The New York Times

Ange Postecoglou’s 18-month spell in charge of Tottenham Hotspur has been defined by an uncompromising commitment to a free-flowing brand of football.

When everything clicks, Spurs can produce impressive results — they have beaten Manchester City and Manchester United twice each already this season. Even when things go wrong, they tend to put up a fight. They lost in a chaotic manner to Liverpool and Chelsea in December but still managed to score three times in both those games.

All of this is what makes their 4-0 away defeat against Liverpool in the second leg of a Carabao Cup semi-final last night so difficult to process. Liverpool suffocated Spurs, who barely put up any form of resistance. It was a soulless performance, and the worst possible way to be eliminated from a competition when so close to a Wembley final.

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Tottenham’s passive approach at Anfield was slightly understandable when they were still holding onto their 1-0 lead from the first leg and in the immediate aftermath of Cody Gakpo’s half-volley which cancelled it out on 34 minutes. When Antonin Kinsky brought down Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah converted a penalty to give Liverpool the lead on aggregate five minutes into the second half, there was no response.

Tottenham were missing a lot of key players, including record signing Dominic Solanke up front, first-choice centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, plus Guglielmo Vicario in goal, playmaker James Maddison and full-back Destiny Udogie.

Liverpool would no doubt have struggled to play with the same fluency without six members of their starting XI but it was the lack of urgency from the visitors which was so concerning. Spurs seemed to lose every 50/50 challenge and be second to every loose ball. Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai was still charging around and crunching into tackles in second-half stoppage time when his team were 4-0 up and assured of that Wembley meeting with Newcastle United on March 16. It is difficult to recall any Tottenham player showing as much hunger and desire, even when the tie was still hanging in the balance.

Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski, their long-serving captain and best player this season respectively, were barely involved.

In Kulusevski’s defence, he looks shattered. The Sweden international has been vocal in the past about how his incredible running capacity, he covered the biggest distance (13.36 km/8.3 miles) of any Premier League player in a single match last season during a 2-1 victory over Everton, sets him apart from his peers but even a Lamborghini can be overtaken by a Vauxhall Corsa if there is not enough petrol in it.

Kulusevski has featured in all 38 of Tottenham’s fixtures this season across four competitions and that workload is obviously taking a toll.

There is no excuse, though, for how awful Spurs were in possession.

Liverpool pressed them into passing the ball backwards until it eventually wound up at the feet of goalkeeper Kinsky. The Czech Republic Under-21 international would then have striker Darwin Nunez darting towards him, so repeatedly hit it long where, inevitably, Virgil van Dijk won the aerial duel against Richarlison and Liverpool regained control.

Tottenham were hopeless when they tried to string a sequence of passes together in central areas. Kevin Danso, making his debut after arriving from Lens on loan with an obligation to buy over the weekend, powerfully surged forward out of defence on a couple of occasions. He would drop the ball off to Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr or Rodrigo Bentancur for them to try to build an attack but, within seconds, would be running back towards his own goal to thwart another Liverpool offensive. Bissouma’s misplaced pass to Sarr led directly to Gakpo’s leveller.

Spurs’ midfielders were creating problems instead of relieving pressure. It was no surprise when Bissouma and Sarr were substituted 10 minutes into the second half, with Tottenham now 2-1 down on aggregate, but do not forget that both of them have been struggling for fitness recently. Yet with limited alternative options, they had to play last night.

There is one statistic which neatly encapsulates this lethargic performance.

Tottenham failed to register a single shot on target in a match for the first time since Postecoglou took charge in summer 2023 and finished with an xG (expected goals) figure of 0.18. The closest they came to scoring was Son’s second-half effort which struck the bar.

This squad had the chance to reach a final and potentially win the club’s first silverware since this same competition in 2008. Why then did they approach the game like it was a meaningless dead-rubber tie at the end of a European group stage? Why did they not pose Liverpool any serious problems? Why did they lose in such a meek manner?

“We’ll learn from tonight, but the major lesson to learn is that we can’t go into games like this looking to protect or try to get results in other ways than what’s got us to this point,” Postecoglou said in the post-match press conference. “I’m sure the players will learn from that, I’m sure they’re disappointed by that. As much as we’ve missed an opportunity to get to a final, what probably hurts even more is that we didn’t really give ourselves a chance with our performance.

“We set the team up and our intent was to go out and play the same way we play every week. We were trying to put pressure on them and unsettle them but it never really materialised. We didn’t really have conviction when we had the ball either, which allowed them to get control of the game.”

Reading between the lines, it feels like Postecoglou is admitting either that he decided to deviate from his usual approach in the biggest game of the season or that the players were incapable of carrying out his instructions. If he tweaked his tactics to be more pragmatic, and the starting midfield combination did suggest that’s what happened, then it backfired. If the players are at fault, then it is hard not to come away thinking that they crumbled under pressure.

It felt apt that the final four players to leave the pitch after applauding the travelling supporters then facing the long, late-night trek back to London were Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Djed Spence and Mathys Tel. Last summer’s signings Bergvall and Gray are supposed to be bright-eyed teenagers but they are now weary veterans of a gruelling campaign.

Spence is the former outcast who has become an integral part of Postecoglou’s plans and should have been utilised more at the beginning of the campaign to give others, including Udogie and Pedro Porro, sufficient rest. He was deployed at left-back and, for a brief 15-minute spell, on the right wing against Liverpool. It was a desperate roll of the dice which, unsurprisingly, did not work.

Tel represents the future. The 19-year-old French forward, signed initially on loan from Bayern Munich on deadline day at the start of the week, and Spurs as a whole, have a lot of potential, but are the conditions right for them to maximise it?

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A huge burden is being placed on the shoulders of these four players,

Richarlison’s calf injury which forced him off at half-time last night suggests Tel will make his first start away to Aston Villa in the FA Cup’s fourth round on Sunday. These youngsters should be leaning on the senior players for support and guidance in games of this magnitude, not the other way around.

This was always going to be a huge week for Spurs and Postecoglou. They have failed their first test of it and cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes at Villa Park.

(Top photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)

The last few days of the transfer window were a whirlwind for Tottenham Hotspur.

On Thursday, Ange Postecoglou was looking forward to welcoming Micky van de Ven back from a six-week absence as their injury crisis showed signs of clearing up. Van de Ven played the entire first half of a 3-0 victory over Elfsborg in the Europa League and was replaced at the break by Radu Dragusin in a planned substitution.

Dragusin hobbled off the pitch 20 minutes later after landing awkwardly and clutching his right knee in pain. The Athletic revealed on Monday that the 23-year-old defender suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

Van de Ven missed Sunday’s victory over Brentford, while Cristian Romero’s recovery from a quad injury has been described as a “slow burner” by Postecoglou. Spurs were heading into the biggest week of their season, with important cup ties against Liverpool and Aston Villa, once again with question marks over who would play at the back.

They sprang into action over the weekend by hijacking Wolverhampton Wanderers’ move for Kevin Danso and launching an audacious but unsuccessful bid to sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi. A proposed move for 19-year-old forward Mathys Tel appeared to have collapsed on Friday, but 72 hours later, it was resurrected and he joined on loan from Bayern Munich with an option to buy for €55m.

Here, The Athletic takes a deep breath and breaks down a manic month…

Was this window a success or a failure?

Tottenham desperately needed defensive reinforcements and a new goalkeeper in this transfer window. They ticked both of those boxes with Kinsky and Danso, but the latter did not arrive until the day before the window closed. Spurs played nine games in all competitions over the past month and, ideally, the 26-year-old centre-back would have arrived from Lens a lot earlier to ease the burden on Archie Gray and Dragusin.

Even with Danso’s acquisition, Spurs are still short of options in defence. Acquiring Guehi from Crystal Palace would have been a statement signing, but they did not come close to pulling it off.

Postecoglou has spoken publicly on multiple occasions about the need for more firepower. Tottenham failed in their pursuit of Randal Kolo Muani early in the window but eventually managed to sign the talented but raw Tel.

Despite completing three deals, Spurs are in a similar position to the start of the window. The squad is full of holes due to their injury crisis and it will be a challenge to perform at a high level in four competitions over the final few months of the campaign.

How much did they spend and how much did they bring in?

Spurs paid Slavia Prague £13.3million for Kinsky, while Danso’s loan deal includes an obligation to buy for €25m in the summer.

Tel has joined on loan until the end of the season, but the move can be made permanent. Tottenham have not actually spent a lot of money in this window but have committed to some big fees in the summer.

They did not raise any money as the only departures were loans, with 19-year-old striker Will Lankshear moving to West Bromwich Albion and Yang-Min hyeok heading to Queens Park Rangers.

Was there a standout signing?

Tel’s career has stalled with Bayern Munich but he is still an exciting prospect, while Danso should slot into the starting XI straight away. Both will hope to make an impact as big and as quick as Kinsky.

He made his debut for Spurs in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool. It was a huge challenge for the 21-year-old, who had spent the previous couple of weeks relaxing during the Czech Republic top flight’s winter break. He had just jumped out of the sauna when he received a phone call about Tottenham’s interest in signing him.

Kinsky only trained with his new team-mates twice before he produced a superb performance and kept a clean sheet in an important 1-0 victory over Liverpool that has given them a chance of reaching Wembley.

Fraser Forster had been deputising for the injured first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and he looked awkward playing the ball out from the back. Kinsky’s calmness in possession means he is a significant upgrade on Forster and will challenge Vicario long-term.

The Czech Republic Under-21 international has made one or two sloppy mistakes in other games, including the north London derby when Kai Havertz blocked his pass inside the box, but it is important to remember he is a young player who has been thrust straight into an underperforming and injury-ravaged team.

Did they lose anyone they would have wanted to keep?

None of the senior players left as even those who had previously been on the fringes, including Sergio Reguilon and Djed Spence, have received significant game time in the past couple of months.

Are there still any obvious gaps in the team?

The day before Spurs lost to Bournemouth in December, Postecoglou spoke about providing club-record signing Dominic Solanke with more support up front.

“There’s no doubt we need some bolstering in that front third over the next couple of transfer windows,” he said. “Dom coming in has been great, but again, we can’t overload him either because ultimately, you know, even if he stays fit and nothing happens, performance will invariably drop if his energy levels drop. So it’s something we’re aware of and need to plan for.”

Richarlison’s return from injury was supposed to help the situation, but Solanke then suffered a knee injury in training. Son Heung-min has underperformed this season, while Timo Werner has only scored twice in his last 30 top-flight appearances. Werner’s last league goal came in a 4-0 victory at Aston Villa in March 2024. Meanwhile, Wilson Odobert’s first year in north London has been disrupted by a persistent hamstring injury.

Spurs managed to sign Tel to boost their numbers, but it would be unfair to place too much pressure on his shoulders. They still need to sign an elite, peak-age forward who is capable of covering multiple positions.

Are they now strong enough to achieve their goals for the season?

The real question here is: ‘Do Spurs have a strong enough squad to beat Liverpool in their Carabao Cup semi-final second leg on Thursday evening?’

Van de Ven managed 45 minutes on his return from a hamstring injury against Elfsborg but then missed Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Brentford, while Dragusin will not feature again this season.

There is a group of six players, which includes Destiny Udogie, James Maddison and Brennan Johnson, who are due to return in the next week, but might not recover quickly enough to feature at Anfield.

Postecoglou has to decide whether to give Danso his debut against Liverpool or stick with Ben Davies and Archie Gray at centre-back. Solanke’s absence is a blow, but Richarlison has scored twice in his six games since returning from injury.

It is going to be difficult to beat Liverpool, but looking further ahead, when everybody is fit and healthy, they have a squad capable of reaching the Europa League final and progressing deep in the FA Cup.

What is their priority for the summer?

Signing an elite, multi-functional forward who can relieve some of the goalscoring burden from Solanke.

What is their strongest XI now the window is shut?

The full list of ins and outs

Ins:

Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich, loan with option to buy)

Kevin Danso (Lens, loan with obligation to buy)

Antonin Kinsky (Slavia Prague)

Yang Min-hyeok (Gangwon FC)

Outs:

Will Lankshear (West Bromwich Albion, loan)

Yang Min-hyeok (Queens Park Rangers, loan)

(Top photos: Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur have completed the loan signing of Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich until the end of the season. The deal includes an option to buy Tel for €55million (£45.7m; $56.9m) on a six-year contract. Tel is Spurs’ fourth signing of the window after goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, forward Yang Min-hyeok and centre-back Kevin Danso (also on loan).

Our writers — experts in transfers, tactics, data and football finance — have come together to rate January’s senior Premier League transfers. This continues the project we launched last summer, but we have also made some significant tweaks to how we assess each deal.

Gone are the five scores out of 100, and in their place are 10 ratings out of 50. This should allow for much more nuance to be reflected in the analysis and, importantly, much more variability in the overall figure each transfer ends up with. Follow the link below for more background on the changes.

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Tactical fit — 35/50

Tel brings plenty of admirable qualities to the table. While best suited to the left inside forward role in Ange Postecoglou’s system, he is versatile and can operate across the frontline.

The 19-year-old is an explosive dribbler, capable of causing damage when receiving passes while in motion thanks to his mostly reliable first touch. From a standstill, Tel can be predictable due to his preference to drive inwards on his stronger right foot, but his pace and trickery have allowed him to escape tight areas with ease. Spurs require that injection of pace and Tel can be deadly in transition.

The France Under-21 international moves well off the ball and has decent link-up play, though there is room for improvement.

The issues with Tel are in the rawness of his abilities. As a footballer at the start of his senior career, his decision-making is not the best and he often dribbles forward with the idea of getting a shot away at some point. It results in him missing open team-mates and attempting low-quality opportunities, with Tel averaging just 0.09 expected goals per shot during the 2023-24 Bundesliga season. To his credit, his passing improved in the second half of the season.

Tel is at his best with and without the ball when he is confident, and nothing breeds confidence like regular minutes and reduced pressure. He got neither at Bayern, where expectations sky-rocketed after a fast start under Julian Nagelsmann.

Tel joins Spurs with Son Heung-min on a decent run of form, Wilson Odobert on the verge of return from injury and Mikey Moore making a case for himself. All of that complicates his chances of regular minutes in his favoured position.

As a centre-forward, Tel has the qualities Postecoglou demands but has not played there frequently enough to suggest he can consistently deliver goals.

Tel has plenty of potential, but there are rough edges to sand out if Spurs are to see the best of him during this loan deal.

Injury record — 46/50

Tel has not had any major injuries during his short senior career and has missed just six games due to fitness issues since the start of the 2022-23 season.

Market value — 40/50

A loan deal presents great value for Spurs given Tel has not played enough this season and for Tel as he receives more minutes to aid his development.

Contract rationale – 42/50

While it initially seemed as though Spurs would be signing Tel on a straight loan, they actually have an option to buy built into the deal. Spurs have the rest of the season to assess him, before deciding whether to commit €55million (£45.7m; $56.9m) or tie him down to a six-year contract. This allows them to try before they buy — and the length of the contract they have agreed means they’re tying a young player down for many years if they decide he’s worth the money.

Recent form – 13/50

Tel found himself low on Bayern’s pecking order this season, resulting in just four starts in 14 appearances across competitions and 14 games watched on from the bench. He has just one assist in 458 minutes of action this season.

Gap-filling – 45/50

Spurs’ attack has been decimated by injuries this season. Dominic Solanke, Odobert, Brennan Johnson and Timo Werner are all out injured, while Richarlison, Moore and Son have spent time on the sidelines too.

Postecoglou’s team needed depth and Tel’s versatility gives them a necessary weapon as they aim to rise in the Premier League table and go deep in the cup competitions.

Excitement factor – 27/50

Tel’s initial rejection of a permanent move to Spurs may linger in fan memory but he will likely be welcomed with relief and excitement as he fills an important squad need.

Future-proofing – 38/50

The loan should help Spurs in the short term while giving them evidence on how well-suited Tel is to the Premier League, with Spurs searching for Son’s long-term successor.

Rival impact – 34/50

The Athletic reported that Tel attracted interest from Manchester United, who are Spurs’ rivals in the Europa League and sit just two points above them in the league table, while Chelsea made an enquiry for him too. Spurs will be pleased to have strengthened while preventing two of their rivals from doing so.

Marketability – 12/50

Tel is unlikely to come with too much marketing potential, though another youthful signing is good for Spurs’ overall profile.

Overall rating — 332/500

(Top photo: Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images)

Crystal Palace have rejected a major offer from Tottenham Hotspur to sign Marc Guehi.

The offer for the England international, 24, was for a permanent transfer but was knocked back. Spurs and other clubs are expected to try again in the summer.

Guehi was the subject of four unsuccessful bids from Newcastle United in the summer, with the final one worth up to £65million including add-ons. Palace head coach Oliver Glasner confirmed at the end of August the defender would be remaining at the club.

He has 18 months remaining on his Palace contract, which runs until 2026.

Guehi joined Palace from Chelsea for £18m in the summer of 2021 and has made 134 appearances for the club.

He broke into the England senior squad in 2022 and was a key figure for Gareth Southgate’s side at the 2024 European Championship, starting all but one of his country’s matches during their run to the final.

Guehi was named club captain ahead of the 2024-25 season and has featured 28 times in all competitions for Palace this season, scoring twice.

Palace saw defender Trevoh Chalobah recalled by Chelsea from his loan earlier this month but are set to sign Ben Chilwell — again on loan from Chelsea — pending a medical.

(Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

This is the type of game — tight, tense, away from home — that Tottenham Hotspur never win.

This is the type of performance — gritty, canny, efficient — that they rarely produce.

At Brentford on Sunday, Ange Postecoglou’s depleted, patched-together Spurs turned all the perceptions and narratives about them on their head. This might not be Spurs’ best win of the season given the quality of other teams they have beaten, but it might be their most important.

Because they came here on a seven-game winless run in the league. Their last league victory, at Southampton, was seven weeks ago. Since then, they have drifted further down the league table than anyone thought possible.

Because Postecoglou came here without a single senior specialist centre-back available and was forced to play Archie Gray and Ben Davies together. Even Spurs’ fit players are exhausted, worn down by having to carry this club on their backs every Thursday and Sunday for the past few months.

Because this was at Brentford, who had lost only three league games at home this season and seem to embody so many of the values Tottenham have lacked this season.

The strange thing about Spurs’ season is that for all the frustration and disappointment — the 13 league defeats and the painful drift down the table — there have been some remarkable high points: two wins against Manchester City, two against Manchester United and one against Liverpool. They have blown teams away with expansive attacking football and played at a tempo no one can stop. All but one of their league wins before Sunday were by at least three goals.

But life under Postecoglou has been a house of cards. Either it is brilliant or it falls apart. Tottenham could do the thrilling, emphatic ‘statement wins’ when everything clicked into place, but they could not do the other side. The normal wins, ground out against the odds, with their backs to the wall. This is what Tottenham had desperately needed for the past few months, to find a way to win ugly, to win a league game where they did not destroy the opposition but still found a way nonetheless.

Of Spurs’ 13 league defeats this season, 12 of them were by one-goal margins. Only the 6-3 to Liverpool was by more than that. There have been many times when the game was tight and up for grabs for whichever side was cleverer, luckier, or more efficient — and Spurs kept losing. If they are to get out of this mess and start climbing back up the table, they needed to start finding ways to win games like this.

Spurs’ style on Sunday was not what many have come to expect from a Postecoglou team, but then anyone paying attention knows they have not played like that for months. How could they given the fixture schedule and their injury crisis? They have had only one free midweek since club football resumed after the November international break. The same small core of players — Pedro Porro, Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min, Gray — are giving their all twice a week, every week. The game plan had to change to something more conservative, more repeatable, more robust.

There have been plenty of league games recently when Spurs worked as hard as they could but did not get the rewards for their effort. This time, they finally did.

It was built on the solidity of Gray and Davies together at centre-back. Neither is a specialist in that position. Gray is an 18-year-old playing his 15th game on the spin. Davies is 31 and in his 11th season at Spurs, just back from an injury and straight into the firing line. But both of them were exceptional. They constantly headed away crosses (Brentford attempted 37). They were rewarded with Spurs’ first league clean sheet since beating Southampton on December 15.

Then there was Djed Spence, back in the team after three games out. He produced his best performance for Tottenham, shackling Bryan Mbeumo and showing remarkable poise, balance and maturity throughout. He is a supremely gifted footballer and Spurs look much better with him in the team.

In midfield, Rodrigo Bentancur played as well as he has all season. He was everywhere, spotting danger before anyone else and shutting it down. Spurs desperately needed his experience and he provided all of it and more.

Then there was Kulusevski, in midfield in the first half, on the right in the second. He has dug deeper than anyone this season and remains Tottenham’s best way of moving the ball forward when they are struggling to build up.

But the most impressive thing was not just the aggregate performance of the individuals on the pitch, it was the way they did things you might not expect them to do.

Everyone knows Spurs have struggled on set pieces over the years and that Brentford specialise in them. But on this occasion, it was Spurs who took the lead from a corner, as Son curled in a delivery, Brentford goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson could not get to it, and the ball went in off Vitaly Janelt.

Brentford bombarded the Spurs box throughout, but Tottenham’s defence was always equal to it. Antonin Kinsky made two good first-half saves, but mainly it was Gray, Davies, Spence and Porro doing the hard work, with Bentancur and Yves Bissouma sweeping up in front of them.

In the second half, Spurs slowed the game down, happily eating up time when required. Richarlison walked off the pitch when substituted for Dane Scarlett. Son took his time over corners to the fury of the home fans. Kinsky never rushed to get the ball back into play from goal kicks.

And having taken the lead from a set piece, Spurs completed the win from a counter-attack. Bentancur found Son, who took advantage of Pape Matar Sarr’s dynamic forward run. He beautifully finished past Valdimarsson. Postecoglou’s celebration told a story of all the pent-up frustration from the past few months.

After the final whistle, all the Spurs players gathered in a huddle in front of the jubilant away end before they went over to take their applause. Maybe it was not a ‘statement win’ in the style of their last league victory (5-0 at Southampton in December), or the one before that (4-0 at Manchester City in November), or the one before that (4-1 against Aston Villa in November), or the one before that (4-1 against West Ham United in October).

But think what made up this win: one set piece, one counter-attack, two stand-in centre-backs, plenty of tired legs, lots of defensive headers, a fair bit of game management, backs to the wall, spirit, nous, intelligence and efficiency. Maybe this is what a statement win really looks like.

(Top photo: Charlotte Wilson/Offside via Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou has said that it remains a possibility that there are no further signings at the club this month.

Spurs completed the transfer of 21-year-old goalkeeper Antonin Kinksy from Slavia Prague on January 5 but have not made any more additions to the squad since then.

Postecoglou’s side take on German side Hoffenheim in their seventh league-phase game of the Europa League on Thursday and are set to be without 14 players as they make the trip to Germany.

When asked if there was a chance that Tottenham would not not sign anybody else this window, Postecoglou said: “Yeah, potentially. The club is working hard to get some help for the players. As far as I know at the moment there’s nothing imminent but things happen quickly in the last week of the window, so still hopeful.”

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Spurs have an extensive list of unavailable players with Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven, Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner, Wilson Odobert and Dominic Solanke all out with injury.

Sarr is the newest addition to the injury list after picking up a knock in a 3-2 defeat against Everton on Sunday. “Pape has a slight knock from the weekend, so he’s out,” said Postecoglou. “He tried to train (today) but he’s still a bit sore from the weekend. We’re hoping it’s not something that will keep him out for too long, he has a chance for the weekend, but the turn around was too quick.”

Full-backs Djed Spence and Sergio Reguilon will also be unavailable on Thursday due to not being registered in Tottenham’s Europa League squad. Kinsky and teenage winger Yang Min-hyeok — who joined the club at the start of the month after signing in the summer — are also unregistered.

Postecoglou added that Rodrigo Bentancur is back in the squad after suffering a concussion in his side’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Liverpool. Centre-back Cristian Romero has returned to training but was deemed not ready to feature against Hoffenheim and will be out for “probably another week to 10 days”.

Spurs are enduring a miserable run of form, only winning four of their last 15 games in all competitions and sit 15th in the Premier League, only eight points off the relegation zone. They are ninth in the Europa League table, one place outside the automatic qualification spots for the last 16.

Despite the team’s struggles, Postecoglou was able to see the funny side of the situation when the press conference was paused due to the German translator coughing. “We’ve lost the translator as well, even my translator’s injured!” he joked.

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(Top photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Richarlison has returned to full fitness and could feature for Tottenham Hotspur in Wednesday night’s north London derby against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Richarlison has struggled with injuries since he joined Spurs from Everton for £60million in July 2022. He missed most of their pre-season tour in Japan and South Korea last summer with a calf problem but came off the bench in their opening two league games.

The Brazilian then suffered a setback and made his return as a substitute in a 4-1 victory over West Ham United on October 19.

A couple of weeks later, the 27-year-old suffered a hamstring injury in a 4-1 win against Aston Villa and has been unavailable since then. The forward has been restricted to seven appearances in all competitions this term and only one of them was as a starter.

“He has been harassing me for the last 10 days to be involved but we have been disciplined with that and he has looked really good in training,” said Postecoglou. “He looks ready to go so really happy to get him back involved.”

Richarlison’s return comes at the perfect time as head coach Ange Postecoglou revealed Timo Werner suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Tamworth in the third round of the FA Cup.

“Not too bad,” Postecoglou said when asked about the state of his squad after beating Tamworth in extra-time. “It takes a fair bit out of the players so we have done some extra recovery.

“The only one who picked up an injury is Timo. He did a hamstring injury and we are waiting on the results of that scan. Everyone else apart from being sore is okay. In terms of incoming, Richarlison is available.”

After Arsenal, Tottenham visit Everton on Sunday, January 19, before resuming their Europa League campaign away at Hoffenheim on Thursday, January 23.

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Postecoglou says Tottenham will not terminate Werner loan

(Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Manchester United would reluctantly consider selling homegrown players, such as Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, as part of their efforts to comply with football’s financial rules.

The club are not actively looking to sanction the exit of either talent but the reality of their situation means the possibility cannot be discounted if suitable offers arrive.

Having both come through United’s youth setup, midfielder Mainoo, 19, and winger Garnacho, 20, are among those who would represent pure accounting profit if they were ever to be traded. This is why they are not regarded as untouchable and the same applies for most of the first-team squad.

That includes team-mates like Marcus Rashford, 27, although his situation differs in that United are consciously working on exit solutions, plus the out-of-favour forward has said he is “ready for a new challenge and the next steps”.

Full story below

There is also a game tonight, of course! It’s Arsenal vs Newcastle Utd at Emirates Stadium in their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.

The even better news is that we have full live coverage of the game with our team of correspondents, including my esteemed colleague Max Mathews.

You can catch all the build-up right now — and the action later — in our live coverage here.

Let’s bring you a couple of quick Arsenal-themed lines, starting with a former manager.

Charlotte Harpur reports that Jonas Eidevall has taken over as head coach at San Diego Wave.

The latest National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) boss has signed a three-year contract, having been out of football since parting ways with Arsenal in October.

The Wave had been looking for a new permanent head coach since Casey Stoney departed midway through the 2024 season. Paul Buckle and then Landon Donovan were in interim charge. Here’s Eidevall:

💬 “This is a club with a clear vision for success, both on and off the field, and I am grateful for the trust placed in me to lead this talented team.

“San Diego is a city with passionate fans and a vibrant futbol culture, and I’m eager to contribute to building a winning legacy here.”

Eidevall joined Arsenal from Rosengard in 2021, winning the League Cup in 2023 and 2024.

Transfer windows are usually good for a cautionary tale, so how about this.

Guangzhou FC, China’s most successful football club, won’t be allowed to play professionally during the 2025 season — due to financial issues.

The eight-times Chinese Super League (CSL) winners played their part in the league’s pursuit of top talent at inflated prices a decade ago.

Yet the club’s parent company Evergrande has since fallen into severe financial difficulty and 12 months ago, was ordered to liquidate after amassing over $300billion in debt.

Guangzhou have played their last two seasons in the second tier following relegation from the Super League in 2022.

You will find more on this one from Ali Rampling, below.

There is nothing like a transfer window to start focusing owners’ minds on who their head coach is — and whether they want something else.

That conversation is taking place around Everton now, it seems. But Sean Dyche doesn’t mind it. In fact, he thinks it is exactly what the club’s new ownership — The Friedkin Group — should be assessing.

Here is Dyche, speaking at his media conference just now:

💬 “If you’re a club or business of this size, succession planning should be part of their (owners’) due diligence.

“I’ve got no problem with that at all and think that should be ongoing at every club. It’s how it is in normal business life.

“(We have) got to win games. We haven’t done that enough this season…and it comes down to me, without a shadow of a doubt.”

We have already touched on the ongoing, remarkable situation at Barcelona with Dani Olmo. Well, now one of his team-mates has gone public on it all.

Olmo and Pau Victor have both been de-registered from Barca’s first-team squad — leading to the club planning to file a complaint to the Spanish government in their final attempt to make room for the pair long-term.

Well, now Raphinha has spoken on the topic ahead of the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Athletic Club tomorrow in Riyadh.

Asked about whether the situation would put off potential January and summer signings, he said:

💬 “Yes, it can have an impact, I can’t say the opposite. If I was in another club seeing the situation they are going through, I would probably wonder if coming here is the best option.

“When I signed for Barca I knew the situation the club was going through. I saw a chance to play for this shirt and I waited until the very last moment. I don’t regret at all my decision”.

You will find more on this one from Pol Ballus and Colin Millar with the link below.

Tottenham host the Premier League leaders tomorrow night, although Liverpool will be visiting in the first leg of a Carabao Cup semi-final.

There will be some big calls for Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou there, especially given this may well be his best route to another piece of second-season silverware — something he highlighted was a recurring theme at the clubs he manages.

Antonin Kinsky is their new goalkeeper signing from Slavia Prague, while Fraser Forster is back in training too. So who will Postecoglou opt for? Here’s what he said today:

💬 “He (Kinsky) arrived on Sunday. He’s had a couple of days training. He is registered and eligible. We still have to do a couple of things with him and then we will see.

“He is one we had earmarked for the summer. We’ve tracked him all season and he is definitely someone we are really excited about.

“Obviously, with our current goalkeeping situation we explored the possibility of bringing him in this January. It wasn’t easy because he was doing very well for his club, his club is doing well, they are in Europe and top of their league.

“The club worked really hard to get the deal done and it is a huge benefit to us; it adds real quality to our goalkeepers.”

This could be one to watch.

There is plenty of interest across a wide range of clubs including Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur in RC Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov.

David Ornstein reports that Lens are looking to do a deal in excess of €40million for Khusanov, who is an Uzbekistan international.

That price could rule some clubs, namely Spurs, out of the battle for Khusanov this month but expect competition for a promising young talent.

Read more on the clubs in the running on The Athletic's Transfer DealSheet.

Ok, so this is not strictly transfer-related but it is too fun not to share.

When Wolves' and Ipswich Town's game in December ended with heated clashes between staff and players from the two sides, Mateus Cunha's involvement saw him handed a two match ban.

The written reasons for the Wolves forward's suspension have now been published after he was spotted elbowing an Ipswich staff member in the head before pulling his glasses from his face.

A report from the independent regulatory commission that handed out the ban and an £80,000 fine to Cunha included a letter of apology and an offer for the Brazilian to pay for replacement glasses for the Ipswich staff member.

For more about the findings of the commission and the fallout from the ugly scenes after Wolves' 2-1 defeat, click the link below.

Any club interested in Athletic Club’s Nico Williams know his price — his release clause is around €60million.

That figure will fluctuate somewhat with inflation but reflects the potential of one of the most highly-rated young players in European football.

The 22-year-old Spanish international was under consideration by Liverpool in the summer and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta would like to sign him this month.

However, the finances of the deal make that unlikely at this stage.

Read more about Williams’ Bilbao future and potential destinations on The Athletic’s Transfer DealSheet below.

The announcement of new signing Julio Soler earlier today will excite fans but it will do little to soften the blow of news of Evanilson's metatarsal injury for Bournemouth.

He has been central to Andoni Iraola's side in their climb to seventh in the Premier League, contributing five goals in his 19 appearances this season.

Bournemouth confirmed that the 25-year-old had “undergone a successful procedure to repair a fractured metatarsal” after he scans confirmed extent of the injury sustained during Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Everton.

With only Enes Unal now fit as a recognised senior striker in their squad, could Bournemouth's hand be forced this month as Evanilson enters a period of rehab and recovery?

They have already dipped into the market twice, for left-back Soler and centre-back Matai Akinmboni.

“Football is full of surprises,” says Neymar Jr, which is one way of describing a potential reunion with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

Neymar has been speaking to CNN about the possibility of playing with his former Barcelona team mates again, when the trio were dubbed 'MSN' for their goal scoring exploits as a front three between 2014 and 2017.

Though he insists he is happy at current club Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, the Brazilian has floated the idea of getting the band back together.

Messi and Suarez are team mates at Inter Miami in MLS these days so two thirds of the job of reviving MSN is already done.

💬 “They are my friends. We still speak to each other. It would be interesting to revive this trio,” Neymar said.

Mic drop.

As the Premier League becomes ever more transitional, it is easy to see why Randal Kolo Muani is attracting interest from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Although his minutes at PSG have been limited, Kolo Muani thrived in end-to-end games for former club Eintracht Frankfurt, enjoying his freedom at the top of an expansive team.

Despite standing at 6ft 1in (1.87m), he is quick enough to play across the front line, and caught the eye on the flanks throughout his youth career due to his blend of trickery, pace, and a rangy running style.

His shot map shows a range of finishes across the width of the box, able to both rise high for headers, but also sort out his feet and get good contact on crosses and cutbacks on either side.

Kolo Muani’s best seasons — in terms of outperforming his expected goals (xG) — have come in the campaigns where he has had a consistent run of minutes to build up a scoring rhythm.

Confidence is understandably low at present, but there is potential for the team that can provide Kolo Muani a new home.

We heard from Arne Slot earlier that he’s happy with his Liverpool squad as it stands and there may not be much business done this month at the Premier League leaders.

And that is fine — although I’d recommend the odd conversation about contract renewals…

But maybe the Liverpool boss should be looking to make one recruit during the transfer window: a set-piece coach?

The graphic above is fresh off the press from our senior data analyst Mark Carey, and has Liverpool — arguably the best side in Europe right now — as the WEAKEST team from dead-ball situations across the entire Premier League.

I know. I couldn’t believe it either. Although it means they are also scoring a huge amount of open-play goals.

For more context, give Andy Jones’ recent analysis a read below — and be thankful we got through two successive Liverpool posts without mentioning Trent Alexander-Arno… Oh.

Nottingham Forest have started contract talks with defender Murillo, who is enjoying an impressive spell in English football.

The 22-year-old’s current contract runs until 2028 but Forest know a good player when they have one and have added his name to their list set for contract talks.

Ola Aina and Chris Wood, who are both out of contract in the summer, are also in talks with the City Ground club.

If they can tie Murillo down it will be smart business from Forest, with clubs in Spain as well as Tottenham and Chelsea interested in him last summer.

Since signing from Corinthians in Brazil in 2023, Murillo has made 55 appearances in all competitions for Forest and has started all but one league game under Nuno Espirito Santo this season.

Bournemouth have their second signing of the January window and his name is Julio Soler.

The Premier League side has confirmed the arrival of the 19-year-old on a four-year contract from Argentinian side Lanus.

Left-back Soler made 58 first team appearances for Lanus’ senior team after progressing through the academy, and is also an Argentina under-23 international.

He joins centre-back Matai Akinmboni as a new arrival in Andoni Iraola’s squad, with Bournemouth seventh in the Premier League table.

The teenager will have competition in the form of regular starter Milos Kerkez.

Happy with that one, Bournemouth fans?

Randal Kolo Muani does not want to be remembered as the player who missed — which is why getting any move away from Paris St Germain right is crucial.

Kolo Muani enjoyed a breakthrough tournament for France at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and was the player who raced through on goal with the score against Argentina locked at 3-3 in the dying minutes of the final.

We all know how that ended: with a huge save from goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

But there is much more to Kolo Muani than just that moment, even if he has struggled for game time at PSG this season.

Since joining the French side from Eintracht Frankfurt in September 2023, the 26-year-old has scored 11 goals in 54 appearances but is now drawing interest from Manchester United, Tottenham and Juventus.

A loan deal could be on the cards with Kolo Muani under contract at PSG until 2028 and in need of game time.

Tottenham Hotspur have triggered the option to extend captain Son Heung-min’s contract until 2026.

The 32-year-old’s existing deal had been due to expire at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, meaning he would have been free to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this January.

However, Spurs had always maintained they intended to exercise the option to keep him at the club for a further year.

Son joined Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015 and has made 431 appearances — the 11th most in the club’s history — and scored 169 goals — putting him fourth in the club’s all-time top goal scorers list. He was named club captain in August 2023.

Son has made 23 appearances in all competitions this season, providing seven goals and six assists.

The South Korea international was one of four Spurs players whose contracts are set to expire at the end of the season, alongside Fraser Forster, Sergio Reguilon and Ben Davies. The Athletic reported in November Spurs intend to trigger Davies’ option to extend his deal for a further year.

GO DEEPER

It's a difficult subject for Spurs fans, but it's time to talk about Son's form

‘Son Spurs extension no surprise’

The news that Tottenham have formally extended Son Heung-min’s contract comes as no surprise. Spurs have been very open all season that it was their intention to trigger the option, which ensures that Son is contracted to the club for the 2025-26 season, his 11th at the club.

The only issue was the timing. And there is still the possibility of a new, long-term deal being agreed to keep Son at Spurs for even longer than that.

This has not been a vintage season for Son at Tottenham. He has five league goals so far and does not look as sharp as he did last year, whether playing on the left or up front.

But he is still a highly valued figure at the club, the captain, the second-longest serving player (behind Ben Davies) and Tuesday’s news just underlines his importance to the whole organisation.

(Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur have signed goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky from Slavia Prague in a €16million (£13.3m; $16.5m) deal.

Our writers — experts in transfers, tactics, data and football finance — have come together to rate January’s senior Premier League transfers. This is a continuation of the project we launched last summer, but we have also made some significant tweaks to how we assess each deal.

Gone are the five scores out of 100, and in their place are 10 ratings of 50. This should allow for much more nuance to be reflected in the analysis and, importantly, much more variability in the overall figure each transfer ends up with. Follow the link below for more background on the changes.

GO DEEPER

The Athletic 500: What we learned and why we've changed our transfer scoring system

Tactical fit — 42/50

Ange Postecoglou has an unwavering desire to play out from the back, and Antonin Kinsky will help facilitate that in Guglielmo Vicario’s absence.

Kinsky is part of the new breed of goalkeepers who instinctively look to play short passes from goal kicks and can receive the ball and make intelligent decisions under pressure to beat the opposition press.

As the graphic below demonstrates, Kinsky’s most frequently played pass for Slavia Prague in the Europa League this season — albeit a small sample size — was a square ball to the left-sided central defender. It also indicates Kinsky likes to play more direct clipped passes over the opposition’s attacking line and into the second third of the pitch, but he rarely plays long balls.

And he’s not just willing to play under pressure, he’s pretty good at it too. Across six matches in Europe this season, Kinsky averaged an 84.1 per cent success rate, including 90 per cent in a 2-0 win over Ludogorets of Bulgaria and 92 per cent in a 1-0 away defeat to Spain’s Athletic Club. What’s most impressive is that Kinsky has only misplaced one short or medium-length pass out of 140.

Injury record — 45/50

A major mark of approval for Kinsky is his perfect injury record.

Since making his professional debut for Dukla Prague in the Czech Republic’s second division in 2020, he has consistently been fit and available for selection and has been an ever-present for Slavia Prague in the league.

Market value — 38/50

For a club of Tottenham’s size and spending power, a €16million deal for a 21-year-old with significant potential represents low-risk business.

With Vicario unlikely to be back in action until late February or early March, Spurs are effectively signing a first-choice goalkeeper for the short term. After the Italy international returns, Kinsky will likely drop to the bench unless he impresses enough to keep his place ahead of his more senior team-mate, but there are long-term benefits too.

If he makes good on his highly-touted potential, the initial outlay will be looked back on as a bargain.

Contract rationale – 40/50

Kinsky has signed a contract until 2031, allowing him the time to flourish from a top prospect to a potential No 1.

The long-term nature of the deal represents a significant commitment to the Czech Under-21 international, indicating they believe in his chances to become a starter or a high-value asset they can move on in the future. Injury and stunted development make any long-term deal a risk, but it’s a calculated one given his age, potential and impressive injury record.

Recent form – 37/50

Slavia Prague sit at the top of the Czech first division with 50 points from 19 matches, and Kinsky is a big reason why.

Across those 19 games, Kinsky has conceded just seven goals and kept 12 clean sheets. His impressive record is largely due to an excellent defence by Czech standards, as well as an 80 per cent save percentage. For context, no Premier League goalkeeper has higher than 78.7 per cent this season.

His form in the Europa League has not been as strong, conceding seven goals from six matches with a save percentage of 62.5 per cent. However, two excellent saves against Eintracht Frankfurt forwards Omar Marmoush and Hugo Etikite in front of Spurs scouts in a 1-0 defeat will provide confidence that he can produce against more elite competition.

Gap-filling – 45/50

There’s been a gap in quality between the sticks at Spurs since Vicario’s injury, and Kinsky provides a much-needed potential relief to that problem.

Given Kinsky is at the beginning of his career and has yet to face Premier League-level competition consistently, there’s no guarantee he will be an immediate solution. Still, he is a significant improvement on Fraser Forster (who is out of contract at the end of the season) and Brandon Austin (who made his first-team debut for Spurs on Sunday) — particularly in terms of distribution — and provides competition for Vicario with the attributes that Postecoglou demands from his goalkeeper.

Excitement factor – 30/50

Kinsky does not address all of Spurs’ current issues, but there should be excitement within the fanbase that he potentially provides a solution to one of their most glaring.

A backup goalkeeper who had likely not been on the radar of most of the Spurs faithful before the signing was announced will never inspire the kind of reaction that Dominic Solanke did in the summer, but he’s a player who is extremely highly rated in his home country and could help to elevate Postecoglou’s side in the short and long term.

Future-proofing – 37/50

While the transfer fee is not small for a player with such little top-level experience, the opportunity to sign a highly-rated prospect from a club in European competition does not often come cheap.

Still, if Kinsky flourishes into a Premier League and international-level goalkeeper, there is more than enough room for Spurs to make a significant profit should he ever leave.

Rival impact – 25/50

While it’s unlikely executives at Premier League clubs are losing sleep over this deal, it represents a young goalkeeper with the skills to succeed at the top level being taken off the market.

A look across north London, where on-loan Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto is warming the bench for David Raya, provides one example of several unresolved backup goalkeeper situations in the Premier League. What’s even better, however, is that many believe Kinsky will do more than deputise for Vicario; he will potentially offer serious long-term competition for his shirt.

Marketability – 10/50

Despite his exciting potential, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium megastore is unlikely to sell many Kinsky shirts this week. Still, it might be fun to keep an eye out for Czech supporters flying over from Prague to watch the potential heir to Petr Cech’s goalkeeping throne in the coming matches.

Overall rating — 349/500

(Top photo: Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)