Football365

These five English youngsters are set to move clubs this summer. But where are they going? Well, we’ve tried to predict that, with Tottenham Hotspur snapping up two starlets…

Harvey Elliott (Liverpool)

“I don’t really want to be wasting years on my career because it’s a short career. I just want to improve and be the best possible version of myself. If that’s to go somewhere else, then it’s a decision that I’m going to have to make.”

That’s Liverpool attacking midfielder Harvey Elliott earlier this summer. The club’s signing of Florian Wirtz does the 22-year-old no favours, while Hugo Ekitike is another signing to contend with out wide. Luis Diaz has left, but then Alexander Isak is coming in. The writing is on the wall for the Under-21 European Championship’s Player of the Tournament.

We are well over a month on from the acceptance that Elliott will leave Anfield this summer, yet there has been a concerning lack of movement. He was a big name at the start of the window but it’s gone pretty quiet. We said he’d be ‘perfect’ for Manchester United, but there’s no chance that happens. Then you have West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur. The London clubs are being linked more than others, while Newcastle United – who have more alarming priorities – are in the picture.

After missing out on Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White, Tottenham should go all in on Elliott. They need a creative spark in midfield, and more depth in the middle of the park in general. The Liverpool youngster has the versatility to play in a midfield three, behind the striker, or on either wing. Thomas Frank has plenty of depth in wide areas, but James Maddison’s injury record is concerning, and Dejan Kulusevski – who’s also struggled with injuries this year – is naturally a winger.

So, yes, a transfer to Spurs makes sense. Not just for the club, but for Elliott. If he moves there, he’ll still have Champions League football and a platform to become an England regular. Competition for places in Thomas Frank’s midfield is fierce, but from what Elliott has shown us, we’re confident that he’s good enough.

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James McAtee (Manchester City)

Reports suggest that Man City want Cole Palmer money for James McAtee. Considering they massively underpriced the former, we can’t blame them. Now worth over £100million on Transfermarkt and surely not available for anything below £180m, Palmer joined Chelsea for around £40m in September 2023.

Palmer played 41 times (12 starts) for the Cityzens, scoring six and assisting two. Nobody could foresee what the 23-year-old would become at Chelsea, which means it’s unfair to completely disregard McAtee – 34 appearances and seven goals for City – as capable of reaching a similar level. They are both young, English attacking midfielders, who will leave having been unable to repeat Phil Foden’s success. It’s hardly an easy task considering how much City invest on players.

While it’s unfair to disregard McAtee as a potential Palmer, it’s difficult to envision him moving to a ‘Big Six’ rival, besides Spurs, who, as we’ve said, want to bring in a creative midfielder. Aston Villa could be a good fit if Morgan Rogers or Jacob Ramsey leaves, but they are clearly working with a very limited budget and won’t be spending £40m on McAtee.

We really like the Bundesliga links, and as things stand, a move to Germany seems the most likely. Borussia Dortmund are being linked but recently signed Jobe Bellingham and are now looking for a more natural wide player after selling Jamie Gittens to Chelsea. Then you have long-time admirers Bayer Leverkusen, on top of Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt. Stuttgart finished ninth last season, making them the only club on that list not in the Champions League.

The Bundesliga has proven to be an incredible springboard for English talent and McAtee surely knows that. Leverkusen are a good fit and say what you like about Erik ten Hag, he’s done some excellent work with young players in his managerial career.

Carney Chukwuemeka (Chelsea)

There’s no shame in failing at Chelsea. Especially as a young player. They sign so many players that it’s difficult to keep up. Plenty of promising youngsters will be regretting choosing the Stamford Bridge project, and Chukwuemeka is one of them.

There was strong competition for the midfielder’s signature when it became clear he’d leave Aston Villa for around £15m in the 2022 summer transfer window. Every top club, and Manchester United, wanted him, but it was Chelsea that won the race and since then, the 21-year-old has scored twice in 32 matches for the Londoners, starting a bleak five times.

Chukwuemeka, like McAtee, seems destined for a move abroad. He’s already had a taste, spending the second half of last season on loan at Dortmund. He scored on his only Bundesliga start and was only an unused substitute twice during his time in Germany, which is…something.

In order to fulfil his potential, the ex-Villa youngster should leave the Premier League, but his Dortmund spell hints that a Europa League or Conference League outfit could be the way to go. Recommending RB Leipzig completely contradicts that, but that’s what we’re doing. The important thing is, they surely won’t miss out on Europe again this season.

Leipzig have a proven track record of developing young talents. Just look at Xavi Simons and Benjamin Sesko. Both are set to move clubs for a combined ~£130m this summer. Chukwuemeka should become the second Englishman to play for Red Bull FC after Emile Smith Rowe.

Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)

It’s fair to say Mainoo is ‘available’. He’s not ‘up for sale’ or anything of the sort, but United would listen to offers for their academy graduate to help ease their Profit and Sustainability worries. The 20-year-old holds the pure profit key, which doesn’t just unlock the ability to reinvest, but also unlocks the part of the brain that makes you think it’s okay to sell your most promising youngster and someone who’s been at the club since they were seven to sign someone from abroad. Don’t tell Matt Law.

Mainoo was one of the very few positives for the Red Devils in 2023/24, until they won the FA Cup, which was quite a big positive. His breakout season was fantastic and a reason for the miserable Old Trafford faithful to be optimistic. Last season was less fruitful for the young midfielder, despite a big Euro 2024 with England. Still, United shouldn’t be considering cashing in. But, This Is Manchester United We’re Talking About. And Manchester United are a circus.

Chelsea? The upside is gargantuan, but the downside is career-threatening. We don’t want their bloated squad to completely bugger Mainoo’s development. Yet, there’s a strong chance he could go there and become one of the world’s leading midfielders.

And then there’s Spurs. Yes, these guys again. Not Real Madrid, who Defensa Central reckon are interested. Mainoo is more of a box-to-box midfielder than a creative one, or even a deep-lying No.6. Frank loves energy and Mainoo can bring that in abundance. It shouldn’t be a case of ‘Elliott or Mainoo?’ for the Londoners; they can get both and give them the playing time they want.

Tyler Morton (Liverpool)

We’ll truly find out if young Morton is available in due course, with Lyon reportedly keen on signing him from Liverpool. Should the Reds reject the French side’s offer, it will become clear that he’s not for sale, or that the club’s asking price has not been met.

There have been Club Brugge, Braga, Celtic, Ajax and West Ham links but Lyon’s interest is serious. They’ve just lost a key midfield figure in Jordan Veretout and are clearly impressed by the 22-year-old’s Under-21 European Championship campaign with England. He played five of the Young Lions’ six games as they went back-to-back, assisting in the final victory over old foes Germany.

He has also spent time on loan at Hull City and Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, with opportunities at Anfield hard to come by. He has 14 appearances, which shows he hasn’t been completely ignored, but it’s definitely time to move on and become a regular for a top-flight team.

Lyon can provide him with that platform and with only a year left on his Liverpool contract, might get a deal done for a very decent price.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham Hotspur have ‘agreed personal terms’ with Bayern Munich star Joao Palhinha amid interest from Manchester United.

This summer transfer window has been frustrating for Spurs as they have missed out on Morgan Gibbs-White, who has penned a new contract after Nottingham Forest made a tapping-up accusation.

Still, the north London outfit have spent £120m on signings this summer as they have landed Mohammed Kudus, while Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso have joined the club permanently after last season’s loans.

Now, Tottenham have turned their attention to signing former Fulham star Palhinha, who has reportedly featured on a midfield shortlist for Man Utd.

Last summer, the 30-year-old left Fulham to join Bayern Munich for a potential overall fee of £47m, but he is set for a return to the Premier League after only making 25 appearances for the Bundesliga champions in the 2024/25 campaign.

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On Thursday, Spurs moved to the front of the queue for Palhinha’s signature, with Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg revealing ‘advanced talks’ over the transfer.

He revealed:

‘Tottenham are in advanced talks with Bayern Munich over the loan signing of Joao Palhinha, according to Sky in Germany.

‘Sky Sports News understands it would be a straight loan as it stands without an option or an obligation to buy.’

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Transfer expert Romano subsequently revealed that Palhinha has ‘agreed personal terms’ ahead of a move to Spurs, who will ‘cover his salary’. He has also confirmed two details regarding the structure of the deal.

He tweeted: ‘Tottenham have agreed personal terms with João Palhinha and are in advanced talks with Bayern.

‘Initial loan for Palhinha… and understand the agreement will also include a buy option clause, not mandatory. Spurs will cover his salary, deal at final stages.’

Journalist Ben Jacobs added: ‘Joao Paulinha close to joining Spurs on an initial loan.

‘Paulinha has already agreed to the move. Parties now finalising a potential buy option.

‘As revealed, Paulinha told Spurs he’s keen to move permanently, but loan formula will remain.’

According to reports, two Tottenham Hotspur stars are on the brink of leaving as forward Heung-Min Son is ‘close’ to a ‘sensational move’.

This summer transfer window is proving difficult for Spurs as they have missed out on Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White and still have plenty of business to do in the coming weeks.

Tottenham are currently eighth in our ranking of this summer’s biggest spenders after landing Mohammed Kudus, while they have invested to land Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso permanently.

The north London outfit are also working on exits, with Son expected to be one notable departure this summer.

The 33-year-old has been a superb asset for Spurs over his ten-year stint at the Premier League giants, but his form declined last season and is likely to be offloaded this summer.

This window is the last opportunity for Spurs to make money on Son as he has entered the final year of his contract and MLS side Los Angeles FC currently looks his most likely destination.

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Last week, a report claimed LAFC are ‘pushing hard’ to land Son, while Caught Offside revealed on Wednesday that the MLS outfit are ‘edging closer’ to the forward in a ‘sensational move’.

Discussions are said to have ‘accelerated’ of late and have ‘entered a critical phase’ with Spurs ‘ready’ to offload their experienced attacker.

The report adds:

‘Spurs are believed to have placed a valuation of €25 million on the 31-year-old attacker, whose contract expires in less than a year. He was influential for them last season, scoring 11 goals and providing 12 assists in a season which saw them win the Europa League at the end.

‘Interestingly, Son had received a lucrative proposal from a Saudi Arabian club earlier this summer. However, the former Bayer Leverkusen man has made it clear he prefers a move to the United States, where he could make a major impact on and off the pitch while remaining closer to Western football markets and media.’

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Spurs youngster Mikey Moore is also on track to leave the club this summer as Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that he is likely to join Rangers on loan as a ‘green light’ will be given soon.

Romano tweeted: ‘Rangers are optimistic to seal all details of Mikey Moore loan deal this week.

‘No buy option, straight loan until June 2026 with salary covered as Spurs are set to give final green light soon. Moore, keen on joining Rangers project.’

Harry Kane has been linked with a return to the Premier League after the 2026 World Cup and Manchester United are reportedly in pole position for his signature.

Kane left Tottenham Hotspur for Bayern Munich in the 2023 summer transfer window and won his first major trophy in his second season, claiming the Bundesliga title in May.

He departed north London as the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, while trailing only Alan Shearer in the all-time Premier League scoring charts.

After scoring a prolific 213 goals in 320 Premier League appearances, the England captain has continued his lethal form in Germany, netting 85 goals in 96 games for Bayern.

But despite his success abroad, there is growing speculation that Kane’s Bundesliga adventure could conclude shortly after the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

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According to a report from The Telegraph, there are already ‘murmurs’ within the football industry that Kane is eyeing a return to England next summer.

His Bayern contract reportedly includes a release clause that ‘decreases each year’, potentially opening the door to a transfer in 2026.

Bayern, who made Kane the focal point of their attack, are believed to be open to doing business if the timing and offer are right.

Spurs did negotiate a first-option clause when selling Kane to the German giants, which would allow them to match any accepted bid should Bayern agree to sell and Kane express a desire to return to Spurs.

However, the clause does not include a fixed fee, meaning Spurs would still need to negotiate a price or trigger any release clause that remains in effect.

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While a romantic homecoming to north London could appeal, the report suggests that Manchester United are currently seen as the more realistic destination.

The report states:

Despite Tottenham’s first-option clause, sources still believe Manchester United currently provide the most likely destination for Kane if he were to leave Bayern this time next year.

The Red Devils have long admired Kane and even explored a potential deal before his move to Germany.

With United still in need of a proven centre-forward to lead their line, Kane’s availability could align perfectly with their ongoing rebuild.

Whether Tottenham will be willing – or financially able – to bring their record goalscorer home remains to be seen.

But with his legacy in the Premier League unfinished and his desire for silverware undimmed, a high-profile return to English football looks increasingly likely for Kane.

Asked in April if he’d consider a return to England, Kane told ESPN: “I’m not sure. I’ve said throughout my whole career, I’m not someone who likes to think too far ahead. I’m extremely happy here.

“So I know a lot can change in football in a short space of time and things can happen, but ultimately my focus is here.

“I’m not thinking about any other league or any other team. And with football, I like to just go the flow and at the moment the flow is here at Bayern Munich.”

A new report has revealed Real Madrid star Rodrygo’s stance on a potential move to Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

This window has been frustrating for Spurs as they have been forced to turn to alternatives after missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White, who has signed a contract extension at Nottingham Forest amid accusations of tapping up.

Tottenham have still managed to spend £120m this summer, though most of their money has gone on completing permanent deals after loans in 2024/25, with Mohammed Kudus their only marquee signing at around £55m.

This means Spurs still have plenty to do after finishing 17th in the Premier League last season, with it appearing that their priority is to strengthen in the attacking department.

A report on Monday claimed that they are plotting an audacious move for Rodrygo amid interest from Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.

Before the 2024/25 campaign, Rodrygo, especially in the Champions League, sparkled for Real Madrid in an attack littered with stars.

However, Rodrygo suffered a fall from grace last season as he slipped in the pecking order following Kylian Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid and it has been suggested that he could be sold this summer.

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The Boot Room claimed Rodrygo is ‘open’ to joining Spurs after the Premier League side ‘started conversations’ with Real Madrid.

The report added:

‘Spurs are prepared to make a statement signing if South Korean legend Heung-Min Son were to depart, and have also budgeted to allow for a big-name addition.

‘Part of the North London club’s talks are now around the fact that Rodrygo has shown a willingness to join Thomas Frank’s team. TBR Football also understands that Tottenham have made it known that they would be willing to make the 24-year-old their highest-paid player.’

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However, Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna has poured cold water on this potential deal, insisting Rodrygo has no intention of joining Spurs for one clear reason.

Aouna tweeted: ‘Rodrygo has no interest in joining Tottenham despite reports.

‘Spurs made an inquiry, but there’s no talk ongoing. If Rodrygo leaves Real Madrid, he’s aiming for a bigger club than Tottenham.’

This unsurprising blow is more bad news for Spurs, with Spanish reporter Ramon Alvarez de Mon claiming Rodrygo’s ‘preference’ is to join Liverpool this summer amid claims that he could replace Bayern Munich-bound Luis Diaz.

Real Madrid star Rodrygo is ‘open’ to joining Tottenham this summer after they vowed to make him their ‘highest-paid player’, but is said to be ‘dragging his feet’ in favour of moving to a Premier League rival.

Spurs have so far signed Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai for a combined fee of £122m this summer, but new manager Thomas Frank wants to add further quality and depth to his ranks as they prepare for Premier League and Champions League campaigns.

And TBR Football claim Spurs have ‘started conversations with intermediaries’ in order to ‘understand Rodrygo’s situation’.

The Brazil international has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League amid doubts over his future in Madrid following the arrival of Xabi Alonso as manager.

Rodrygo was a key cog for Carlo Ancelotti but barely featured in the Club World Cup under Alonso, and reports suggest Los Blancos are now ready to listen to offers for the winger.

Liverpool and Arsenal were thought to be at the front of the pack for Rodrygo, but the report claims he’s now ‘indicated he would be open to joining Tottenham this summer’.

Spurs’ move for the 24-year-old is predicated on captain Son-Heung-min leaving the club this summer.

The report adds:

‘Spurs are prepared to make a statement signing if the South Korean legend were to depart, and have also budgeted to allow for a big-name addition.

‘At this stage, TBR Football can confirm that Son is now seriously considering a move to LAFC after they made a renewed push to sign him.

‘Part of the North London club’s talks are now around the fact that Rodrygo has shown a willingness to join Thomas Frank’s team.

‘TBR Football also understands that Tottenham have made it known that they would be willing to make the 24-year-old their highest-paid player.’

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Son is currently the highest earner on £190,000 per week, with James Maddison second on £170,000.

Rodrygo is now thought to be below Eberechi Eze on Arsenal’s wish list, with French outlet Sports Zone claiming the Gunners have now reached a ‘full agreement’ to sign the Crystal Palace star ahead of a bid.

Sports Zone wrote on X: ‘EXCL. Arsenal Football Club strikes full agreement with Eberechi Eze. 27yo Crystal Palace winger is keen on move since few weeks. Arsenal is about to bid Crystal Palace for the first time, otherwise, they are considering trigger the £60m+£8m release clause.’

Liverpool meanwhile are currently fully focused on their ‘new £165m plan’ to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle after agreeing personal terms with the striker on a five-year deal, though could yet enter the race with Tottenham for Rodrygo to replace Bayern Munich-bound Luis Diaz.

Arsenal’s move for a Premier League star is reportedly ‘firmly off’ for one key reason, with Tottenham Hotspur also mentioned as a potential suitor.

This summer transfer window was always going to be vital for the Gunners after they suffered a disappointing campaign in 2024/25, finishing second in the Premier League for a third successive season and failing to win a trophy.

Mikel Arteta‘s side endured a frustrating start to this summer’s window as they took their time to seal their first signing, while Liverpool quickly wrapped up deals for Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz.

Still, the north London outfit have caught up in recent weeks as they have made six summer signings, landing Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard, Cristhian Mosquera, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres.

The priority signing of Gyokeres takes their summer spend to around £200m, but they could still make one or two more signings in this window as they are in the market for a new attacking midfielder amid interest in Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

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Arsenal have been rewarded for their patience as they have landed most of their top targets this summer, though they have been linked with several potential alternatives.

The Gunners fended off competition from Real Madrid to land Zubimendi, while they signed Norgaard as a replacement for Thomas Partey.

A report from journalist Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room claims Arsenal also had their eye on Aston Villa standout Boubakar Kamara, but this deal is now ‘firmly off the table’.

Aston Villa have not done much business this summer as their PSR fears are impacting their transfer plans and it has been suggested that they need to offload a couple of pricey assets to balance the books.

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Bailey claims Spurs and PSG have also been in the running to sign Kamara, but an exit is off the table as he’s decided to commit his future to Aston Villa and recently penned a long-term contract extension until 2030.

Bailey explained: “On Boubacar Kamara – I’m told he was firmly on Arsenal’s long list of midfield targets this summer.

“Tottenham also really liked him and made an enquiry, but it quickly became clear he wouldn’t be leaving Aston Villa.

“One interesting note: PSG were said to be very impressed with Kamara during their Champions League meetings with Villa, and they’re now expected to keep tabs on him going forward.”

Tottenham have ‘made contact’ over a potential deal to sign Man Utd midfielder Kobbie Mainoo this summer, according to reports.

Spurs have turned loan deals for Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel into permament stays over the summer, while Mohammed Kudus, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai have all joined.

But Tottenham are on the lookout for a new midfielder too with recent reports linking them to Man Utd starlet Mainoo, who has been in and out the side at Old Trafford.

Man Utd boss Amorim warned Mainoo earlier this week that he won’t be a guaranteed starter next season unless he increases his tempo of play.

Amorim said: “I think he can play in both positions [No 6 and No 10] in the midfield. Last year, he played more in front.

“His perfect position is more near the ball, always with the ball. He’s a big talent, and you guys know better than me that he is a big talent. He needs to increase the rhythm, the pace. I’m always on top of that with Kobbie because he is so good sometimes, but he can be better.

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“So I have big plans but, like I said, it’s one game per week and the competition is going to be huge. Everybody has to be prepared to play one game, or play all the games, that is a key point in our season.”

And now GiveMeSport claims that Tottenham have ‘made contact’ over potentially signing Mainoo with his contract situation at Old Trafford still up in the air.

With Spurs ‘moving on’ from Morgan Gibbs-White, who signed a new contract at Nottingham Forest last week, ‘they’ve made some informal enquiries about a potential move to see how difficult a deal will be’ for Mainoo.

Mainoo could have an eye on the 2026 World Cup too as he could do with regular minutes in order to force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s side and Tottenham ‘love the market opportunity’.

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Spurs ‘hope Manchester United will be tempted to cash in on Mainoo at the right number’ and are looking to take advantage of his uncertain situation.

Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand reckons Amorim should “build” his side around Mainoo as he insists the Red Devils youth product “could be anything”.

Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel: “He’s a better ball carrier [than Scholes], he’s a better manipulator under pressure, and is more press resistant.

“I heard Amorim talking about demanding more from Kobbie Mainoo. Build it around Mainoo man, I think he is that good.

“I saw him at a top international level at a tournament, to say that this kid you build around him. He’s got the heart, he’s got the bravery, the skillset to go out and play at Old Trafford, I think and be a dominant player, but you have to give him the keys. He’s got to earn it and listen to the manager.

“I think this kid could be anything.”

‘We need to win the league. We want to win the Premier League, we want to win the Champions League.’

It was easy – and fun – to mock Daniel Levy’s justification for the sacking of Ange Postecoglou after delivering the club’s first trophy in 17 years.

Yet his point wasn’t entirely ridiculous. He was right that winning the Europa League – undeniably albatross-shiftingly huge as that was for the club and the fans – couldn’t and shouldn’t be enough on its own. It had to be the start of something bigger, and the idea that Postecoglou wasn’t the man to deliver that future was a brutal but entirely justifiable conclusion.

The problem is that Levy doesn’t ever seem willing or able to turn that gimlet-eyed laser focus on himself.

Without knowing all the details, it’s impossible to know exactly what and how the Morgan Gibbs-White fiasco happened and where precisely the blame lies. But it’s impossible to avoid the very vivid idea that Daniel Levy, the king of the contract negotiation, got thoroughly played by someone.

Whether that was Gibbs-White and his camp using Spurs to drum up interest from more desirable clubs and/or strongarm Forest into handing him a vastly improved new contract that in reality gives him much more than it gives the club; they get a big short-term win and some more control over what happens next season, but it’s a contract that still amounts to not much more than a one-year extension.

Or perhaps it was Forest who have played Levy and Gibbs-White, the whiff of impropriety sending Spurs scurrying off with their tail between their legs and Gibbs-White cowed into signing a new deal to avoid anything going any further.

Who knows. But the confirmed and definite loser in the whole circus is Spurs. Spurs and Levy. And it is very, very Spursy. It is very Lads, it’s Tottenham. It is enormously the history of the Tottenham.

Barely two months after winning the trophy that was supposed to change everything, they are the banter club. Again.

The Gibbs-White fiasco would be bad enough in a summer that had gone well. This is not, currently, a summer that is going well for Spurs. A squad that won the Europa League almost despite itself and tumbled down the league in vaguely ludicrous fashion to help that cause has had only the most minor of overhaul.

Permanent deals have been confirmed for loan signings Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel, both of which are handy deals but neither of which feels transformative. The long-agreed arrival of the terrifyingly enormous Croatian child Luka Vuskovic has potential to prove a fantastic coup but one that can’t reasonably be expected to have a vast impact this season.

And then there’s Mohammed Kudus, which is a genuinely exciting bit of work if Spurs can get him back to anything like his 23/24 levels after a disappointing 24/25 in a team that was underperforming and lost its sense of self and direction. You can write your own joke here, if you like.

In similarly familiar style, Spurs have failed to move on their unwanted players with anything like the speed or financial outcome they would like. While fans might be more likely to lament Spurs’ inability or unwillingness to go around and spend like Chelsea, the more pertinent question might be why can’t they sell like Chelsea.

Levy made his ambitions very clear early this summer in both word and deed. He looks like, yet again, failing to deliver his side of the bargain.

If you need to win the league, then you need to accept what that looks like. What that involves.

To reach the end of July with something this close to the squad that finished last season one place above the relegation zone is ludicrous when six weeks earlier you set out such a lofty goal.

There is still time for Spurs to change the tone of this summer, but it feels increasingly unlikely. That giddy 24 hours when they signed Kudus and from nowhere appeared to have sealed the deal for Gibbs-White with further talk of Adam Wharton maybe to follow all feels a long, long time ago.

And the harsh reality is that Spurs aren’t just currently having the worst summer of the old Big Six, but doing it in the worst possible summer.

The golden ticket Spurs got to the Champions League from that night in Bilbao gave them the unexpected chance to spend this summer acting like a Champions League team. They looked like they were doing so for maybe one day.

This isn’t even really about Gibbs-White. That incident is just a perfectly none-more-Spurs encapsulation of them. Spurs aren’t the only club to find themselves mugged off with the rug pulled out from under them in the murky world of transfer dealings.

But they are the ones who could least afford this kind of slapstick calamity in this particular summer. Who knows what other opportunities Spurs may have missed out on while trying to sort out the Gibbs-White mess. They had been linked with Xavi Simons and Eberechi Eze, for instance, yet have now surely missed the boat on both.

Levy was right that the way to maximise the Europa League win was to make it the start of a new era. The fact the club shop instantly began selling ‘Spursy’ and ‘Lads it’s Tottenham’ merchandise is and was very funny, but it was also symbolic. Spurs had a chance to redefine and reclaim this stuff.

Levy’s ‘We need to win the Premier League’ quote is really just a less poetic and elegantly evocative version of Danny Blanchflower’s ‘echo of glory’ quote.

‘It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory.’

Levy has set his sights very high. Yet his hubristic failure has only echoes of banter.

The tale of Morgan Gibbs-White in summer 2025 can take its rightful place in the legion of legendary transfer tales which could only happen to Spurs.

Every club has a long line of transfer sagas doomed to fail behind them, the granular details of which a fanbase can recite even as years pass and players and managers come and go.

But as ever with Spurs, theirs do feel slightly more uniquely absurd.

And triggering a player’s release clause only to be threatened with legal action before said target signs a lucrative new contract at his belligerent club feels like a fitting companion to these ludicrous stories from years gone by.

Leandro Damiao

While transfer rumours almost exclusively concern actual footballers, Spurs once found themselves constantly on the verge of signing a player whose existence beyond their gossip columns is yet to be conclusively proven.

The Daily Mail were responsible for prompting this experiment into transfer speculation frenzy in the social media age, linking Spurs with a £10million deal for a forward who had scored 53 goals in his first two seasons at Internacional by the summer of 2011.

The Brazilian club’s president Giovanni Luigi confirmed he “spoke with their chairman twice on the phone” years later, but “he was talking about an offer of €8 million or €9 million, much lower than what we had in mind,” which does not sound like Daniel Levy at all.

Fables of Sky Sports News erroneously reporting on Damiao boarding a flight bound for England on deadline day have been passed down through generations of long-suffering north Londoners but the real victim was a player whose entire career in Europe comprised of three games on loan at Real Betis.

Damiao finally fled Internacional in 2013 but not before enduring a fate no-one would wish on their worst enemy: being the subject of a bidding war between staring contest champions Levy and Napoli chief Aurelio De Laurentiis.

He is, in fact, still knocking them in occasionally for Coritiba as Thomas Frank weighs up whether to persuade a 36-year-old journeyman that the time to spread his wings beyond Brazil and Japan is now.

Joao Moutinho

Andre Villas-Boas requested David Villa, Hulk and Moutinho. He received Vlad Chiriches, Nacer Chadli and the rest of The Magnificent Seven.

It was the second summer in succession that club and manager were seemingly in agreement over one specific target. Villas-Boas perhaps felt he was due Moutinho after the fiasco of his attempted capture in 2012.

“We had massive, massive arguments in the beginning because of this with Moutinho,” the Portuguese coach would later say while slamming a recruitment model which placed the midfielder “sixth on the list compiled by data people”.

A club-record deal – the planned replacement for Luka Modric – collapsed while Spurs publicly championed the ‘coup’ of bringing in Clint Dempsey for significantly less.

Willian

The story oft-chanted by Chelsea supporters is that Spurs bought his flight before Willian saw the light, got the call from Abramovich and headed off to Stamford Bridge.

But the player himself has hardly been shy in discussing one of the great transfer hijacks of our time. Willian has said he was in London for two weeks “waiting for Tottenham to decide” before he finally underwent medical tests and the contract was presented to him.

Then Kia Joorabchian produced the curveball of contact from Chelsea.

Willian’s interest was sufficiently piqued but extricating himself from Tottenham’s training ground inevitably proved troublesome.

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“I stayed there for eight hours in the training centre. Tottenham’s director said ‘I’m going to report you to FIFA, this and that, fans here in England will boo you, this and that.’ They made up a lot of things,” Willian has since said, presumably while shining up the various trophies won in another part of London.

It is the one deal which caused Levy’s head to fall off most dramatically and almost certainly still rankles. He was ‘incandescent’ with ‘rage’ and privately insisted Chelsea didn’t even want Willian and had simply signed him because of their ‘vendetta’ against Spurs.

Jose Mourinho probably didn’t help things by blaming Spurs for not doing the medical “in secret”, before telling a press conference of guffawing journalists that Chelsea were not yet guaranteed to sign Willian because he still had to undergo a medical.

How strange that Mourinho and Levy’s professional union never worked out.

Emmanuel Petit

If Spurs had a pound for every time they covered the transport of a transfer target whose move was commandeered by a bitter rival, they would only £2 but it is weird and hilarious that it has happened twice.

Petit was destined to leave Monaco in summer 1997 but his destination was to be decided. The Frenchman spoke with clubs in Italy and Spain but a trip to London proved fateful.

“I had meetings on the same day with Tottenham and Arsenal,” began one of the great many occasions on which Petit has regaled a room of chortling old men with the tale.

“When I left the Spurs stadium, they booked me a cab and the cab driver asked me for directions, so I gave him the Arsenal address and I didn’t realise that the cab was pre-paid by Spurs, so they knew where I was going!”

A prior working relationship with Arsene Wenger meant middling Spurs had little to no chance of persuading the midfielder their half of north London was the superior choice. Petit ended the season as a World Cup and Premier League winner so fair enough.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

A brief mention for a player linked with Spurs frequently during their Barclays peak, with the best line from about four years’ worth of speculation produced by the otherwise entirely reliable and trustworthy News of the World:

‘Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp will fly out to Amsterdam to thrash out personal terms with Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, 25, after agreeing an £18m deal with the Spanish side.’

The Dutchman signed for Milan a week later.

Rivaldo

There is no better place to end than with the renowned letter sent by Rivaldo to N17, in which the fresh World Cup winner sought to outline why he chose to join actual AC Milan over Glenn Hoddle’s mid-table Spurs.

“We were so close to getting Rivaldo,” Hoddle said at the time in an address you can practically hear him delivering. “I’ve never known it before, he sent a terrific letter explaining why he opted for Milan. I’ve never had that before from a player I’ve missed out on.

“Milan pushed the boat out and pushed the money up to extortionate levels. Other than that we were pipped at the post – he was coming here.

“It was a touch of class from him and his agent saying that he would have come but, in the end, Milan proved to be place where he felt it was right – whether it was financial or not.

“At the end of the day, really, they made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.”

So did Spurs, but to Jonathan Blondel and Rohan Ricketts instead.

Paulo Dybala

Actually, a better place to end might be with the labyrinthine ridiculousness of red tape Spurs found Dybala covered in when they tried to build on reaching the Champions League final in 2019.

Are image rights really worth obsessing over when you could play with Serge Aurier and Steven Bergwijn?