The New York Times

Ben Davies is the longest-serving member of Tottenham Hotspur’s squad. He has made more than 350 appearances under six permanent managers and this will be his 11th season in north London. To top it off, he finally won a trophy with them in May.

However, there is uncertainty around his long-term future. Davies was entering the final months of his contract last season but Spurs triggered a one-year option in June. The Wales international mainly played at centre-back under former head coach Ange Postecoglou but he started his career as a full-back.

Spurs have five senior centre-backs, excluding Davies, following the arrival of Kota Takai from J League side Kawasaki Frontale this summer, and an exciting prospect in 18-year-old Luka Vuskovic.

Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie will battle it out to be new head coach Thomas Frank’s first-choice left-back. Davies’ experience is invaluable, but how much game time will he realistically receive if he stays? Could he be playing for a different club when the transfer window closes?

“That is not necessarily under my control,” he tells a group of journalists, including The Athletic, at an event in Hong Kong. “I reported for pre-season and I’m excited to be here. My focus is on how I can help this club this year and if something changes, I’m sure I will be picking up that call. Right now, I don’t see anything else.”

Davies was a part of the squad under former head coach Mauricio Pochettino which challenged Leicester City for the Premier League title in 2015-16 and lost the 2019 Champions League final to Liverpool. He missed their Carabao Cup final defeat by Manchester City two years later through injury. When the full-time whistle went in Bilbao after Spurs had beaten Manchester United in the Europa League final, Davies was relieved that they had “got that monkey off our back”.

“It was that desire and desperation to win something no matter what it was,” he says. “We have come close, we have fought, we have lost games where we could have won and been in better situations. When that final whistle went it was just relief and happiness that we knew we were going into a new season as champions of a European competition. It was a special memory.”

Spurs’ success in the Europa League helped to mask an awful domestic campaign. They lost 22 games and finished 17th in the league. They suffered embarrassing defeats at home against relegated sides Ipswich Town and Leicester City. Spurs underperformed, even though an injury crisis did not help. Postecoglou was sacked two weeks after the final.

“It was one of the strangest seasons of my career,” the 32-year-old says. “It was tough at times. In the league, we were probably lucky to be in that situation because we weren’t anywhere near the level we could be. At the end of the season, you could see where the priorities had shifted. Ultimately, when you look back in the history books, I don’t think too many people are going to care.”

Frank was appointed as Postecoglou’s replacement in June and he signed a three-year contract. Matt Wells is the only surviving member of the Australian’s backroom staff as Frank brought several people with him from Brentford, including Justin Cochrane, while Cameron Campbell, Fabian Otte and Andreas Georgson are external new hires.

“Having someone like Pochettino, as I did for five years, is rarely happening at clubs anymore,” Davies says. “With a new manager, it’s a chance to develop.

“Thomas had an amazing time at Brentford and one of the things you saw from that team was how intelligent they were, how they fought against the odds to succeed. I’m looking forward to working and learning under him.”

In pre-season games, Spurs have looked more resilient under Frank than they did under Postecoglou. Frank, 51, has mainly used a 4-2-3-1 formation that offers the defence better protection. The full-backs are still encouraged to push forward but not at the same time, while Frank’s defensive line is slightly deeper. Spurs scored from a set piece in their first friendly against Reading and did not panic when Arsenal bombarded them with corners during the north London derby in Hong Kong on Thursday, which Spurs won 1-0.

“When we came in, we had a meeting about what was expected this year and where (Frank) thinks we can improve as a team,” Davies says. “You can see the value that they put on certain aspects of the game, how there is low-hanging fruit where you can pick up goals that turn into wins for minimal effort.

“We have been working on that in pre-season and some different tactical aspects, a bit more structure in the team. The most important thing he said to us is that we are in four big competitions this year and we have proven we can be up there with anyone. We have to have a go in each one of them.”

As one of the senior members of the squad, Davies is often responsible for helping new signings and younger players to settle in. He has a good relationship with Archie Gray and his international team-mate Brennan Johnson. The latter scored the winning goal in the Europa League final at the end of a campaign where he temporarily deleted his social media accounts due to the abuse he received.

“Brennan’s a really good guy,” Davies says. “He came into the Wales squad when I had been there for a while and you could see instantly we had a likeable character who is down to earth. I was delighted when he joined Spurs.

“He knows where the goal is and does a lot of stuff that people don’t pick up on, but he’s always in the thick of the action. He was playing a role (last season) where there might have been times he wasn’t getting on the ball and ultimately a big part of his game was just being in the right place at the right time and he’s one of the best at that.

“As you could see in those crucial moments in the big games, he stepped up and no more so in the final. I was delighted for him and his family.”

It is no secret that Davies is best friends with Tottenham’s captain Son Heung-min. They have been team-mates for a decade and have become club legends for winning a trophy when other fan favourites, including Harry Kane, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, left to fulfil their ambitions. Now they are both in the same situation with only a year left on their remaining deals. Los Angeles FC are interested in signing Son but there has not been an official bid yet.

“He’s older than me, so when it comes to advice, he needs to be the one leading it,” Davies says. “We go through different moments in our careers all the time and he has one year left. There’s some uncertainty around what’s going to happen with him, but he has been nothing but professional in the last few weeks.

“If there was none of the talk in public about what was happening, I don’t think you would know. He’s kept his head down. He’s worked hard and what will be will be.”

Davies says that he was “proud” of the South Korea international when he lifted the Europa League trophy because “he put so much effort in” and is “one of the people that it takes a toll on the most when he is so focused on success and such a talented player”. They have shared intimate moments with their families away from the pitch but Davies selects a game against Brighton & Hove Albion in April 2023 as his favourite.

“It was when he got his 100th goal in the Premier League,” the defender says. “That was something that he’d been striving for for a long time. We had a celebratory dinner at my house with a few of his mates. It was really nice to see someone who puts in so much effort get that.”

The question now is how much longer Tottenham’s two longest-serving players will stick around.

Ben Davies was speaking at a session organised by family literacy charity Bring Me a Book Hong Kong to inspire young people to read as part of Tottenham Hotspur’s traditional support for local charitable organisations on overseas tours

(Top photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Rangers have signed Tottenham Hotspur winger Mikey Moore on a season-long loan.

The Athletic reported on Friday the two teams had reached an agreement, and both sides later announced the transfer. The 17-year-old will wear the number 47 shirt at Rangers.

It is a deal that does not include an option to buy Moore — a top prospect for club and country.

The England youth international signed his first professional contract last August, with the deal running through to 2027.

Moore broke into the Tottenham first team at the end of the 2023-24 season, becoming the club’s youngest player to make a Premier League appearance when he made his top-flight debut against Manchester City in May.

He made 19 first-team appearances last term under former head coach Ange Postecoglou, scoring once and providing two assists, spending several weeks out with illness.

He caught the eye in the 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League initial phase in October, after which James Maddison compared Moore to Neymar and Postecoglou admitted that it would be “pretty hard to keep a lid” on the winger’s talent.

Spurs have strengthened in forward areas this summer since replacing Postecoglou with Thomas Frank, completing the signing of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United in a deal worth around £55million, while they have also made Mathys Tel’s loan move from Bayern Munich permanent.

Scotland could be the perfect move for Moore

Analysis by Tottenham writer Jack Pitt-Brooke

Moore is perhaps the most talented youngster of his generation to emerge from the Tottenham academy, a teenage player who has had a public profile from an early age because of his exploits with Spurs and England age-group teams.

He is very highly rated at Tottenham, and Ange Postecoglou gave him a taste of first-team football last season. Moore made eight starts, three of them in the Premier League, and showed flashes of his obvious talent, especially against Alkmaar, Ferencvaros and Elfsborg in the Europa League.

But young players often need senior football to develop, and going to Scotland could be the perfect move for him. Not only will he get to learn in a more physical league, he will be playing for one of the biggest clubs in the country, one who are currently in the second qualifying round for the Champions League.

Remember that James Maddison, Moore’s Spurs team-mate, had a half-season on loan at Aberdeen when he was a teenager, and it helped him to develop into a top player for Norwich City. If Moore comes back with extra experience and nous, it could be a significant move for all parties.

(Photo: Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)

(Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Pape Matar Sarr’s outrageous lob from just inside Arsenal’s half gave Tottenham Hotspur a 1-0 victory in the first north London derby to take place overseas.

It was a memorable occasion and the fans, who filled the 50,000-capacity Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong’s Kowloon district long before kick-off, were treated to a ceremonial dragon dance as pre-match entertainment. This was supposed to be the moment where Arsenal’s new striker Viktor Gyokeres took centre-stage, but Thomas Frank’s side produced a resilient and defensively disciplined performance.

Winning the Herbalgy Cup might not be the biggest achievement, but it will give Spurs confidence that they can close the gap to their arch-rivals. Here, The Athletic breaks down what happened in the first game of their pre-season tour to East Asia.

Sarr shows promising signs

Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Raya kept trying to catch Spurs off guard by mixing up the length of his passes. In the 45th minute, Raya’s decision to play a quick, short pass to Myles Lewis-Skelly backfired.

It looked like Richarlison might have clipped Lewis-Skelly, but the referee waved play on, allowing Sarr to collect the ball just outside the centre circle and chip Raya. The Senegal international has a habit of scoring long-range goals, but this was his best yet. His celebrations in front of the Arsenal fans made the moment even sweeter.

Sarr put in mixed performances last season, giving the chance for Lucas Bergvall to take his spot in the starting XI. It is easy to forget that Sarr does not turn 23 until September and still has much room for growth. With his ability to drive forward on the ball and score from distance, he offers something that Frank’s other midfielders do not.

“It was an unbelievable goal,” Frank said. “Fantastic and well-taken. All the credit to Pape. He has impressed me — he has been really good in the last four weeks.”

Sarr is showing signs he could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the managerial change.

Why this friendly win could be significant

It is tempting to call this pre-season game irrelevant — but try telling that to the 50,000 raucous fans inside the Kai Tak Stadium. There were a lot of crunching tackles, and Pedro Porro’s touchline clash with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta underlined that there was a genuine edge. The phoney war continued after the game, with Richarlison and Gabriel mocking each other on social media.

Spurs have played fewer games in pre-season than Arsenal and against lower-level opposition. They were missing first-choice striker Dominic Solanke, who has an ankle injury, while Gyokeres made his first appearance for Arsenal after signing from Sporting CP.

Ange Postecoglou never beat Arsenal during his time in charge of Spurs but Frank has managed it at the first attempt. It will be a far more impressive achievement if he pulls it off in a competitive game, but this victory will still give them a psychological boost.

“We have been very clear that this was not a friendly,” Frank told reporters after the game. “It felt like a competitive match. We have been working hard on defensive organisation — so high pressure, middle, low, then that desire to keep a clean sheet. That gives you a bigger opportunity to win matches.

“For the team we are building together, positive results or performances reinforce the messages we try to get into the players.”

Flair and physicality from Kudus

Mohammed Kudus is an entertaining player and it will be thrilling seeing how he develops. The Ghana international was superb against Arsenal and gave Lewis-Skelly a difficult evening.

Everybody knows that Kudus is an exceptional dribbler in one-v-one situations. He can bamboozle defenders with his trickery, but he also has an underlying strength that catches people by surprise. Several times he held the ball up under pressure, drew in a couple of opponents and outmuscled them before passing the ball. Wilson Odobert shares some of those qualities and can learn from his more experienced team-mate. If those two regularly start games together alongside Solanke or Richarlison, opposition defences will be left feeling dizzy.

“Kudus’ one-vs-one skills, his creating opportunities for the team, were top class,” Frank said. “He’s working extremely hard — there was a recovery run from a set piece when he was sprinting all the way back and he won the ball. That’s how he can help the team so much. He will make a lot of the fans excited with his offensive actions and he will also help the team defensively.”

Does this team need Palhinha?

Just before kick-off, The Athletic reported Spurs were in talks with Bayern Munich over signing Joao Palhinha on loan. They need reinforcements in the deeper No 6 midfield position as Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma have never been perfect fits and they both only have a year left on their contracts. Signing Palhinha on a short-term deal is a smart move, giving 19-year-old Archie Gray time to develop as a defensive midfielder.

Spurs already look far more solid than under Postecoglou. Frank is setting them up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, which offers more protection to the defence as it morphs into a 4-4-2 out of possession, with Bergvall pushing up alongside Richarlison.

Arsenal scored three goals against Spurs in the league last season and two of them came from Gabriel headers after a corner. The Brazilian centre-back was unavailable for this game, but Spurs defended set pieces confidently. There was no sense of panic and their new set-piece coach, Andreas Georgson, is making an impact.

(Top photo: Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Arsenal ended their pre-season tour of Singapore and Hong Kong with a defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in the first north London derby played abroad.

Pape Matar Sarr scored the game’s only goal just before half-time from inside the centre circle, capitalising after Myles Lewis-Skelly had been caught in possession. Thomas Frank’s side hit the post twice before this, whereas Arsenal did not truly test Guglielmo Vicario in Spurs’ goal.

Arsenal could at least give debuts to Viktor Gyokeres and Cristhian Mosquera. Their next match will be back in north London, as they welcome Villarreal to the Emirates Stadium on August 6.

Art de Roché breaks down the main talking points from Arsenal’s third game of pre-season.

How did the debutants get on?

It probably says everything about the game that the most exciting moment for Arsenal fans wasn’t a goal, a shot at goal or even a clever piece of skill. In the 77th minute, Gyokeres and Mosquera were brought on for their first appearances as Arsenal players.

The game was already set into a pattern of attack versus defence as Spurs protected their one-goal lead, but Gyokeres fed off crumbs up front. He showed good awareness in one action to hold up the ball and lay it off to Martin Zubimendi on the edge of the box, but even that shot was closed down by a disciplined Tottenham defence.

With just under a week until Arsenal’s next friendly, that should give him time to earn more minutes in his second appearance.

As for Mosquera, one of the attributes that attracted Arsenal was his versatility. Over the past two seasons, he has played on both sides of centre-back, showing he could cover William Saliba or Gabriel. With Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori injured, it was Jakub Kiwior who needed a rest towards the end of the Spurs game.

Saliba then moved across to the left rather than Mosquera filling in there, which made sense. Of that pairing, Saliba is more experienced and would need to guide his understudy, which happened when Spurs tried to counter late on.

Saliba has also played on that side for France and Saint-Etienne, so it is not an uncomfortable role for him. For Arteta, that may be important at the start of the season with the current injuries on the left side of defence.

Defensive set-piece problems?

Attention will focus on Sarr’s goal, as well as Lewis-Skelly getting caught on the ball in the build-up — though there were questions over whether there had been a foul by Richarlison. Lewis-Skelly was quickly surrounded by white shirts, while David Raya could have been more aware of his surroundings before putting his team-mate in danger with his pass.

Spurs gave Arsenal warning signs before that, though. They hit the post directly from the corner and Richarlison somehow missed from a yard or two out. On both occasions, Lewis-Skelly and Saliba were defending the back post but were too slow to track the flight of the ball.

Defensive set-piece issues are not new for these players. Arsenal conceded a flurry of goals from these situations at the backend of last season, which saw their tally reach 14 for the whole 2024-25 campaign — the joint-fifth highest in the Premier League alongside Ipswich Town.

That needs addressing quickly, but it does seem like set-piece coach Nicolas Jover is continuing to innovate from attacking set pieces. Arsenal scored 17 set-piece goals last season, the joint-most alongside Crystal Palace, and trialled a new routine early on against Spurs.

These did not result in any clear-cut chances, but over time, they could give teams a different problem to solve this season.

How did Arsenal perform when going direct?

Raya and Saliba played at least five long passes in behind the Spurs back line within the opening 20 minutes in Hong Kong.

Their targets were varied. Saka staying high and wide made him an obvious option, while Gabriel Martinelli’s runs were helped by Kai Havertz dropping back. That willingness to go long also allowed Declan Rice to stretch his legs, as Havertz flicked on a ball from Raya, which resulted in the England international winning Arsenal a corner.

This continued a theme from the wins over Milan and Newcastle United of Arsenal trying to speed up their play, but the execution was just off. Half of these moments were flagged for offside, which could just mean more practice is needed. That kind of approach would likely benefit Gyokeres the most, so it cannot be abandoned just yet.

Being dealt that hammer blow by Sarr just before half-time did not help matters. Spurs were happy to retreat into their own box, which took all the speed out of Arsenal’s play. Once again, Arteta’s side were camped outside an opposition penalty area, trying in vain to break them down. That has been a tiresome trend of Arsenal matches in recent years, so seeing how Arteta responds to those situations will be interesting going forward.

Zubimendi will help in these situations, while 15-year-old Max Dowman put in another energetic cameo on the right.

On the left, neither Martinelli nor Leandro Trossard (who came off injured) posed a major threat to Pedro Porro. Reiss Nelson offered something different on that side, but with Arsenal in talks with Fulham over a potential move, that still feels like an area that needs addressing.

(Top photo: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur are in talks with Bayern Munich over a loan move for midfielder Joao Palhinha.

The Athletic reported on July 22 that Palhinha was available this summer, with Spurs favouring a loan over a permanent deal.

Tottenham and Bayern have already done business this summer, with the Premier League side striking a permanent deal for Mathys Tel for up to €45million (£38.9m; $51.5m) after the forward spent the second half of last season on loan in England.

Palhinha, 30, signed for Bayern from Fulham in a deal worth €51m last summer, but made just 25 appearances in his debut season, of which 10 were starts.

Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany often favoured other midfielders, such as Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Konrad Laimer over Palhinha during the 2024-25 season, while the German champions further bolstered their options with the signing of 20-year-old Tom Bischof from Hoffenheim this summer.

Palhinha had become a key figure at Fulham following his move from Sporting CP in 2022. He made 79 appearances for Fulham and was the club’s player of the season in his debut campaign. Before his Premier League move, the midfielder had spent the entirety of his career in Portugal, moving from the academy of Sacavenense to Sporting in in 2013 before loan spells with Moreirense, Belenenses and Braga.

The Portugal international could become the fourth new arrival for Tottenham this summer, with the north London club active in the transfer market following the appointment of Thomas Frank as head coach.

Spurs signed Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United earlier in July in a deal worth £55million ($74.7m), alongside defenders Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai from Hajduk Split and Kawasaki respectively.

Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White was set to undergo a medical at Tottenham before then signing a new contract at the City Ground club.

Palhina would address a problem area

Analysis by Tottenham correspondent Jay Harris

Tottenham’s pursuit of Gibbs-White was exciting but slightly confusing because they are well stocked with attacking midfielders including Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Kudus.

Palhinha would address an area of the squad which has been a problem for the last few seasons. Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma have shared the holding midfield role but neither of them are a perfect fit. They have both entered the final 12 months of their contract and their long-term future is uncertain.

Palhinha is a proven Premier League performer who would allow Maddison, Kulusevski and Lucas Bergvall to push further forward. He would represent a slight departure from Tottenham’s transfer strategy. Since Johan Lange became their sporting director in November 2023, they have focused on acquiring young talent like Bergvall, Gray and Wilson Odobert.

They need more experience though ahead of their return to the Champions League and Palhinha would provide that. A short-term deal would be perfect as it would prevent them from committing too much money and by next summer, Gray could be ready to become their first-choice No 6.

(Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Will Lankshear spent nearly a decade in Arsenal’s academy, but now he is determined to become a star for their arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Arsenal released Lankshear, who grew up in St Albans, only three miles from the first team’s training ground, when he was 15.

The centre-forward rebuilt his confidence with Sheffield United, scoring 38 goals in 43 appearances for the under-18s and under-23s, and lots of clubs expressed an interest in signing him. That included Thomas Frank’s old side, Brentford, who agreed a deal with Sheffield United, but Lankshear decided to join Spurs instead in August 2022.

His career path mimics his idol, a certain Harry Kane, who switched from Arsenal to Spurs at a young age, too.

Three years later, Lankshear is relishing his second pre-season tour with Spurs and the opportunity to play in the first north London derby to be held outside of the United Kingdom, which takes place in Hong Kong’s 50,000-capacity Kai Tak Stadium on Thursday.

“I was let go by Arsenal and it was a really difficult time for me at that stage of growing up,” Lankshear tells a group of journalists, including The Athletic, at an event in Hong Kong. “But it was a blessing because it really matured me. I grew up fast and it was the best thing for me. I was with Arsenal for nine years and they helped me to develop, but I would like nothing more than to score against them and win.”

Lankshear missed the first six months of his debut season with Spurs after having an operation on his knee, but he was exceptional during the 2023-24 campaign. He won the Premier League 2 player of the season award after scoring 23 times for the under-21s, hit an 11-minute hat-trick in a friendly against third-tier side Fleetwood Town, and scored on his England Under-19s debut. He signed a new contract until 2029 and impressed former head coach Ange Postecoglou on last year’s pre-season tour to Japan and South Korea.

Spurs decided to keep the then-teenager for the first six months of the 2024-25 season and he made his Premier League debut as a substitute in a 1-1 draw with Fulham in December. He scored his first senior goal in a 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the Europa League and boldly celebrated directly in front of their fans in Istanbul. It should have been the best moment of his career, but he was sent off in the second half for two separate clumsy challenges. He then moved to West Bromwich Albion on loan in January.

“There were lots of positives and some negatives, but I learned so much,” the 20-year-old says. “I have grown as a player and a person. I feel so much better now than I did last year. People would say (my biggest lesson is) the red card, but for me it would be broader and getting to terms with the rhythm of men’s football.

“I had a taste of the Premier League, where everything is really intense and everyone is so good. In the Championship, there are more aerial (duels) and it’s more physical. That was my biggest lesson. Being able to adapt. Learning, putting it all together, and trying to get better at everything.”

Lankshear started four times and made 11 appearances in total for West Brom, but he did not score or provide an assist. Tony Mowbray signed Lankshear, but he was sacked in April and replaced by James Morrison on an interim basis. West Brom lost five of their last eight games and failed to reach the play-offs.

This summer, West Brom appointed Postecoglou’s former assistant Ryan Mason as their new manager. Would Lankshear benefit from another loan, or is he ready to fully establish himself in the first team under the new Tottenham head coach, Frank?

“Let’s see what this season brings,” he says. “I feel really fit and strong. I’ve scored in pre-season (against Reading). Whatever I’m told, I am ready to do.

“West Brom was massive for my development. Even though the goals didn’t come, I had some really good games. I learned loads: the managers, what they would like, different systems. I loved it. They treated me really well and I enjoyed it.”

Dane Scarlett was left out of Tottenham’s squad for their pre-season tour to Hong Kong and South Korea so he could explore a potential loan move. Dominic Solanke has travelled to east Asia but is recovering from a minor ankle injury, which means Lankshear and Richarlison are the only fully fit strikers. He is benefiting from working with the first team on a regular basis.

“They are top-class players who have been here and done it for a long time,” Lankshear says. “I watch them in games and think, ‘What can I add to my game? How can I close that gap?’.

“I look at Dom and his running, the goals he scores, and how he gets in the right areas. Richy’s movement in the box is top-class. Son (Heung-min) puts his arm around your shoulders if you need it. He really does help me and the other young lads with his experience. When he says something, you listen.”

Apart from Kane, Lankshear has been heavily influenced by another former Spurs and England striker. During his time in Tottenham’s academy, he worked closely with Jermain Defoe, who scored 156 goals in 480 top-flight appearances. Defoe spent two years working across the different age groups before he left last summer.

“He is one of the most underrated forwards the Premier League has ever had,” Lankshear says. “He was so sharp and taught me so many things. The quick finishing and (shooting with) no back lift. He was amazing for me and he is a good guy as well. He really took care of the young lads and gave good advice. I love him.”

During Tottenham’s open training session at the Kai Tak stadium on Tuesday before the north London derby, Lankshear broke away from the main group along with Yang Min-hyeok. They worked together on a shooting and crossing drill with individual development (IDP) coach Cameron Campbell. It is a role that was created this summer at the request of Frank and sporting director Johan Lange. They both held a similar position at the beginning of their careers when they worked in academies at Danish clubs.

As part of the drill, Lankshear would pass the ball to Yang, who he describes as an “exciting prospect”, while being pressured by Campbell, and then spin into the box to attack a cross.

“I don’t score enough headers,” he says. “I find myself getting in the right positions, but it’s tough getting the right contact and timing. It’s so important to win your headers from goal kicks, from throw-ins, and little flick-ons, too.

“It’s about being ready and getting that opportunity. I got it against Reading. You score and then everything can change. If not, you just keep going. That’s what I’m doing with Cameron. Getting better each day, which is the main thing at this age.”

Lankshear was speaking at a session organised by family literacy charity Bring Me a Book Hong Kong to inspire young people to read as part of Tottenham Hotspur’s traditional support for local charitable organisations on overseas tours.

(Top photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

In a flash, the mood surrounding Tottenham Hotspur has dipped.

Saturday’s friendly double-header against League One opposition did little to inspire confidence. They first drew 2-2 with Wycombe Wanderers at Hotspur Way, before playing out a 0-0 stalemate away to Luton Town later in the afternoon.

History advises that reading too much into pre-season results is a fool’s errand, but with transfer target Morgan Gibbs-White signing a new three-year contract at Nottingham Forest hours after the dismal draw at Kenilworth Road, concerns that Spurs are behind schedule in their preparations for the upcoming season are beginning to grow.

James Maddison has travelled with the squad for their two-game tour to Hong Kong and South Korea as he ramps up his recovery from a knee injury sustained in early May, but is yet to be included in a pre-season matchday squad. New head coach Thomas Frank has confirmed Maddison’s creative partner, Dejan Kulusevski, struck down with a knee issue of his own a week later, will not be fit for the start of the new campaign.

Pape Matar Sarr’s two goals from an advanced midfield position against Wycombe demonstrated there are ready-made alternatives to that pair in the squad, but their pursuit of Gibbs-White indicates the club want to make improvements in the creativity department.

Here’s the kicker: Gibbs-White is a rare footballer. There are not many in the Premier League, or indeed around Europe, who combine first-rate technical and playmaking skills with incessant running off the ball and leadership qualities.

Though his raw attacking numbers rarely jump off the page, Gibbs-White stands out for the responsibility he shoulders for his team. Forest averaged just 41 per cent possession last season — the third-lowest share in the 20-team division — meaning chances to affect the game close to goal did not come easily. But when they did, Gibbs-White was usually first on the scene.

The 25-year-old was behind most of their positive attacking actions, getting Forest into the final third at speed. Per analytics company Footovision, only two Premier League players were involved in a higher proportion of their team’s counter-attacks — either via a pass or a carry — than Gibbs-White (15 per cent), illustrating his desire to drive forward whenever the opportunity arises.

Looking for players who are similarly front-footed and determined to drive their team up the pitch seems a good place to start our search.

The scatterplot below outlines central midfielders across Europe’s top four leagues who completed a high proportion of their team’s progressive passes and carries, with Gibbs-White a clear double threat.

As the graphic above outlines, one player who stood out for their ability to progress the ball in different ways was Werder Bremen’s Romano Schmid.

Operating as a left-sided central midfielder in coach Ole Werner’s 3-5-2, Schmid had the licence to push forward and act as his side’s key creative catalyst — with only Michael Olise and Thomas Muller of Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz the only Bundesliga players to register a higher rate of passes into the penalty area last season than his 7.5 per 90 minutes.

When mapping the sheer volume of box entries among his team-mates, it is clear that nearly every Bremen attacking move runs through Schmid — he led his side for the most carries and passes into the opposition penalty area.

Specifically, the 25-year-old has a penchant for finding runners in-behind with perfectly weighted passes.

This can either come after drifting closer to the touchline and deftly playing the ball forward with the outside of his right foot…

… or it can be more in the left half-space, zipping slide-rule passes inside the full-back.

In Europe’s top five leagues last season, only Brighton & Hove Albion’s Georginio Rutter has a higher share of passes made that were progressive than Schmid’s 23 per cent. If it’s searching, punchy creative actions that you are looking for, then the Austria international would provide good value in the market.

Another Bundesliga option is Nadiem Amiri, who, like Gibbs-White, started his career as a pure No 10 before developing into a more all-round central midfielder.

After impressing as a youngster for Hoffenheim, 28-year-old Amiri earned a move to Bayer Leverkusen in 2019, where he became a key part of their midfield, playing either alongside or slightly behind Kai Havertz.

Like Gibbs-White, who typically lines up as a No 10 but plays an all-action central midfield role, Amiri has dropped deeper into midfield as he has grown older. Now playing for Mainz, he is more frequently seen picking up the ball from defence and driving it through the middle third than providing the final pass in goal-scoring areas.

While he is not a traditional No 10, Amiri is still capable of providing goal contributions from midfield. He racked up seven goals and five assists in the Bundesliga last season — with a whipped free kick in a 4-1 win against Bochum arguably the pick of the bunch — and played an essential part as Mainz finished sixth, qualifying for the Conference League. For his role in their impressive campaign, Amiri was rewarded with a Germany recall in March, more than four years after his previous cap.

Amiri is not a name many Spurs fans outside Germany will be familiar with, evoking memories of a transfer policy that centred on unearthing gems from around Europe and beyond. While a Premier League-proven option may help ease the blow of missing out on Gibbs-White, data indicates he could provide similar qualities to Frank’s midfield.

Equally important for Tottenham, in addition to being a player who can move the ball incisively at speed, any incoming midfielder would ideally help to beef up their counter-pressing efforts. Gibbs-White would have brought athleticism and physicality to the midfield — a specialist second-ball winner who is just as helpful when it comes to seeing off opposition counter-attacks as he is contributing to his team’s own.

In that regard, Athletic Club’s Oihan Sancet emerges as an intriguing alternative. Standing at 188cm (6ft 2in), the 25-year-old is just off the back of his most prolific goalscoring season, netting 17 goals in all competitions from his second-striker role.

Going forward, Sancet is technically secure, happy to receive the ball in tight spaces and spin away from pressure, a player whose first thought is usually to move the ball up the pitch.

His catalogue of finishes from the season just gone is impressive; arriving late to sweep home from cutbacks, ghosting between centre-backs and getting his head to crosses, and striking the ball from distance. Here he is, thumping home a volley at the back-post in a 7-1 rout of Real Valladolid, displaying the technique that has driven a significant over-performance in front of goal since he became a regular in La Liga five seasons ago.

As shown by their resistance to fend off Barcelona and keep hold of Nico Williams this summer, striking a deal with Champions League-bound Athletic would not be easy.

Ernesto Valverde’s team are a fierce pressing side — only Barcelona recovered the ball more often in the attacking third last season — and Sancet played his part with aggressive pressing from the front. The asking price is sure to be high, but the 25-year-old brings that blend of creativity, attacking threat and hard work without the ball that could help to plug a few gaps in Frank’s new-look midfield.

Another possible alternative is Harvey Elliott, who starred for England as they won the Under-21 European Championship this summer. Elliott, 22, is a lifelong Liverpool fan and has made it clear that he would prioritise staying at Anfield if he found regular game-time under Arne Slot, but conceded that he will “review his situation” in the coming weeks with the aim of being picked for next year’s World Cup.

While Elliott has featured primarily as a wide player, he is typically most dangerous when coming inside and operating in the half-spaces. He is not a like-for-like alternative to Gibbs-White, but given Liverpool value him at around £50million ($67.7m), he represents a potentially exciting market opportunity.

So, while losing out on Gibbs-White’s signature will sting, there are several alternatives for Spurs to consider.

They may not be as ready-made or familiar to Premier League audiences as the Forest man, but given their immediate need for a creative spark in midfield, a data-influenced signing from further afield may be the best route out of an awkward situation.

(Top photos: Schmid, left, and Sancet; Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur are close to agreeing a deal to send Mikey Moore on loan to Scottish Premiership side Rangers.

The deal is not yet done but is progressing in the right direction.

Moore, 17, signed his first professional contract last August, with the deal running through to 2027.

Spurs offered the England youth international a bigger salary than they had previously ever done for a player turning 17, a recognition of his talent, performances and the interest in him.

Moore broke into the Tottenham first team at the end of the 2023-24 season, becoming the club’s youngest player to make a Premier League appearance when he made his top-flight debut against Manchester City in May.

The England Under-19 international made 19 first-team appearances last season, scoring once and providing two assists, while spending several weeks out with illness.

Spurs have strengthened in forward areas this summer, completing the signing of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United in a deal worth around £55million, while they have also made Mathys Tel’s loan move from Bayern Munich permanent.

Scotland could be the perfect move for Moore

Analysis by Tottenham writer Jack Pitt-Brooke

Moore is perhaps the most talented youngster of his generation to emerge from the Tottenham academy, a teenage player who has had a public profile from an early age because of his exploits with Spurs and England age-group teams.

He is very highly rated at Tottenham, and Ange Postecoglou gave him a taste of first-team football last season. Moore made eight starts, three of them in the Premier League, and showed flashes of his obvious talent, especially against Ferencvaros and Elfsborg in the Europa League. But young players often need senior football to develop, and going to Scotland could be the perfect move for him. Not only will he get to learn in a more physical league, he will be playing for one of the biggest clubs in the country, one who are currently in the second qualifying round for the Champions League.

Remember that James Maddison, Moore’s Spurs team-mate, had a half-season on loan at Aberdeen when he was a teenager, and it helped him to develop into a top player for Norwich City. If Moore comes back with extra experience and nous, it could be a significant move for all parties.

(Photo: Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Tottenham Hotspur played two friendlies on Saturday as new head coach Thomas Frank ramps up his pre-season preparations ahead of their two-game tour to Hong Kong and South Korea.

The first was at Tottenham’s training ground against League One side Wycombe Wanderers, kicking off at 11am. A side with a mix of experience and young talents drew 2-2 with the third-tier visitors. Pape Matar Sarr, who started in an advanced midfield role, scored the goals on either side of a Junior Quitirna brace for Wycombe.

An almost-entirely rotated line-up (other than 18-year-old midfielder Callum Olusesi, who made brief second-half appearances in both matches) then drew 0-0 away at Luton Town, another League One club, in the afternoon.

Despite Frank selecting a relatively experienced team, Spurs struggled to find any rhythm against Luton, who were in the Premier League as recently as May last year but have suffered back-to-back relegations.

And their plans for the rest of the summer transfer window were dealt a blow by news last night, revealed by The Athletic, that midfield target Morgan Gibbs-White was in talks over a new contract at Nottingham Forest, despite being set for a medical with Spurs two weeks ago. Forest confirmed his new deal shortly afterwards.

As they now prepare to fly to Hong Kong to face local rivals Arsenal in their next warm-up game on Thursday, The Athletic looks at four issues Frank needs to address before the Europa League winners’ season gets under way in earnest against Champions League counterparts Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup on August 13…

No clear starter in defensive midfield

Tottenham have no shortage of international-standard talent who can play at the base of midfield.

In Rodrigo Bentancur’s absence, the 19-year-old George Abbott deputised alongside Lucas Bergvall for the draw with Wycombe. Bergvall was arguably Tottenham’s outstanding performer in the second half of last season, and when the Uruguay international Bentancur returns from his current illness, a double pivot with the Swede isn’t lacking in quality. Yves Bissouma, Archie Gray and Sarr are all also capable of doing a job for Frank as midfield anchors.

However, aside from Gray, all of those players often appear more comfortable in slightly more advanced roles. Whether Frank plays with a No 10 or a more traditional midfield three, Spurs currently lack a destroyer-type in that part of the pitch or a tempo-setting controller in a deeper role to allow that collection of talented (but more advanced) midfielders to showcase their skills.

Gray — who Frank has a long-term admiration for, and tried to sign for Brentford last season from Leeds United — started against Luton, but failed to stamp his authority, with opposition midfielders seemingly able to unsettle him with intensity and physicality.

Gray only turned 19 in March and has only made 11 competitive starts at the position since breaking through at Leeds in the 2023-24 Championship, so he has plenty of time to flourish into the player many envision. He has also had a short off-season break due to his involvement in England’s Under-21 European Championship triumph in June.

Still, based on his performance at Kenilworth Road yesterday, he — and the same goes for his team-mates in that game — does not appear to be an ideal fit to start for Frank if Tottenham are to have a successful 2025-26 season in the Premier League and Champions League.

A lack of creative spark without Kulusevski and Maddison

It’s not just at the base of midfield where Frank has a problem.

Last week, the Dane confirmed Dejan Kulusevski will miss the start of the new Premier League campaign and fellow attacking midfielder James Maddison is not yet ready to feature in matches after suffering a season-ending knee injury in early May. Gibbs-White signing a new contract with Forest until summer 2028 is a major stumbling block for Tottenham’s attempts to address this issue, too.

The latter was poised to undergo a medical in north London two weeks ago, but the move stalled as Forest considered reporting Spurs for what they felt was an illegal approach to secure his services. The 25-year-old England international would have added an essential sprinkle of quality (alongside hard work and leadership), but now Tottenham must seek an alternative — either in the market or from within.

As was often the case under Ange Postecoglou’s management last season, they have yet to find their creative rhythm with Frank calling the shots. There’s the natural caveat that Luton represented just his third pre-season game in the job, and that this is, after all, only pre-season, but Spurs persistently lack a spark in possession without the injured pair of Kulusevski and Maddison.

Mikey Moore, 17, started in the No 10 role against Luton but was largely on the fringes, registering 22 touches — the fewest of anyone in Spurs’ opening line-up. Jamie Donley was initially at left-back in place of Destiny Udogie, who “felt something in the warm-up” and so was left out as a precaution, but the 20-year-old moved to the No 10 position after Moore was substituted on 77 minutes. Like his fellow academy graduate, Donley failed to make an impact on the game from there.

The performance against Wycombe looked slightly more encouraging from this perspective, with Wilson Odobert drifting in from the wings and causing their defence trouble from the half-spaces. His threat was evident with the first Tottenham goal, with the Frenchman’s shot from the edge of the box leading to Sarr tapping in the rebound from close range.

Sarr’s brace highlighted that Spurs do not need traditional final-third ‘playmakers’ to create, with the Senegal international’s ability to lead an aggressive and coordinated press helping generate several opportunities. However, Frank’s side will need to be more threatening with the ball once the games start to matter.

Their Son-shaped dilemma

Watching him lift the Europa League trophy as Spurs captain in May confirmed what their fans already knew: Son Heung-min is a Tottenham legend. Still, many of those supporters will admit the South Korean’s productivity notably declined last season, and having turned 33 this month he may no longer be that world-class left-winger of years past who was good enough to start for almost any side in Europe.

The Athletic this week reported MLS side LAFC’s interest in Son, who has scored 127 times in 333 Premier League appearances for Spurs over the past decade. While Son’s abilities may be declining, 17 goal contributions (seven goals, 10 assists) in his 30 league matches last season indicate he may still have a lot to offer Frank’s young side both on and off the pitch, and that influence should be a priority consideration when weighing up any offers.

However, his lack of impact against third-division Wycombe did little to assuage concerns that his best years are now behind him. Tottenham travel to his home country on the second leg of their upcoming tour, and his presence as one of Asia’s biggest stars will undoubtedly provide another boost to their reputation there.

Whether this will be the last time he travels to the region in lilywhite, however, remains to be seen.

Do Spurs have an adequate backup for Solanke?

At this point, it’s fair to presume Solanke will start the new season as Tottenham’s main No 9.

The England international was omitted from the squad to face Luton as a precaution due to a minor ankle injury but, should he avoid any further complications, it appears likely he will start at least one of the Super Cup against PSG in the Italian city of Udine or the Premier League opener at home to promoted Burnley three days later.

His absence offered an opportunity for Mathys Tel and Richarlison to start each of Saturday’s two friendlies in his place, but they failed to capitalise on the moment. Tel was largely neat in possession and offered an outlet behind Luton’s defence, but the 20-year-old Frenchman doesn’t look entirely comfortable leading the line. Earlier against Wycombe, Richarlison squandered good goalscoring opportunities.

Further down the pecking order, Will Lankshear, also 20, and 21-year-old Dane Scarlett lack the experience to spearhead the attack regularly in the biggest competitions.

Tottenham’s decline in goal threat during Solanke’s absence with a knee injury in January and February contributed to their struggles last season. If none of Spurs’ current options step up as a viable alternative to Solanke, they may be prompted to go into the market to find one.

(Top photo: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Nottingham Forest are in talks with Morgan Gibbs-White over a new contract.

The Athletic reported on July 10 that the 25-year-old was set to undergo a medical with Tottenham Hotspur.

However, The Athletic later reported that Forest were considering reporting Spurs due to what they felt was an illegal approach to sign Gibbs-White. Forest sources, speaking anonymously as they weren’t authorised to do so publicly, also had concerns over how Tottenham became aware of confidential details within his contract, which includes a £60m release clause.

He has since flown out to Portugal to join the Forest training camp after being allowed extra time at home because of a private family matter and featured in the team’s 0-0 pre-season draw with Ligue 1 side Monaco on July 19.

Gibbs-White, who joined Forest from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer of 2022, has two years left on his Forest contract.

As reported by The Athletic, Gibbs-White was high on the recruitment lists of several leading clubs. The England international was strongly considered by Manchester City heading into this summers transfer window before they opted to sign Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders instead.

He was a standout performer for Forest in 2024-25, registering seven goals and 10 assists as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side secured a seventh-place finish in the Premier League.

Gibbs-White has made 118 appearances for the club, scoring 18 goals and providing 28 assists.

He made his senior international debut with England in September under interim manager Lee Carsley and has been capped four times by the team.

(Photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)