The New York Times

When Harry Kane and Eric Dier walk back towards the tunnel at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday — emotions high, commemorative gifts in hand, seeing the crowd rising to their feet, thanking them for their combined 800 games for the club — they could be forgiven for mistakenly turning into the wrong dressing room instead.

Two of Tottenham’s most important players over the last decade will be back in familiar surroundings to play a friendly match for Bayern Munich. Spurs will be taking the opportunity to thank them both for their service at a pre-match ceremony that is likely to overshadow the game itself.

The nature of modern football makes goodbyes difficult. The player flies off to their new club as soon as the deal is done. There is very little opportunity for an appropriate send-off at the time. Eric Dier told The Athletic in an interview in April that there was just time for a few phone calls as he prepared to leave. He was not in the least bit offended by this. “That’s just the way the business works. Off you go and see you later.”

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So for Kane and Dier — and for many Spurs staff and fans — it is fitting that they have this chance to say thank you and goodbye collectively.

It also gives people a chance to reflect on everything Kane and Dier achieved during their time at the club. They were two of the most important players of the Mauricio Pochettino era, representing the youthful energy that was at its heart, and the happiest memories will always come from that time. But they were reliable in the bad times, too. Both shone during that brief spell when it looked as if Antonio Conte might take Tottenham back to the top.

There was interest from elsewhere, but Kane and Dier both stayed at Tottenham when some of their team-mates started to leave. And the fact that they left when they did — Kane at the start of the Ange Postecoglou era, Dier six months into it — underlined the sense of the fresh clean start. They departed with only good things to say about the club and the new era. Dier was even very complimentary about Postecoglou despite how little he played last season.

They took with them almost 20 years of combined first-team experience. And maybe it will take seeing them at the stadium lining up against Spurs this weekend to get a sense of how valuable that is. Players like that cannot easily or simply be replaced.

Clearly Tottenham have done very well at centre-back signing Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg last summer, one of the best young defenders in Europe. He was a revelation last season and his speed made him perfect for ‘Angeball’.

But Dier was about more than just his performances on the pitch. He was one of the leaders of the squad, the dressing room glue; what sports psychologists call a “cultural architect”. The fact that he went out of his way to help Van de Ven settle last summer is a case in point.

Tottenham have lost a lot of experience over the last year — not just Dier and Kane, but Hugo Lloris and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg too. And one of the big questions for this season is whether Spurs can maintain the same standards and consistency without those senior players who were so important behind the scenes. The start of last season suggests they certainly can. The way they tailed off at the end of the season, maybe not.

But replacing Kane was another matter entirely.

Even now, it requires some mental effort just to get your head around how much the striker meant to Spurs. He was not just their record all-time goalscorer. Not just their best player throughout his time at the club. Not just arguably Tottenham’s greatest player of the modern era. But someone who seemed to be synonymous with the whole club.

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Spurs have sold great players before and wondered how to replace them. When Kyle Walker went to Manchester City in 2017, they already had Kieran Trippier. When Gareth Bale left for Real Madrid, they signed seven players and played Nacer Chadli on the left for the next few years. When Luka Modric was sold to Madrid, they spent all summer trying and failing to secure Joao Moutinho and then struggled in midfield for years.

But none of these situations — not even that of Bale, who was one of the best players in the world in 2013 — is quite like Kane.

None of those players had a huge mural on the side of a building just off the High Road. It is not often that clubs sell one of their all-time greats after a long run in the team while he is also still their best player. The one example that springs to mind is Arsenal selling Thierry Henry to Barcelona in 2007 at the age of 29.

Tottenham must have known how irreplaceable Kane was because they made no real move to secure a like-for-like replacement at the time. The only forwards they signed last season were Manor Solomon, Brennan Johnson and Timo Werner — none of whom have any of Kane’s qualities.

They relied on Son Heung-min and Richarlison to alternate as the No 9. Son never looked comfortable there. Richarlison had one very good run in the middle of the season but struggled to sustain his form. They often looked short by at least one top-level forward, if not two. But with only 41 games last season, they were able to muddle through.

That was not an option this time.

They needed a new senior specialist striker to come in. By the start of the summer, they had identified Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth and a deal is now close. Unlike Son or Richarlison, there is no question about whether Solanke plays centrally or out wide. He will bring to Spurs many of the characteristics — hold-up play, linking play, staying within the width of the box — that they have missed since Kane left.

In a sense, Solanke is the belated Kane replacement, although that is not a helpful tag to stick on any player.

Maybe the fact he is arriving one year after Kane left makes it easier to come in and play up front for Spurs. He will never be able to escape Kane’s shadow — the 280 goals and the mural outside the ground make that impossible — but perhaps coming in this summer will give him a better chance of succeeding on his own terms.

Tottenham will hope Solanke can build his own legacy.

(Top photos: Getty Images)

AC Milan have agreed a deal with Tottenham Hotspur for the signing of defender Emerson Royal.

An initial fee of €15million plus €3m in add-ons has been agreed, and while Royal has not yet officially signed, the deal is progressing.

He is set to sign a four year contract with the option of a further 12 months with the Serie A side.

The 25-year-old joined Tottenham from Barcelona in a deal worth £25.8million (now $33m) with add-ons of around £4.3m in the summer of 2021. Royal had spent the previous two and a half campaigns at Real Betis, before Barcelona exercised their buy-back option on the Brazilian.

Royal featured 79 times for Betis and three times for Barcelona before moving to Tottenham, where he made 101 appearances in three seasons. In 2023-24, Royal played 24 times for Spurs but made only 13 starts, predominately acting as a deputy to first-choice right-back Pedro Porro and occasionally filling in at left-back.

Spurs have also welcomed full-back Djed Spence back into their first-team squad following his loan spells at Leeds United and Genoa last season. Spence, 23, has featured regularly in pre-season and manager Ange Postecoglou said the Englishman has “impressed” upon his return, adding that his future was in his hands.

Royal, meanwhile, would become Milan’s fourth summer signing following the arrivals of striker Alvaro Morata, centre-back Strahinja Pavlovic and left-back Alex Jimenez. Paulo Fonseca’s side begin their Serie A campaign at home against Torino on August 17.

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(Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)

Dominic Solanke has completed his move to Tottenham Hotspur in a £65million deal from Bournemouth. He has signed a six-year contract with the north London club.

The deal is a club record transfer fee for Spurs and a record sale for Bournemouth.

Our writers — experts in transfers, tactics, data and football finance — have come together to rate this summer’s senior Premier League transfers in five categories, with each aspect given a score out of 100 to reach a total score out of 500. Hence, The Athletic 500. The ratings are explained in more detail here (not all transfers will be rated as there may be a lack of data to support an analysis).

Below is our rating for this move.

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Tactical fit — 71/100

A look at how the player fits into his new club tactically, using Sentient Sports’ bespoke tactical-fit model, explained by our tactical expert.

Dominic Solanke is a striker capable of being the focal point of Tottenham’s attack for the next few seasons. At 26 years old, he is entering his prime and last season added improved finishing to his existing gifts of clever movement and pressing.

He possesses a powerful shot and a wide range of finishes, from striking the ball cleanly through the laces to executing clever flicks. His intelligent movement off the ball allows him to exploit spaces left by defenders, particularly by finishing near-post crosses.

Solanke had a strong 2023-24, showing he can score goals in the top flight with both feet and his head. Many of his shots are high-quality and last season he converted at a rate close to what is expected from his chances.

Solanke’s pressing is arguably his biggest strength. He understands how to curve his runs to limit passing options for opposing centre-backs and is adept at shadowing the opposition’s holding midfielder. When his side’s pressing trigger is activated, Solanke closes down opponents with aggression and intensity, while also serving as a dangerous outlet during turnovers.

Here, in Bournemouth’s 2-2 draw against Newcastle in February, Solanke anticipates Sean Longstaff’s pass back to Sven Botman. Solanke arches his run to prevent Botman from passing it to Dan Burn. In a moment of panic, Lascelles passes to Martin Dubravka, and Solanke increases his pressing intensity. Dubravka slips, leaving Solanke with an easy goal.

Solanke’s link-up play is something Ange Postecoglou will appreciate. He has shown great capability in holding up the ball, allowing runners like Antoine Semenyo and Justin Kluivert to exploit spaces. This ability could also be replicated with players like Son Heung-min, Brennan Johnson or Timo Werner, all of whom excel at making runs into those openings.

Despite his obvious strengths, Solanke’s goalscoring record has been inconsistent. 2023-24 saw him score more than 10 goals in a Premier League season for the first time, raising questions about whether this is a legitimate improvement or an anomaly. The transition to a bigger club like Tottenham brings increased expectations, and it remains to be seen if he can thrive under pressure.

Solanke’s tactical fit at Tottenham Hotspur is rated at 71, reflecting his compatibility with the team’s playing style and formation. He has experience in a 4-2-3-1 setup, used frequently by Spurs. Small adjustments will be necessary, but his pressing ability, off-ball movement, and link-up play align with Tottenham’s attacking patterns.

Crucially, Solanke can fit into Ange Postecoglou’s tactical plans in several ways. He can play as the central forward or drop deeper, providing flexibility in attacking movements. This adaptability suits Postecoglou’s preference for fluid, dynamic forward play. Additionally, Solanke’s ability to connect with midfielders and wingers should help with the team’s attacking rotations, while his work rate complements Postecoglou’s high press.

Gillian Kasirye

Gaming rating — 73/100

Rating the player according to Football Manager 2024’s data across both current and potential ability.

Solanke is edging closer to his prime, according to Football Manager. Their data is powered by an extensive scouting network, one that is used within sport, and they suggest a current ability rating of 141 out of a possible 200. For context, that is similar to Scott McTominay (141) and Harvey Barnes (140), who are of a similar age, and Everton’s Beto (140), another Premier League striker.

His potential ability rating is 150, which indicates that he does not have too much room for improvement but attaining that level will cement his status as an effective top-flight striker. Dominic Calvert-Lewin (150) and Lucas Paqueta (150) are players with a current ability at that level, and so too is Ivan Toney.

A comparison with the Brentford striker is interesting as they play for similar-calibre clubs and are not far apart in terms of their influence on their teams. Toney is one year older and has a slight edge on the potential front: his potential ability rating is 155, according to the FM data.

Peter Rutzler

Season rating — 70/100

Rating the player over the course of last season, using statistics from The Athletic’s data team

Solanke had an excellent season on the south coast in 2023-24, scoring 19 goals and providing three assists. This was a significant improvement from 13 goal involvements (six goals, seven assists) in 2022-23.

In December, Solanke scored his first senior hat-trick in a thrilling 3-2 win against Nottingham Forest. Following a remarkable run in December, where he scored six goals in seven matches, he was named the Premier League Player of the Month — the first Bournemouth player to achieve this honour.

The gamble for Spurs is whether Solanke’s standout 2023-24 was evidence of a new high ceiling for the striker or a one-off campaign that he will struggle to repeat. The north London club have decided that it was the former.

Gillian Kasirye

Financial value rating — 57/100

A four-category summary of the player’s transfer in financial terms — and whether it makes sense for his new club

Market value – 13/25

The £65million spent on Solanke will be among the biggest deals of the Premier League summer and a significant commitment on a player unable to command a place in England’s plans. One prolific season in the top flight with Bournemouth has transformed perceptions and value.

Squad cost – 14/25

Tottenham, traditionally frugal, do not often spend as lavishly on one player and this transfer will be the one Ange Postecoglou hopes has a huge impact on his team’s attacking fortunes. Spurs still have work to do in the window and will be open to the prospect of sales to help offset this.

Contract sensibility – 16/25

Solanke’s six-year contract was inevitable for a signing costing so much, rewarding the player for his rising stock and offering Tottenham protection on such a heavy outlay. Likely to join the club’s highest earners this season, making the overall transfer package a huge outlay.

Resale value – 14/25

Solanke will turn 27 next month and, in theory, is about to hit the peak of his powers. Bournemouth have tripled their outlay in the last five years but it is difficult to see Tottenham doing the same given Solanke will be almost 33 at the end of this deal. The forward’s pedigree will likely ensure value holds, though.

Philip Buckingham

Risk or reward? — 70/100

Is there a history of injury or other problems that could crop up in the future and make this deal a bad one in retrospect? Or does the player come with a clean bill of health? Our expert takes a look.

Dominic Solanke burst onto the scene at an early age at Chelsea but it has required time and patience to reach his level today. That development process has served him well. Now, at 26, he is an established Premier League striker, capable of scoring 19 league goals in a mid-table team. He has also become more complete; capable of linking the play, creating chances for himself and others, as well as pressing aggressively. He is an attractive signing.

His Premier League credentials limit the risks. He does not have a troublesome injury history either, with only a couple of notable injury absences in the past four years (ankle and knee knocks) that did not keep him out for more than 10 games collectively. As a character too, he is highly regarded at Bournemouth.

Tottenham are yet to truly fill the void left by Harry Kane and so there is a clear place for him in their team. It is not a cheap outlay, though his fee is not majorly overpriced for a homegrown striker with England caps, certainly when Ivan Toney has been touted for fees close to nine figures.

Of course, he has just the one strong season in the Premier League and there is limited scope for re-sale. There is the slight unknown too regarding how he will cope again at a bigger club, having not established himself at Chelsea and Liverpool. But he knows the pressures they entail, and it does seem like the right time for him to step up again.

Peter Rutzler

Overall rating: 341/500

When Daniel Levy became Tottenham Hotspur chairman in February 2001, he would attend Premier League meetings and find himself surrounded by men almost twice his age. Peter Hill-Wood from Arsenal, Doug Ellis from Aston Villa, Martin Edwards from Manchester United, David Moores from Liverpool, Freddy Shepherd from Newcastle United, and Rupert Lowe from Southampton; this was the old guard of English football at the turn of the last century.

We are now in a very different era. Premier League meetings are made up of executives from all over the globe — not least from the U.S. and the Gulf — and yet Levy stands alone as the link between the old world and the new. He has been chairing Tottenham Hotspur for over 23 years now. More than Edwards did at Manchester United, nearly as much as Moores did at Liverpool. (To match Hill-Wood’s remarkable 41 years at Arsenal, he would have to stay on until 2042, when he will be 80.)

But as Levy prepares for his 24th full season at the helm of Tottenham, fans will naturally start to wonder where this season will take them. Will the positive mood of last season hold? Will there finally be a trophy to vindicate the steady building of the whole Levy era? Off the pitch, will the club receive some much-needed external investment? Ultimately, will this be the year that anything changes, or will Spurs fans be having the same conversations again in the summer of 2025?

In many ways, this has been a routine summer at Tottenham. None of the clean-slate thrills of last summer, when Spurs brought in a radical new manager, drawing a line under four years of negative football, and then promptly signed four first-team players to make it work. Instead, this has been a summer in which Levy, Ange Postecoglou and Johan Lange, the technical director, have tried to continue the progress of the past two windows, strengthening the squad so that it can compete on more fronts.

So far — and there are still three weeks left until the window closes — it has looked like many other Tottenham summer windows in recent memory. A strong start, with Archie Gray signed from Leeds United amid fierce competition, and Timo Werner taken on loan from RB Leipzig for another season. Then a period that has required fans to be patient, as Spurs have steadily moved on their fringe players, with no other big targets coming in yet.

All window, Tottenham have wanted a central midfielder and a top centre-forward, and only when it shuts will we know whether they have been successful. Levy may well be accused of not backing his managers but it should not be forgotten how much Spurs did last summer, buying half of a new first team as well as turning the Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski loans permanent — a spend that is not easy to replicate summer after summer.

Postecoglou was very clear at the end of last season how much change he wanted in the squad. He has publicly called for patience, not saying anything to increase the pressure that already exists on his employer. The contrast with Antonio Conte, who became a different person in public whenever there was a transfer window on the horizon, is there for all to see.

It will be clear soon enough whether Spurs have the players they need for this season. On September 26, their eight-game Europa League group-stage campaign will begin. From that point on, the Spurs squad will be stretched further than they were in last year’s 41-game season. Postecoglou explained in Korea the importance of adding extra depth this season: “My thinking is we’ve got to go beyond just building a team, we’ve got to build a squad to compete.”

Postecoglou does have a new generation of exciting young players to use this season— not just Gray but 18-year-old midfielder Lucas Bergvall, winger Mikey Moore, who turns 17 on Sunday, and others from the academy — and the mood this season will depend in part whether his new-look squad is up to competing on multiple fronts.

Because last season — at least until the very end — was a strikingly positive one at Spurs. If 2022-23 was marked by fans’ anger at Levy as the season unravelled, then 2023-24 was all about collective enthusiasm for the Postecoglou era and his style of play. A lot of the public anger about the direction of the club was neutralised by the appointment of a manager who was in tune with the club’s traditions and the expectations of the fans.

If ‘Levy Out’ had always been a fringe concern, the toxic end of the Conte era saw more fans questioning the decisions that had taken Spurs to that point. It took the arrival of Postecoglou to bring unity back to Tottenham and to reset the mood. By pivoting away from the big-name ‘win-now’ managers and drawing a line under the previous four years, it could yet be one of the most far-sighted appointments of the Levy era.

The question for this season is whether that new optimistic balance can hold. As ever, it will be determined by what happens on the pitch. If Spurs start well and build on their progress from last year, there is no reason that Tottenham Hotspur Stadium should not be a happy place again. If they can stick with last season’s entertaining style of play but sustain it over a whole season — like in Mauricio Pochettino’s second season in 2015-16 — then it could be the best whole season the stadium has ever seen. And if it ends at Wembley or in Bilbao in nine months with a trophy — Spurs’ first in 17 years — then it will feel as if all the hard work has finally paid off. It would be the moment that makes the entire journey worthwhile.

Of course, there is always another possibility and what we do not know is how this season will play out if Spurs struggle. If results are bad then the unity of last year may start to fray. And if the constituent elements of the club — players, manager, board and fans — start to come apart, it will be a question of who stays loyal to whom. No one knows whether the discord of 2021 or 2023 will return. As ever, one week before the start of a season, there is a vast delta between success and failure.

Whatever the ups and downs of the football season, and all the little dramas along the way, there is another set of questions for Tottenham and Levy over the next 12 months. And that concerns the future shareholding of the club. (At present, ENIC owns 86.58 per cent of the club, and 70.12 per cent of ENIC’s share capital is owned by “a discretionary trust of which certain members of Mr (Joe) Lewis’s family are potential beneficiaries”, according to the club’s website. The rest is owned by discretionary trusts of which “Mr D Levy and certain members of his family are potential beneficiaries”.)

Speculation about a sale is nothing new. It has been there in the background almost since the moment that ENIC bought Alan Sugar’s stake in 2000. Back then, the club was valued at £80m. Now, after almost a quarter-century of Levy’s stewardship, it is valued at £4billion ($5bn), or 50 times that initial valuation. It has arguably the best training ground in the country and the best modern stadium too, one that is integral to the club’s self-sustaining business model. The news last week that Haringey Council have lifted the cap on major non-football events the stadium can hold, from 16 per year to 30, will allow them to host more concerts by the likes of Beyonce and Lady Gaga in future, making millions of pounds for the club in the process. The stadium, the London location, the international brand, and the global clout of the Premier League all make this an attractive package.

There is very little prospect of a full sale any time soon, and no real likelihood of the ENIC era coming to an end. What is on the cards, however, is the sale of a stake in the club. Tottenham have been frank about their openness to new investment. Four months ago, when the club released their accounts for the 2022-23 season, there was an accompanying statement. “To capitalise on our long-term potential, to continue to invest in the teams and undertake future capital projects, the club requires a significant increase in its equity base,” it said towards the end. “The board and its advisors, Rothschild & Co, are in discussions with prospective investors.”

Talking about this in public was a new step for Spurs. If they could sell, for example, a 10 per cent stake in the club for £400m it would be a serious equity injection for Tottenham while not necessarily disrupting the operations of the club. The question is finding the right person to take the other side of that deal.

So far this summer, there has been plenty of speculation about Amanda Staveley potentially becoming a minority partner at Tottenham after her departure from Newcastle United. She told The Athletic last month that it was time to “move on to other projects”, which could involve buying a stake in another team. Tottenham have been linked. But whether Tottenham would want such a high-profile minority partner, given how quietly and discreetly they try to run things, is another matter.

Even in the event of an investment, whatever the size, it does not feel likely that Levy’s position will change. Investors have looked at the example of Chelsea, where the new ownership paid £2.5billion to buy the club in 2022 and have since had six managers (including caretaker Bruno Saltor), managing league finishes of 12th and sixth. There is an acceptance of how hard it is to keep a Premier League club running smoothly. Tottenham’s stability is not unattractive.

Ultimately, it is hard to envisage the circumstances under which Levy will not still be in place at the end of the season, as he nears the quarter-century of his involvement with the club. But it could still be a season of change at Tottenham if a stake is sold. And with success on the pitch, it could end up as a season of vindication too.

(Top photo: Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images)

Bournemouth have agreed to sell Dominic Solanke for a club-record fee, and talks with Tottenham Hotspur are ongoing to finalise a deal for the striker.

Solanke has also agreed personal terms, with the 26-year-old desperate for a move to the north London club.

He is under contract with Bournemouth until 2029 but, as The Athletic reported in June, the striker’s contract contains a £65million ($83m) release clause that can be triggered by certain clubs.

Spurs have not signed a senior striker since Harry Kane’s departure for Bayern Munich last summer.

Ange Postecoglou is keen to acquire a No 9 that suits his style of play and Solanke’s profile fits the bill.

“What’s important is the type of striker we get,” Postecoglou said during Tottenham’s pre-season tour of Japan. “You know we play a certain way. We demand certain things from a physical perspective from the technical aspects of it that it’s going be a striker that fits that mould.

“It’s still the area of the park we’re really probably the thinnest when I talk about squad-wise at the moment, so obviously that’s a focus for us.”

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Solanke registered his best top flight return last season, scoring 19 Premier League goals to help Bournemouth secure a 12th-placed finish.

Solanke began his career at Chelsea before joining Liverpool in 2017 on a free transfer.

He made the switch to Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee in 2019. The Merseyside club hold a 20 per cent sell-on clause from the deal and could receive as much as £9m if Spurs trigger his release clause.

Spurs have made two signings so far this summer with 18-year-old midfielders Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall arriving from Leeds United and Djurgarden respectively. The north London club have also agreed a deal to sign South Korean winger Yang Min-hyuk, who will join the squad in January.

Solanke missed out on selection for England’s European Championship squad, with Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins selected as back-ups to Kane.

Tottenham begin the 2024-25 Premier League campaign at newly-promoted Leicester City on August 19.

(George Wood/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison says he will not be leaving the club to join a Saudi Pro League club this summer.

The Athletic previously reported that the 27-year-old had attracted interest from Saudi Arabia, while Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou said last week the club are interested in signing a striker.

“The money is big but my dream is bigger,” Richarlison, who has three years remaining on his Spurs contract, told ESPN. “An offer has arrived, but my dream of playing for the Brazilian national team and the Premier League is louder. It’s decided.”

Richarlison joined Tottenham from Everton in the summer of 2022 but has failed to establish himself as a reliable goalscorer in north London. He has scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 66 games for the north London club. Last season, the Brazilian scored 12 goals in 31 appearances for Spurs amid several injury issues.

Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke is a transfer target, but the view from Spurs is that a move for Solanke would not necessarily be dependent on Richarlison leaving.

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“I think for us what’s more important is the type of striker we get,” Postecoglou said previously. “You know we play a certain way. We demand certain things from a physical perspective from the technical aspects of it that it’s going be a striker that fits that mould.

“It’s still the area of the park we’re really probably the thinnest when I talk about squad-wise at the moment, so obviously that’s a focus for us.”

Richarlison, meanwhile, opened up in March about his depression following the 2022 World Cup. He said that he told his father he wanted to “give up” after struggling to motivate himself to leave his room and attend training sessions, with the World Cup exit feeling “worse than losing a family member”. He added he has since attended therapy sessions, which he believes helped “save my life”.

Tottenham begin their Premier League season against newly-promoted Leicester City on August 19.

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(Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur have secured the future of highly-rated winger Mikey Moore.

Moore, 16, has agreed his first professional contract at Spurs, which will be finalised this Sunday when he turns 17, with an announcement to follow.

Tottenham have offered Moore a bigger salary than they ever have done before for a player turning 17, a recognition of Moore’s talent and performances and the interest in him.

Moore has agreed a three-year deal, the longest allowed by FIFA regulations for players under the age of 18.

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Moore first broke into the Spurs first team at the end of last season, making two late substitute appearances in Premier League games, becoming Spurs’ youngest player to make a Premier League appearance when they faced Manchester City on 14 May.

Since then he has been a key part of Ange Postecoglou’s team in pre-season, scoring against Hearts, Vissel Kobe and a Japanese youth international side.

“Mikey has been fantastic since we brought him in,” Postecoglou said after the Vissel Kobe game. “He’s earned his spot on the roster at the moment, he did at the end of last year. He got a run with the first team because we could see in training that he was handling himself really well and that’s followed through into pre-season training.

“All we can do is keep allowing him to develop. We have to remember that last year he had some injuries and he is only 16, but yeah, super exciting.”

Moore has also shone for England Under-17s this summer during their European Championship campaign in Greece, scoring four goals before England were knocked out by eventual winners Italy on penalties in the quarter-final.

(Photo: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur have been granted permission to hold up to 30 non-football events at their stadium per calendar year.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium had previously been restricted to 16 such events each year but the cap was lifted to 30 following a meeting of Haringey Council’s planning committee on Thursday evening.

In recent years Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has hosted music concerts, NFL, boxing and rugby, establishing the stadium as one of London’s most popular event destinations.

Under the new rules, subject to a S106 agreement, Tottenham can almost double the number of these events, while the restriction on the number of concerts has also been lifted. But there will be a cap on the number of boxing events per year (two), the number of consecutive events in a row (four) and the number of events in any week (five). There can only be two weeks every year when there are either four consecutive events or five events in any week.

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There will also be a ‘review mechanism’ in place, whereby a review will take place at the end of October 2025. This will allow local residents and businesses to feed back to the council their experiences of the increased number of non-football events in 2025, on topics including anti-social behaviour and noise impacts. In theory the number of non-football events could be revised down, but never below a minimum of 20.

Tottenham will also continue their community ticket scheme, with a minimum of 100 free tickets for each event, and a 24-hour ticket priority window for local residents (defined as those living in the London postcodes N15, N17 and N18).

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was given official status at the home of last season as the ‘Home of the NFL in the UK’, and the high-profile NFL games, generally taking place during the international breaks of the football season, have been the highest profile non-football events held at the new stadium.

Last summer the stadium hosted five nights of Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance’ world tour, across which almost 240,000 fans came to watch. Industry estimates on how much Tottenham made from the concerts are as high as £15m ($19m) but the club say the final figure after costs was £5m ($6m).

Tottenham opened their new stadium in April 2019 and work on the site is not yet finished. In March plans for a new 30-storey hotel next to the stadium were approved by the Greater London Authority. The project, which was approved by Haringey Council in December 2023, is scheduled to be ready in time for the European Championship in 2028, when the stadium will host games.

GO DEEPER

Building Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: The toll on Levy, staff and the club

(Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images)

All summer Tottenham Hotspur have wanted to sign a midfielder ready to slot straight into their first XI.

The idea was to recruit an energetic new No 8, someone to play alongside James Maddison in the middle of the pitch. Pape Matar Sarr enjoyed a hugely impressive breakthrough season last year but he is still only 21 years old and slightly faded towards the end of 2023-24. With Spurs facing a Europa League campaign this year on top of their domestic commitments — they will play a minimum of eight games, starting in September — Sarr will need some experienced support.

At the end of last season, it felt to many as if what Spurs actually needed was a new No 6, someone to anchor the midfield, defend against the counter-attack, and provide the stability without the ball that Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur cannot. What Tottenham needed, the argument went, was a Rodri. (Such an easy thing to say, but a harder one to deliver in reality. Players like Rodri do not exactly grow on trees.)

So Spurs have been looking for some more dynamism and legs in midfield, someone to help them to press effectively and to get into the opposition box and score goals. It makes sense: one of the issues in the second half of last season was that Spurs’ energy in midfield seemed to decline. They became too easy to play against. They became vulnerable on defensive transitions, too easily caught out after losing the ball high up the pitch. (How else to explain the fact that Spurs conceded 61 Premier League goals, as many as Fulham, more than Crystal Palace or Manchester United, when their goalkeeper and back four all enjoyed excellent seasons as individuals?). This was again evident early in the second half of Wednesday’s friendly win over Team K League, when in the space of a few minutes Spurs twice conceded a goal having lost the ball high up the pitch.

But with less than three weeks until Spurs start their season at Leicester City, there is still no sign of the experienced energetic midfielder that Tottenham were looking for. They have loaned Timo Werner again to continue deputising for Son Heung-min on the left wing, and signed three exceptionally gifted 18-year-olds: Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Yang Min-hyuk. But perhaps not precisely the profile of midfielder to come straight into the team.

The two biggest names that have been linked with Spurs this summer will be familiar to anyone who followed previous Tottenham transfer windows. Both of them English, both young but with a good few seasons of Premier League experience behind them, and, crucially, both of them at clubs who have been under pressure to sell players to comply with Premier League PSR rules: Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey and Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher.

Spurs had a serious think about making a move for Ramsey during the January window, well aware of the fact that Aston Villa would need to sell players during the 2023-24 season to comply with PSR. If Tottenham had offered £50m in January, that might well have been enough but no deal was ever reached. Newcastle made an offer, which was rejected. At the end of the window, Emery said that Ramsey was a “very important player” who he wanted to keep at Villa Park.

Ramsey had a difficult season at Villa, managing only eight Premier League starts as he struggled with recurring metatarsal injuries as well as a hamstring problem in the second half of the season. It meant that he had to watch from the sidelines as Villa secured a fourth-place finish and Champions League football, as well as a run to the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League.

But Ramsey is still a special talent, a player whose game is all about bursting forward with the ball and clever interplay in the final third. The below graphic, of Ramsey’s forward carries of more than 20 yards over the 2022-23 season, illustrates that. (That season, 12.5 per cent of his carries were progressive, well above the average of 4.7 per cent for midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues.) Ramsey played on or from the left for Aston Villa, and would have to adjust to a slightly different role at Tottenham. But that energy would be invaluable for a team that faded over the second half of last season.

When this summer’s window opened, Tottenham were keen to revive a move for Ramsey. It was clear at the start of the summer that Aston Villa would need to sell players before the June 30 deadline if they were to bring their losses within the PSR limits. Again, if Spurs had offered £50m then it would have been very difficult for Villa to say no.

Spurs also had Giovani Lo Celso, a player Villa manager Unai Emery adores. Lo Celso played for Emery at Paris Saint Germain for two seasons (2016-17 and 2017-18) and then again on loan at Villarreal for most of 2022. Throwing Lo Celso into the deal, in theory, could give Villa a player Emery wants, get the Argentina international off Spurs’ books for the last year of his contract, and reduce the fee Tottenham would have to pay for Ramsey.

There was a period in late June when the move was on the cards. But at the very end of that month, Villa sold Omari Kellyman to Chelsea for £19m and Douglas Luiz to Juventus for £42m. Suddenly Villa had breathing space and the dynamic had changed. The fact that Villa sold Moussa Diaby to Al Ittihad for £50m last week further reduces the pressure. Ramsey is currently focusing on preparing for next season with Villa.

The other relevant target is Conor Gallagher. Like Ramsey, he is English and is proven in the league, with two loan seasons and two at Chelsea under his belt. Like Ramsey, Gallagher’s career has been in limbo for the last year or so because of PSR. Chelsea have spent huge amounts of money on players under their new ownership group and academy graduates like Gallagher represent ‘pure profit’ on the accounts. (In recent years Chelsea have sold Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ethan Ampadu, Lewis Hall, Ian Maatsen, and so on.)

Chelsea have been minded to sell Gallagher for some time, especially with his contract due to expire in the summer of 2025. Spurs are well aware of this and Postecoglou has always been especially keen on bringing Gallagher’s energy to White Hart Lane. Tottenham asked after Gallagher last summer but did not make a formal offer.

While the expectation was that Chelsea would be forced to sell Gallagher last season, the reality was that he out-shone his expensive team-mates Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, becoming one of the most important and consistent players in Mauricio Pochettino’s team. Pochettino repeatedly insisted that Gallagher was “priceless” and so he stayed throughout the season. Gallagher eventually earned a place in the England team at Euro 2024, starting their third group game against Slovenia.

Gallagher is a different profile from Ramsey, a more conventional central midfielder rather than someone who carries the ball forward from wider positions.

What stands out most is his ability to win the ball back high up the pitch. This was why he was so important to Pochettino’s high-pressing style, and why Gareth Southgate repeatedly turned to him during the Euros. We can see from the below graphic that Gallagher makes his defensive actions all over the pitch, a testament to his high-energy style.

The stylistic fit with ‘Angeball’ is obvious, especially for a team that lost some of its intensity without the ball last season. The only player who made more tackles and interceptions in the final third than Gallagher did last season was another Spurs player: Dejan Kulusevski.

With Pochettino now gone at Chelsea, and no new contract for Gallagher, the logic of the situation still suggests he will be sold this summer. The situation felt set up for Tottenham to take advantage, but this week Atletico Madrid have made a move to sign Gallagher. If Spurs want to bring him to N17, they might have to move fast.

When Postecoglou was asked about signings at a press conference on tour last week, he called for patience.

“We’re working hard to bring players in, and it’s a process that you sometimes have to be patient with,” he said. “But in terms of what we set out to do, that’s still the plan and you have to stay disciplined with that. Sometimes the timings don’t work out and it doesn’t happen as quickly as you want and you don’t get the [players] in at the right time. But I think it’s really important you stay disciplined and not run off and chase other things. What we started with at the start of summer are still there.”

Tottenham still have almost all of August left to sign another midfielder. The door is not closed yet on either Gallagher or Ramsey. There will be other names under internal consideration too. But the closer they get to Leicester on 19 August, the more fans will wonder if Tottenham will be reinforcing their midfield after all.

(Top photos: Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur won their fourth straight pre-season match, but their victory over Team K League — the select XI of South Korea’s top division — was not without a few shaky moments.

The Premier League side stormed into a 3-0 lead before half-time thanks to goals from Dejan Kulusevski — starting the game as the central forward — and two from South Korea captain Son Heung-min.

The second half was less of a breeze for Spurs, who looked alarmingly vulnerable to counter-attacks after the break, twice being caught out within 10 minutes of the restart in scenes reminiscent of the second half of last season.

Will Lankshear continued his impressive pre-season with a composed finish, as Spurs eventually ran out 4-3 winners.

The Athletic’s Seb Stafford-Bloor analyses the key talking points…

Have Spurs found the midfield of the future?

Maybe. This was a first start in the same midfield for Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall and it was a fun tease for what may lie ahead. In the first half, Bergvall was more advanced, Gray was much deeper, and Pape Matar Sarr sat between them.

There were positional kinks and that was to be expected given their lack of familiarity. Still, there were signs of natural chemistry. Let’s not overdo it — this was pre-season and we are talking fleeting moments — but the one- and two-touch football and the ease with which the three interchanged made the midfield encouragingly fluid.

Sarr is not quite fit and it has not been his tour. Bergvall’s technique and size are old news; we covered both during the Vissel Kobe game. Perhaps the takeaway from this evening was the range of positions he occupied. There are no heat maps yet to make that point — Opta are still on the beach — but Bergvall’s touches came across the pitch, making him the grease in Tottenham’s gears. It is all about the little things he does.

Gray? He has such poise. Perhaps the most desirable quality in an orchestrator is the ability to disguise the direction of even simple passes. He has it — the little feints that open up space and the darting eyes that keep opponents off balance. He has those traits and used them.

To make the point differently: when the midfield was reconfigured after half-time, Spurs looked terrifyingly porous.

Some of the old issues remain

The mood of the tour has been extremely positive. The new signings have adapted well, in the footballing and social sense, and there is much to be encouraged by.

The second half in Seoul squeezed the brakes on that — it was a reminder that, even against a team who had never played together, Spurs can still be easy to pass through. Team K League attacked the spaces behind their full-backs and created chances. There are some asterisks — the heat, the players in unfamiliar roles, internationals still to return — but it was hard to avoid the conclusion that there are still significant flaws in this squad. Postecoglou is using players and combinations that, ideally, he would not have to depend on, even in the early rounds of domestic cup competitions.

It is a process but it has some way to go.

A first look at Yang Min-hyuk

Consider the pressure on Yang — playing against his new team, in his country’s national stadium, with Son, a national hero, on the pitch. That is a tough task, given that this would have been many Tottenham fans’ first viewing, eager to understand the fuss.

It is important to be measured. Yang had two good moments in his 45 minutes, both of which saw him break into space. The second chance, ending with a fierce drive over Tottenham’s crossbar, came after he blurred his feet and drove hard into the box. He was a nuisance, showing that he could beat defenders off either foot, in both directions.

Remind you of anybody? Just kidding, but there were enough reasons to look forward to January 2025. The K League side were not particularly balanced in the first half and Yang had few supporting team dynamics around him. Given that context, he was not bad at all.

More on Tottenham’s ambitious young signings

Lucas Bergvall’s road to north London: ‘My gut feeling was always Spurs’

Inside Archie Gray’s move and a manic 48 hours

The transfer plan is clear — they are focused on the future

What did Ange Postecoglou say?

On his starting midfield trio: “Yeah, I thought it worked ok. Obviously they are three very young players in that midfield set up and as you said, the first time they had played together.

“But for the most part I thought they handled it pretty well. I think Lucas found it tough physically. It’s a very demanding role in there and it’s gonna take us a while to get him up to speed from a physical perspective, but you can see the quality he has when he’s on the ball.And Archie, he’s what he’s shown the whole time. He’s been very composed, he seems to understand the game really well and, and, you know, for the most part, I thought he was taking up the right positions.

“But again, physically I think we’re gonna have to build him up. And I thought Pape’s running is just unbelievable. He’s a benchmark for us in that midfield area. So, yeah, I think the three of them — considering they’re so young and that’s the exciting bit — if we keep pushing them and improving them, they’re going to be very good footballers for us.”

What next for Spurs?

Saturday, August 10: Bayern Munich, 5.30pm BST (12.30pm ET)

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(Top photo: Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images)