping out with a goal after a great press from the Manchester City goal kick.

Rodrigo Bentancur - 7

A great overall midfielders performance. Showed real composure with his back to play and knew where every player was.

Mohammed Kudus - 8

Didn't have much input in the goals but an overall great performance, showed great desire with and without the ball, helping out Porro with the threat of Marmoush and Doku before coming off with five minutes left.

Richarlison - 7

A good performance all round, the only thing lacking from the game today was a goal, pressed the Manchester City back line well and was happy to chase lost balls and showed great strength when needed.

Brennan Johnson - 7

Another impressive showing from the Welshman and caused Rico Lewis problems all afternoon, and scored a good goal after a relative poor pass from Richarlison.

Substitutions:

Wilson Odobert - 6

Had a couple of chances at the end to finish the game but made Trafford make great saves and attacked well down the right hand side.

Dominic Solanke - 5

Couldn't have any real impact in an attacking sense but pressed from the front well.

Lucas Bergvall -

Had no attacking threat but put his body on the line on several occasions and despite the Manchester City high press, the young Swedish midfielder showed great composure.

Kevin Danso - 5

Not had any impact after coming on in the 90th minute for Palhinha.

Eberechi Eze has been balling out for Crystal Palace over the last five years, but the talisman, who turned 27 years old in June, might be jumping ship to try to write the next chapter of his career.

The Guardian has given an update that the attacker is engaged in talks with Tottenham Hotspur.

This news comes after weeks of a saga involving interest from their North London rivals Arsenal. Eze was formerly on their books as an academy player, rising through the ranks at QPR before breaking out in the top tier with the Eagles. The Gunners gave consideration to buying him as an option who could offer creativity from the left, but the sticking point always seemed to be the price.

Arsenal were unwilling to trigger a release clause that expired in Eze's contract last week, thinking that an outlay of £68 million was too steep to shell out for him. But Eze's representation, the CAA agency, has good ties with Tottenham, who hope to bring him in for a fee of £55 million plus bonuses.

What would Eze offer Tottenham?

Arsenal fans would still suggest their squad has a lot to gain from getting a second creative presence in the centre of the park, who is not Martin Odegaard. But the club continues to prefer players who have not hit their peak age, and Hale End is already providing some alternatives to their club captain.

Ethan Nwaneri has signed his first long-term contract with his boyhood club, and with Bukayo Saka back from his hamstring tear, minutes in the lineup are likeliest to come as a pocket player in the ten.

Max Dowman, who is only 15, should slowly integrate into the squad, but he dazzled in preseason with the first team. He stands out as another bright option for the role of an attacking midfielder.

On the other hand, Spurs would benefit from Eze now. James Maddison will be missing for months with an ACL injury. At the same time, Dejan Kulusevski continues to rehab from his knee surgery.

Pape Matar Sarr has become a trusted lieutenant for Thomas Frank and can contribute in the final third. But he is much more of a 'do it all' midfielder, far different from the traits of the 27-year-old.

Eze would be a specialist creative force for Tottenham. He drives through the middle of the pitch and is a talismanic presence for Palace as the primary ball handler in their front three. His body swerves, technique, and bravery bring smiles to supporters, but he also knows how to land a knockout blow.

The attacker hit double-digit goal tallies in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns in the Premier League. Last season, he started slowly, but still finished with eight goals and assists apiece. On top of that, he scored against Aston Villa and Manchester City on the way to lifting the FA Cup trophy.

Arsenal have had a busy transfer window so far, signing six players before an opening day victory against Manchester United in the Premier League. However, the Gunners need to sell players to ensure more signings can be brought in before the September 1 deadline.

VAVEL will look to provide the latest Arsenal news until the window slams shut.

Incomings

Eberechi Eze

The Gunners got their work in the transfer window done before the start of August, and it looks like the prospects of pushing for a former member of the Hale End academy are dying out by the day.

Fabrizio Romano has reported that Eberechi Eze has informed Crystal Palace about his interest in moving to Tottenham Hotspur. The club will be without James Maddison due to an ACL injury, and would benefit from bringing in the talismanic figure with his spark as a creative midfielder.

It is one of the latest reports to put a dent in the dream of seeing the 27-year-old feature for the first team of the Gunners. Earlier in the week, Palace chairman Steve Parish had admitted the club would not want their captain, Marc Guehi, to run down the last year on his deal and become a free agent.

If Guehi goes, the Eagles would be even more reluctant to allow Eze to leave with him this summer.

Arsenal have fresh faces for their academy who could take some minutes as the number ten. It will not make up for the failure to buy Eze, but it appears that is all fans can look forward to from here.

Words by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere

Outgoings

Fabio Vieira

Excitement about Eberechi Eze might be cooling off for good, but the exit door is still calling for another attacking midfielder. Fabio Vieira is veering closer to the end of his time in North London.

David Ornstein (The Athletic) has stated that Stuttgart has shown an interest in signing the Portuguese player. The Bundesliga outfit have sold Enzo Millot to Al-Ahli and want a new offensive midfielder.

Vieira is surplus to requirements. He signed in the summer of 2022 for a fee of £34 million, but he has never threatened to displace Martin Odegaard as the creative spark of the side. A spell at the left eight soon flamed out in his second season, and he spent the last year on loan at his old club, Porto.

According to the report, a switch to Stuttgart would mark a permanent move away from the Gunners. A fresh start would be best for the 25-year-old, who has never asserted himself in the English game.

Words by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.

Oleksandr Zinchenko

Football is a cut-throat industry, and someone at Arsenal has felt the full force of its ruthlessness.

James McNicholas (The Athletic) has shared the thoughts of Oleksandr Zinchenko about the last twelve months. The Ukrainian has updated his autobiography with an honest account of his struggles.

He had been struggling with a series of calf complaints, but over time, the 28-year-old has simply fallen out of favour. Riccardo Calafiori came in from Bologna as the most expensive signing of the summer, and Myles Lewis-Skelly was the first-choice option at left back from the start of 2025.

Zinchenko has developed a "sense of rejection" from this experience, which is the "worst season he ever experienced as a professional." Could it compel him to choose more minutes over the money?

There is one year left on his contract, and a rumoured loan to Fenerbahce will do little for the balance sheet unless he extends his deal. But it seems that a parting of ways would work best for all involved.

Words by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.

Leandro Trossard

The arrival of Noni Madueke at Arsenal has seemingly paved the way for Leandro Trossard to depart the North London club.

When Gabriel Martinelli came off after another disappointing performance away at Manchester United, Trossard would have normally been the replacement for the Brazilian. However, Madueke entered the field of play instead, leaving the former Brighton winger on the bench without playing a single minute.

Trossard has garnered a lot of interest from the Turkish Super Lig, with the likes of Fenerbahce; however, Football London has reported that Aston Villa may look to fund the purchase of the Belgian via the sale of Leon Bailey.

Arsenal need to sell further players, but the departure of Trossard would ensure that the Gunners cash in on a player who is only going to decrease in value over the next 12 months.

While ultimately Spurs fans will have to suffer the same tired, cliched insults about the club's identity, Thomas Frank's first competitive match was in many ways a success.

Yes, forgoing a two goal lead to lose on penalties will hurt, but for the majority of the match Paris Saint-Germain were outplayed despite being overwhelming favourites ahead of this fixture.

This is what we learned from the European Super Cup final:

Midfield Balance

One of last season's great failings for the North London outfit was a midfield lacking any balance.

Yes, at times there was slick passing football and when it came off without retort it produced moments such as the heavy four goal victory over Manchester City. However, the common theme of Spurs' midfield was the ease in which it was played through.

One regular starter who took his fair share of criticism out of possession was Rodrigo Bentancur, with it never apparent whether he was playing at the base of the team, somewhere in the middle, or joining the attack. He was often chasing the ball wherever it went and exposing his defence in the process.

Last night he not doing that much differently, though perhaps with more purpose, fitness and confidence. Wherever the ball went, Bentancur followed.

However, he wasn't paired with the talented but still developing Pape Matar Sarr, who performed brilliantly in a more advanced role, nor with Yves Bissouma, a player whose discipline on the pitch mirrors his timekeeping.

Bentancur was paired with João Palhinha, making his first competitive start for Spurs, and the Portuguese anchor lived up to his reputation as one of the game's finest defensive midfielders.

The Uruguayan operates best when playing at full speed, with Palhinha's ability to read the play in front of him and extinguish Parisian fires early liberated Bentancur to do just that.

The result was something not often associated with Tottenham: a mostly untroubled defence and goalkeeper.

Scoring Set Pieces

Much as before, not the go to topic when talking about Spurs in recent times, but for the first time since Gianni Vio was deemed unnecessary, the Lilywhites looked very dangerous from set pieces. Romero and van de Ven both scored as a result of a new, more assertive approach and it could have happened on several other occasions too.

Tottenham's supporters would grimace at the thought of being known as a set piece team, but this wasn't the case, there was plenty of clever, well worked attacking football in play.

However, to actively decide against using such a fruitful route to goals is negligent, regardless of football ideals. It is good enough for Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool, so there is no excuse for Spurs to under utilise free kicks and corners when Pedro Porro has such a sweet cross and the squad is blessed with several tall, powerful footballers, not to mention the formidable throwing arm of Kevin Danso.

Set piece goals at Spurs? Get used to hearing about it as under Thomas Frank they are here to stay.

Richarlison: Is now the time?

Richarlison has been something of an enigma in his three seasons at Spurs. When fit and with confidence, which was limited to a few months in the 2023/24 season, his relentless pressing, bravery to try more than his talent suggests possible, and willingness to put his body on the line have seen him a worthy number 9 producing goals and assists.

Unfortunately this has been seldom seen, with his career at the club spent mainly injured or recovering (slowly) from injury. This version is cumbersome, ineffective and seemingly lost.

Needless to say this has frustrated Spurs fans.

However, last night saw a pressing demon, a player determined to both win the ball quickly and hold onto the ball under pressure. He also retained his position as well as we've every seen, running smart instead of hard, and needed close attention at all times from compatriot Marquinhos.

The cherry on the cake would have been a goal, but his snapshot from distance had to be acrobatically saved by Lucas Chevalier. A Richarlison in this mood, however, will be a welcome alternative to Dominic Solanke in the coming season.

The question mark remains regarding Richarlison's fitness, - and with good reason - but if his injury problems are behind him then this season will see genuine competition to start up front for Spurs, something not seen since times that predate Harry Kane.

Need to go deeper

Perhaps not a completely new learning, but last night did expose that this Spurs squad still needs reinforcements. The Tottenham defence was 'mostly' untroubled, and that was because eventually trouble did come and punish Thomas Frank's side. The reason? Pahlinha, Sarr, Kudus and Richarlison were withdrawn, but the replacements were inadequate.

Archie Gray, Mathys Tel - who sadly received racist abuse following his penalty miss - and Lucas Bergvall are in isolation all talented young footballers with great futures. They all will start important matches in the coming season, but for them to make up 80% of the changes in a high pressure match does not back up Daniel Levy's claims of wanting sustained success.

Add in that Dominic Solanke, while experienced, was returning from injury, and these changes left Spurs unable to keep up with PSG for the remainder of the match.

The result was that Spurs were left without the success it had earned for the majority of the match, which even opposing manager Luis Enrique acknowledged in the aftermath. However, teams win matches, squads win titles, and last night the deeper squad won the title in question.

If Tottenham Hotspur is to become a name synonymous with silverware again, if the club is to build on last season's glory, it is now time to dare and to do, not just take calculated risks. Training at Hotspur Way is littered with exceptional young footballers, but that is mostly the future.

In the present, this squad is not fit for purpose and Frank, like his predecessor, will need to decide which competitions to prioritise if this does not change by the end of the transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur have secured the services of João Palhinha for the next year on a loan from Bayern Munich. The two clubs come up against each other for the second year in a row in preseason, and ahead of the meeting, Thomas Frank admitted he "was a bit surprised" the move has happened.

‘It was an opportunity for us’

Palhinha has already made an impression in the English top tier. With 147 and 154 tackles, he had completed the most of any player in the Premier League in his two years with the Cottagers, and was their Player of the Season in his debut campaign. Frank feels that he still has many valuable assets.

“His defensive qualities, his ability to be in the centre of the pitch, very disciplined, his distribution, short, diagonals, passes in behind and his ability to break up play. If you are playing away from home or against good counter-attacking teams. It’s very important to have one that is not running away or gets attracted to something. His set-piece ability in both boxes is key thing and he has experience,.”

The midfielder had completed a medical for Die Roten in the summer of 2023 ahead of a transfer for a fee of €65 million, but the deal collapsed due to the failure of Fulham to find a replacement. So, his inability to break into the team once he switched allegiances last year was a surprise to the manager.

“Yeah, I was a bit surprised. Bayern Munich went hard for him for two years, and for whatever reason, which I actually don’t care about because we can get him, it was an opportunity for us.”

The 30-year-old only played in half of the Bundesliga fixtures last term, sitting behind Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic, and Leon Goretzka in the pecking order. Admittedly, Thomas Tuchel was the man who desired him, and Vincent Kompany has been happy to have Kimmich as the fulcrum of his midfield. But the reasons why the move did not go to plan are not worrying Frank.

“He is a top player. He impressed everyone in the Premier League in his two years at Fulham. He is a regular for Portugal. Whatever the reason he left, maybe it’s the coach, the culture, the club, or himself. It is difficult to say. My concern is that he wanted to come, and we wanted him to come.”

‘We need him and his profile’

Supporters of Spurs have watched their side try to play fearless football with Ange Postecoglou. Yves Bissouma is the man who was closest to their idea of a six, but he has not fulfilled their desire for someone willing to sit and screen the back four. Now, they have acquired a player who fits that bill.

“Sometimes everything goes a little bit in circles. Sometimes it is impossible to get a number nine. Sometimes it is impossible to get a number six. Sometimes it is impossible to get a right-back. At this moment in time, there are not many number sixes in the market, so we are quite lucky to get him.”

At the same time, Frank thinks it is a good idea that the club has not fully committed to Palhinha.

“That was important for all of us. We need him and his profile, but let’s see how he settles in. The loan with an option gives us the opportunity to go one step further. When we sign a player, no matter loan or permanent, it’s always for the long term. It gives us a bit more wriggling room in a year’s time.”

The Dane declared that this loan gives the more youthful options in the middle of the park twelve months more to grow. Lucas Bergvall, who played 45 times for Spurs in his first season, and Archie Gray, who shone in the last game of the preseason tour against Newcastle United, are both only 19.

“Yes, that is a very good point. These are two big talents that I am really pleased we have here in the building, but it’s also clear they need to grow. Pape Matar Sarr has shown that. It’s not about age.”

The Senegalese midfielder stands out as one of the winners of the team's preseason preparation.

“They are 19, he is 22. It’s not that. Some are ready when they are 19, some at 20, some 22 or 23, but you can see Pape is just a tiny bit ahead and is a big talent. We have been very pleased with him.”

Bayern Munich are gearing up for the start of their season in Germany after a well-earned vacation.

The Bavarians battled to wrestle their Bundesliga crown away from Bayer Leverkusen and start what they hope to be a decade of dominance. But they still fell short against Die Werkself in the Round of 16 of the DFB Pokal, and exited the Champions League quarter-final against Inter Milan.

In big games, the full throttle approach of Vincent Kompany could not overwhelm opponents, and fine margins went against his group in the Club World Cup. An even duel against Paris Saint-Germain played out in the quarter-final. The Parisians had gone down to nine men by full time, but they had the efficiency to punish the Rekordmeister, who would leave the USA at the start of July.

After a relentless ten and a half months of action, the team received four weeks of rest from their boss. Grasshoppers are their last opponent before the DFL Supercup againstStuttgart next weekend, and the Bavarians look to build on the 2-1 victory from their first game back against Lyon last weekend.

Tottenham also come into this clash in good spirits. They drew 1-1 with Newcastle United in Seoul as the curtains came down on the ten year career of their club captain Son Heung-min with the club.

At the end of July, Spurs sealed a historic 1-0 triumph over Arsenal in Hong Kong, taking bragging rights in the first foreign North London derby. That was their only victory in their last four outings, with draws against Wycombe Wanderers and Luton Town before their preseason trip to South Asia.

Spurs shift their focus towards the UEFA Super Cup next midweek against Paris Saint-Germain, and then they host promoted Burnley on the first matchday of the new Premier League campaign.

This fixture marks the last friendly for Thomas Frank, who took the place of Ange Postecoglou as the manager in June, to try and tinker with his new squad before the stakes significantly increase.

Team News

Bayern Munich

Jamal Musiala must pull through his recovery after surgery on a dislocated ankle from the loss to PSG at the start of last month. He joins two of the defenders on the roster as long-term absentees.

Hiroki Ito is out of action as he rehabs from fracturing a metatarsal at the end of March. Earlier that month, Alphonso Davies tore his ACL with Canada, and he has been absent since that incident.

Their only incoming is Luis Diaz, whom Liverpool let go for a fee of £65 million. He came off the bench in the victory over Lyon, and he will expect to earn more minutes as he continues to integrate.

Tottenham

Two old members of the Die Roten roster could feature against the Bundesliga champions for Spurs.

Mathys Tel grew tired of a lack of minutes in Germany and moved to North London at the start of the year on a loan deal until the end of the 2024/25 campaign. He did not stand out in the side, but the Frenchman felt his future was better away from Bavaria, signing with Spurs for a fee of £30 million.

Similarly, João Palhinha has paled into the background at Bayern after two strong seasons at Fulham, playing in only half of the Bundesliga fixtures. The 30-year-old has returned to English shores on a year-long loan and he might get his first minutes for Spurs against his parent club.

Against the Toon, James Maddison aggravated the knee injury that ruled him out of the Europa League final. Frank felt in the immediate aftermath of the incident that it was a "bad" injury, and the attacking midfielder joins Radu Dragusin and Dejan Kulusevski as men missing with knee issues.

Likely Line-ups

Bayern Munich

Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Min-jae, Guerreiro; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Gnabry, Diaz; Kane

Tottenham

Vicario; Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Bergvall; Kudus, Sarr, Odobert; Richarlison

Key Players

Bayern Munich – Harry Kane

Bayern have benefited from many exports from England recently, and few more so than their nine.

Harry Kane came to Bavaria with the agenda of earning major honours. As fate would have it, he was part of the team that went trophyless in 2024, and his trophy tally is level with that of Tottenham since his departure. Yet, in every other regard, the striker has been a resounding success in Germany.

For the second season in a row, the 32-year-old was the top scorer in the Bundesliga. He hit the back of the net 26 times in the league and added another 11 strikes across 13 Champions League fixtures.

Spurs have moved on, but would love what the striker brings to the table. His ball striking, finishing, and playmaking are spearheading Die Roten and should offer a talismanic presence in their attack.

Tottenham – Pape Matar Sarr

Fans of Tottenham have hoped for a midfielder to sit and screen their back four. But while they will wait to see what happens with Palhinha, a familiar face has got Frank's faith in the middle of the park.

Pape Matar Sarr signed for Spurs in 2021, but the Senegalese midfielder has only been a mainstay in the starting eleven in the last two years. It looks like he has taken a step forward under the new boss, having scored twice against Wycombe Wanderers and the winner against Arsenal from long range.

Able to affect the game in many ways between both boxes, he might not strike supporters as an attacking midfielder. But he has shown he can contribute output in the final third on top of his ball winning, movement, and passing, and could be one option in the role in the absence of Maddison.

An "amazing" player with a "top" all-round game, Sarr shall hope to deliver more of the same here.

Match Details

Where is the game being played?

The game will take place at the home of Bayern Munich, the Allianz Arena.

What time is kick-off?

Kick-off is scheduled for 17:30 BST on Wednesday, 6 August 2025.

How can I watch?

Footage will not be available on terrestrial TV. However, it is accessible through SPURSPLAY.

Tottenham Hotspur have officially confirmed the signing of Joao Palhinha from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. The Portuguese midfielder has joined on an initial loan, however, various reports have stated that there is an option to buy.

Palhinha joins Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Mohammed Kudus and Kota Takai on the list of reinforcements added to Thomas Frank's squad so far this summer.

As has been the case with other signings made under Technical Director Johan Lange - appointed in November 2023 - the deal moved quickly. That is partly down to the fact that Spurs have developed a great relationship with the Bavarian club following moves which saw Harry Kane and Eric Dier move to Germany, and Tel arrive in North London in January, before making the loan move permanent earlier this summer.

Another factor is that the Dane likes to move in stealth mode. Rarely are transfers leaked to the media until they are at the very final stages, such as the Wilson Odobert move last summer, which saw the Frenchman officially announced just minutes after it was first leaked. Another case would be the proposed deal for Morgan Gibbs-White, which was nearly wrapped up within 24 hours before Evangelos Marinakis and Nottingham Forest foiled that by threatening legal action, creating a saga which lasted roughly two weeks before he signed a new contract with The Reds.

Career to date

The now 30-year-old came through the ranks at Portuguese side Sporting CP, although he didn't join their youth system until he was aged 17. It took five years for him to make his senior debut with Leões; however, it wouldn't be until 2020 that he finally made his mark.

He became an instrumental part of Ruben Amorim's side, anchoring the midfield in a side which became the first Sporting team to win a Portuguese top-flight title in a staggering 19 years. His excellent performances earned him a £20m move to the Premier League, as he joined Fulham.

Again, he stood out, this time under Marco Silva, and established himself as one of the best holding midfielders in the division, which brought plenty of interest from top clubs around the world. Bayern Munich came swooping, but the deal collapsed after he had already undergone a medical, with The Cottagers unable to seal a replacement in time.

He signed a new contract, but his continued form meant that Die Roten came swooping a year later, and he eventually got his dream move to a UEFA Champions League club for a deal in the region of £47.5m.

Under Vincent Kompany, things were very different, and it's safe to say he struggled to fit in with the proposed playing style, leading to limited minutes, but he now has an opportunity under Thomas Frank to rediscover the form he showed during his previous spell in England, in a system which will suit his capabilities far better.

What will he offer?

Palhinha is a battling midfielder, he'll break up the play, destroy opposition attacks and help launch counter-attacks for his own side, whilst a yellow card is almost a guarantee too!

At Fulham, he consistently ranked amongst the Premier League's top players for tackles, interceptions, and duels won, making him the perfect stylistic fit for Tottenham, who have been crying out for a midfield destroyer for some time.

Cottagers captain Tom Cairney regarded him as 'one of the best players he has ever seen without the ball, in terms of getting back, recovering and trying to win the ball back.' Whilst it isn't abnormal for Palhinha to chip in with a goal or two either, as he is a dangerous threat from set-pieces - an area which Thomas Frank is trying to severely improve at The Lilywhites.

However, one thing that may prove to be an issue is his discipline. The Portuguese midfielder became just the third-ever Premier League player to be shown a measly THIRTEEN yellow cards in two separate seasons, meaning he may tend to miss a fair amount of games.

That isn't to say it is necessarily a bad thing, with his role often linked to moments of transition for the opposition, where the only choice may be to commit a 'tactical foul' to thwart an attack.

OPINION: It seems like a very shrewd piece of business from Tottenham. It is a low-risk, high-reward deal, with the option to buy rumoured to be around the £25m mark, but it also means Spurs can take a good look at him before rushing into a permanent move, whilst it may also offer the opportunity to find a long-term solution.

As Tottenham take on Newcastle United in Seoul, a much bigger story has been brewing. Son Heung-min, captain of his club and country, is leaving Spurs after a decade. He admitted, "it was one of the toughest decisions I ever made", but he goes with no regrets and goodwill from the locker room.

‘I just need a little bit of change’

For the second year in a row, Spurs are partaking in the Coupang Play Series in their preseason prep. Another trip to South Korea means a return to his native country for Son, and he appreciates the love.

“Thank you so much for having us again here in Korea. I think it’s the second year in a row we have come here. Everybody’s appreciated it. Even in the airport we felt welcome. Everybody loved this.”

It was also the backdrop for the announcement that everyone had been waiting for from the captain.

“I have decided to leave this club this summer and the club is helping me with this decision.”

The 33-year-old is set to sign for LAFC, and he believes it is time for a new challenge in his career.

“It was the most difficult decision I made in my career: 10 years in a beautiful club with beautiful fans and having such amazing memories. After that leaving this club I think it was just so hard to make that decision but I felt like I need a new environment to push myself and get more out of me.”

He is right to remind people that he is a very different person from the one who arrived in North London. The forward had left South Korea in his youth and spent seven years at Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen, but he was not a household name in the sport when he became a part of Spurs' squad.

“I just need little bit of change. I mean 10 years is a lot of time when we thinking about. I came to London as a kid 23 years old very young age, young boy came to London who didn't speak English.”

He now departs as one of the most respected two footed finishers of the last decade. He only failed to hit double digits in the Premier League in his first and last seasons and is a member of the '100 Club.'

Son is a calibre of player that Tottenham have not been blessed to have a lot of in more recent times.

‘He fully respected my decision and so did everyone’

But memories of Son go further than his 173 strikes in all competitions, the contributions to the run to the 2019 Champions League final in the absence of Harry Kane, or even the Europa League title.

He took on the duty of wearing the armband as club captain in 2023 once Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris left the camp. It was a role of responsibility that not only reflected his seniority in the squad and service to the club but also the humility of character that has earned admirers across England.

He has fond feelings for the respect of Spurs' supporters, whom he hopes can respect his choice to go.

“Leaving this club as a grown man is a very proud moment. I want to say thank you to the fans that gives me so much love. I felt like it was my home. It was one of the toughest decisions I ever made.”

The exits of Kane and Lloris left two men from the Mauricio Pochettino era. Ben Davies is one of the players with whom Son has spoken about his future plans in private. It is not easy for the Korean to pull himself apart from the fullback, but he could confide in a person who respects his headspace.

“I spoke with a guys with whom I spent a long time. Everybody would be disappointed if somebody decided to leave the club but I mean in a very respectful way. I am very close with Ben and obviously we talked about the future a lot of times but he fully respected my decision and so did everyone else.”

Son had settled on a future away from Spurs for some time before he made his decision public. The intimacy within the group meant there were some telling signs, but there is no bad blood in the camp.

“It’s very hard to tell your teammates but sometimes I spend more time than with my family because we're traveling together. We spend time every single day in a training ground maybe five, six hours every single day. So yeah, I think we can tell more than what everybody thinks.

“Everybody was a bit disappointed but in a very happy way. So that is what was my feeling.”

In September 2016, I was sat in the away end at the Britannia Stadium as Spurs struggled through the gears against Mark Hughes' Stoke City. The season had yet to catch fire for the North London club, and it felt like more of the same, with Mauricio Pochettino's side lacking the cohesion and verve for which it had become known in his first two seasons in charge.

This was epitomised by none more than 24 year old Son Heung-Min, who like the team had shown signs of what was to be in his first season, but had as yet not shown that he could consistently make an impact in the Premier League.

His first start of the season after a summer in which he'd asked to cut his losses and leave, Son spent the first half unable to find his rhythm, lacking the confidence, killer instinct and dynamism with which he is synonymous. The travelling support were, putting it politely, unkind in how they expressed their frustrations.

Everything changed just before half time, with Son turning in a smart cross from Christian Eriksen to give Spurs the lead. By the hour mark in the second half, Son had double the league with a trademark curling shot from the edge of the area.

Everyone behind that goal leapt to their feet, as they so often would for the next 9 years, while the young star from Chuncheon would not look back, his legend finally beginning to take shape. By the end of the month, he matched his entire 2015/16 tally of four goals courtesy of another brace at Middlesbrough.

The season would finish with Son hitting fourteen league goals and cementing himself as a fan favourite in the club's final season at White Hart Lane. Spurs finished second to Chelsea, managed by Son's future manager Antonio Conte, despite enjoying a points total, goal tally and brand of football that would have made the Lilywhites worthy champions in most seasons.

Writing his story

Son would not fail to hit double figures again for Spurs until last season, despite spending the majority of his career as the sides secondary source of goals. Aside from the impressive goalscoring volume he produced, it is the nature of so many of Son's strikes that knitted him into the tapestry of the Spurs supporters' collective hearts.

Whether he was dribbling half the length of the Wembley pitch before slotting home to seal a rare victory over Chelsea, the entire length of the Tottenham Hotspur stadium to do the same against Burnley (for which he was awarded the 2020 Puskas Award) or giving Spurs the win at home to Manchester City in the first leg of that epic Champions League quarter final in 2019, the style and panache Son brought to a Tottenham left wing that has been blessed by Cliff Jones, David Ginola and Gareth Bale will never be forgotten.

The hero Spurs needed

It is fitting that he scored the first goal seen at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on opening night, and a necessity for anybody who still believes in football romance that his final competitive act for Spurs was to lift the Europa League trophy as captain, ending a 17 year absence of silverware in N17.

However, it is not Son's ability or his records that cement his place in Spurs hearts forever more, it's that as much as the Tottenham faithful loved him, he loved them too.

Son grew with Spurs as the club became the best version of itself in decades, and was instrumental in a side that played some of the most attractive, attacking football on the planet. Then, when it fell apart, with some of that era's stars declining and others understandably pushing to go where their talent was matched with ambition, Son endured.

Son continued to give the best he could give, which was often levels above his surrounding colleagues, and he refused to give up on finally leading the club to glory. Winning with Spurs meant so much more to Son than the riches he could enjoy elsewhere as one of football's most marketable players, nor did he prefer the guarantee of trophies he would have had at one of the many serial winning sides he'd have comfortably walked into.

And that, ultimately, is why Son will always be one of our own.

Tottenham have kicked of August with an intent to strengthen the squad ahead of the 25/26 Premier League season which is starting in 2 weeks time.

All transfers and rumours will be covered by VAVEL with unique articles on each deal.

Deal Agreed: Joao Palhinha

Just shy of two weeks before the UEFA Super Cup Final against Champions League Winners PSG, Tottenham have agreed a loan with an option to buy deal for Joao Palhinha. Spurs will cover all of the 30-year-olds wages until June 2026, which are expected to be around €200k a week, making the Portuguese midfielder one of the highest paid players at the club.

Fabrizio Romano has reported that the 2025 Europa League Winners will have an option to buy Palhinha for around €30m during his season long loan spell with the Lilywhites, which is seemingly just an announcement away after reports that the 30-year-old has completed his Tottenham Hotspur medical in Germany today ahead of his transfer.

The midfielder only signed for Bayern Munich a year ago in the summer of 2024 for €56m plus add ons before looking likely to return to the Premier League, and London having previously impressed whilst playing for West London side Fulham.

Palhinha only featured 24 times for The Bavarians in the 24/25 season in all competitions failing to register a single goal or assist, although his defensive qualities have caught the eye of Thomas Frank who is ready to bring him back to the Premier League.

Honours

Even though Palhinha did not have the best season in Germany, he still managed to help the German giants lift the Bundesliga for the 33rd time in their history. He also, in the summer of 2025, won the Nations League with his country Portugal beating current Euros champions Spain 5-3 on penalties. He has also won many honours at Sporting Lisbon, who he left in 2022 for his first stint in the Premier League with Fulham.

Why could this mean an exit for Spurs midfielder Yves Bissouma?

Many sources have stated that Tottenham will only sign a defensive midfielder once one has been offloaded in order to abide to registration rules in the UEFA Champions League which the Lilywhites qualified for by winning the UEFA Europa League despite finishing a concerning 17th in the Premier League.

La Gazzeta have reported that West Ham and Juventus are interested in signing Yves Bissouma with the Malian being priced around €15m-€20m - 3 years on from when Spurs signed the midfielder for around €35m. Bissouma has been a constant feature in Spurs sides since signing for the club, although some concerns on his attitude and consistency have caused the 28 year old to be heading for a potential exit this summer.

Done Deal: Mikey Moore

Having strengthened the left side of attack, with the permanent signing of Mathys Tel earlier on this window, Tottenham have allowed exciting young talent Mikey Moore go on loan to Scottish giants Rangers in a hunt for consistent first team football which was announced early this morning.

The 17 year old began to shine for Tottenham last season featuring in UEFA Europa League games, with James Maddison comedically calling him 'Neymoore' after a fantastic performance against Dutch side AZ in the group stages of the European competition.

It is a first loan for young Mikey Moore who will certainly be hoping to lift even more silverware with The Gers, who have won the Scottish Premiership a joint record of 55 times.

Rumour: Jamie Donley

Lilywhite Rose have reported that Spurs youngster Jamie Donley is heading out on loan to an unnamed EFL Championship side after Tottenham have agreed a deal for the Northern Irish international to spend a season on loan in England's second division.

The 20 year old is ready to take the next step up from EFL League One after an impressive loan spell with Leyton Orient finishing 6th before losing in the play off final to Charlton 1-0.

The attacking midfielder managed to register 8 goals and 10 assists in 42 EFL League One matches. He will be hoping to have the same sort of impact in the Championship next season.