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Leeds United have identified another late attacking transfer target after their deal to sign Tottenham winger Manor Solomon on a season-long loan.

Leeds transfer rumours

The Whites have been attempting to make up for the losses of Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter, who joined West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively earlier in the window.

Largie Ramazani became the fifth Leeds signing of the summer and the first attacking addition last week, joining in a £10m deal from Almeria. Now, the Belgian will be joined by another left winger in Solomon, with the Whites winning the race to sign the Israel international for the rest of the campaign.

After Solomon, more signings appear to be on the agenda before the deadline on Friday evening, with Daniel Farke also wanting a midfielder and a full-back, according to The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth, amid reports of a bid being made for Gus Hamer of Sheffield United.

However, yet another attacker could also be of interest to the Whites, with a new target seemingly emerging on the Elland Road radar.

Leeds eyeing late Danny Ings move

According to journalist Darren Witcoop, via talkSPORT, Leeds are “in the mix” to sign Ings from West Ham in the final days of the window. MOT Leeds News relayed the comments from the reporter, who said:

“There’s a lot of interest in Danny Ings. I think this one will come down to money, as it often does. Danny Ings wants to play and isn’t in the picture at West Ham in the long term.

“He’d be a good signing for clubs in the Championship. Looking at teams who have money to spend, you cannot look past Burnley and Leeds in the hunt for his signature. Leeds are in the mix for Ings.”

Ings has struggled for game time at the London Stadium, scoring just one goal in 390 minutes of action during the 2023/24 Premier League season. The 32-year-old, on £125,000-a-week, does have previous experience in the Championship with Burnley, helping them win promotion back in 2014.

Leeds currently have Mateo Joseph, Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford as centre-forward options, although the latter is once again sidelined through injury.

Ings could therefore be one to watch, however, Leeds are yet to sign an outfield player over the age of 30 under Farke, so perhaps the forward wouldn’t fit the criteria in Yorkshire.

It could be one to watch in the final days of the window, though, with Leeds potentially one of the busiest clubs on deadline day if they don’t get a midfielder, full-back and possibly another attacker in before then.

Ange Postecoglou and his transfer team have turned their attention to strengthening an area of Tottenham Hotspur’s team before Friday’s 11pm deadline, according to a new report.

It has been an exciting summer for Spurs, as the club have been very active in the summer transfer window, bringing five new players to the club. Postecoglou will believe those additions improve his team and, therefore, have the chance to improve on last season’s standings.

It has been a good start to the 2024/25 campaign for the London side, as they have picked up four points out of a possible six after claiming their first win of the season in style on Saturday, as they brushed Everton aside.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

Overall, it has been an exciting and busy summer for Tottenham, and it might not be stopping there, as the club are potentially in the race to sign winger Kingsley Coman. According to transfer expert Ben Jacobs, Spurs are still in the picture to sign the winger from Bayern Munich in what remains of this transfer window.

However, his addition could be an expensive one for Tottenham, as he is reportedly on a weekly wage of £278,0000-a-week, and it was also reported earlier this summer that Bayern Munich would either let the player leave on a season-long loan deal or for a fee in the region of £34 million.

As well as potentially looking to sign Coman, Spurs are said to be one of a number of sides looking at RC Lens prospect Andy Diouf. The 21-year-old only joined the Ligue 1 side last summer but is already being watched by teams such as Manchester City, Brighton, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and Spurs. All these sides are said to have scouts in place to watch the French side’s recent game against Panathinaikos in their Conference League qualifier.

As well as potentially looking to sign Coman and Diouf, it appears as though Tottenham are in the market for another addition.

Tottenham plot late move for centre-back

According to Football Insider, Tottenham are prioritising signing a centre-back before the close of the transfer window. Spurs have been looking to balance the books in recent days and weeks in terms of letting players leave the club, but according to this new update, they are still planning signings before Friday’s 11 pm deadline.

This report states that Postecoglou and his transfer team have identified signing a centre-back in what remains of this transfer window, as it is a position that is seen as needing more depth for the campaign ahead.

After an opening game that didn't go to plan last Monday, Tottenham Hotspur made amends by blowing Everton away at home on Saturday to pick up their first win of the Premier League season.

Ange Postecoglou's side looked incredible going forward and reasonably solid at the back in a performance that should leave fans feeling encouraged about their prospects over the next ten months.

Alongside club captain Son Heung-min, who scored twice, last summer's £40m man, James Maddison, looked excellent in the middle of the park, picking up an assist and reminding people just how good he can be.

However, with the right players around him, he could reach another level and avoid the collapse in form he suffered last season. Interestingly, the club were linked to a player who'd help unlock the Englishman earlier this summer.

James Maddison's season of two halves

Maddison's arrival in North London last summer was greeted by a massive amount of excitement from the fans, and considering he had just produced 19 goal involvements in 32 games for a relegated Leicester City, it was entirely justified.

Moreover, it didn't take long for the former Foxes ace to show just how talented he was, as in his first ten league games for Postecoglou's new-look Spurs side, he scored three goals and provided five assists and looked as if he'd end the season as a nailed on starter for England and as one of the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League.

Unfortunately, in the club's shocking 4-1 loss at home to Chelsea in early November, the Coventry-born dynamo suffered an ankle injury that would see him sidelined until the end of January, and while there was an expectation that he'd pick up where he left off for the Lilywhites, that didn't happen.

In his final 17 league games, the 27-year-old could only muster one goal and four assists, which was a far cry from the form he showed before his injury.

However, in his defence, following that defeat to Chelsea, the team seemed to morph from a lean mean winning machine to one incapable of keeping a clean sheet and one prone to throwing away points, which continued when he came back from injury, making his job far harder than it needed to be.

So, a new tenacious and hardworking midfield partner could be the perfect signing to make before the window closes to help Maddison maintain his impressive start to the season, and the club don't even have to look that hard to find the perfect candidate, as they were linked with him earlier this month: Joao Gomes.

How Joao Gomes could unlock Maddison

Yes, the midfield signing that could help Maddison play to his best ability this season is Wolverhampton Wanderers ace Gomes, who, according to a report earlier this month, was supposedly 'in the sights' of the club.

That report claimed that if Levy and Co wanted to pursue the Brazilian, they would have to stump up around £50m to secure the 23-year-old's signature, and while that's a lot of money, it would be well spent.

For example, one of Gomes' biggest strengths is that while at his best he is an "all action eight", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, he can also play in the six role if needed, meaning that he would be more than capable of helping out with the defensive work in the middle of the park, thus freeing up the Englishman to focus on happenings at the sharp end of the pitch.

In fact, Mattinson goes on to describe the eight-capped international as a "dog of a ball winner", which makes him sound like the ideal sort of player to ensure Postecoglou's side aren't overrun in midfield, and his underlying numbers only further solidify his defensive attributes.

For example, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League, the Rio de Janeiro-born ace sits in the top 1% of midfielders for tackles, the top 2% for tackles won, the top 3% for tackles plus interceptions, and the top 7% for blocks, all per 90.

Lastly, the 5 foot 9 international has been playing in the Premier League for a season and a half now and, as such, is far more experienced than some of the alternative options the club could potentially be looking at, so he should come in and hit the ground running.

Ultimately, Spurs cannot afford for Maddison to have another season in which he falls away in the second half, and one way to ensure that does not happen is to sign a tenacious, hard-working, Premier League-proven eight to play alongside him who can do all the dirty work and in turn, help the club maintain an element of control in matches, and Gomes fits the bill perfectly.

Therefore, while it would be an expensive transfer to get over the line, Levy and Co should do what they can to bring the Brazilian to N17 before the window slams shut on Friday night.

The Premier League is in full swing, and following a pretty poor start to their campaign, Tottenham Hotspur got things back on track with an emphatic home win over Everton.

Ange Postecoglou's side went into the game under immense pressure, but you would never have known that based on their performance, as they blew the Toffees away.

However, the South Korean superstar may have to keep up his impressive form going forward, as the latest star touted for a move to N17 could provide him with some serious competition this season.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from transfers expert Ben Jacobs, Tottenham are still in the picture as a potential destination for Bayern Munich ace Kingsley Coman this summer.

Speaking on Henry Wright TV, Jacobs revealed that the Frenchman has been internally discussed by both Spurs and their North London rivals, Arsenal. At the same time, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona are interested as well.

The good news is that the winger is reportedly willing to lower his wage from the £278k-per-week he is currently earning, and while Jacobs makes no mention of how much the transfer may cost, reports from earlier this summer revealed that the German behemoths would be willing to let the 28-year-old leave on a season-long loan, or for a fee in the region of £34m.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line in the remaining days, but given Coman's immense ability, it is worth pursuing, especially as he could be a dream rival for Son.

How Coman compares to Son

So, the first big positive to signing Coman before the window closes is that he's a versatile player, and while his primary position is off the left of a front three, which in turn would put him up against Son for game time, he can also play off the right to an incredibly high level, and has started 118 games there is his club career thus far.

However, he'd likely be signed to mainly play in his preferred position and, therefore, challenge the Lilywhites' captain, so how do the pair stack up against one another?

Well, when it comes down to the most important metric of all for attackers, output, it's a tale of two seasons and averages.

For example, last season, the North Londoners' talented attacker racked up a frankly astonishing 17 goals and ten assists in just 36 appearances, equating to a goal involvement once every 1.33 games.

In contrast, the Bayern star only made 27 appearances, in which he scored five goals and provided three assists, meaning he maintained a worse but still okay average of a goal involvement every 3.37 games.

However, in the campaign prior, the "1v1 specialist", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, scored nine goals and provided seven assists in 35 matches, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 2.18 games.

In comparison, the former Bayer Leverkusen star produced more goal involvements, finding the back of the net 14 times and providing six assists, but he did it in 47 appearances, equating to a worse average of a goal involvement every 2.35 games.

Now, this isn't to say that the "formidable" Frenchman, as dubbed by former coach Patrick Gonfalone, is a better player than the South Korean icon, because that probably isn't the case.

Instead, it's to demonstrate that he's capable of putting up numbers similar to the Spurs ace and, by extension, challenging him for a place in the team under Postecoglou, which should push Son to maintain his high standards even more.

Ultimately, Coman is an incredibly talented winger, and based on reports, it appears he's available for not a lot of money. Therefore, Levy and Co should do what they can to secure his signature this summer before someone else does first.

After a long summer of rumours and deals, the transfer window slams shut this Friday, and while Tottenham Hotspur has been relatively busy this summer, there is still time to make a couple more signings.

Ange Postecoglou must go one better than last season and lead the club back into the Champions League places come May, but to help him do that, Daniel Levy and Co must bring him more firepower.

Interestingly, the club were linked with an exciting winger outside of Europe's top five leagues earlier this month, and while he might not be a name fans are overly familiar with, he could challenge Brennan Johnson for his place in the team.

More importantly, though, there are shades of a certain Gareth Bale in him as well.

Bale's Spurs legacy

So, when it comes to the best Tottenham players in recent history, the top two in the eyes of most fans will probably be Harry Kane and Son Heung-min and for good reason.

However, if you go back just a bit further, it's hard to deny that Bale is almost unmatched in terms of pure technical skill and ability to single-handedly win games.

The Welshman spent six years in North London, and while he struggled to begin with, he gradually moved up the pitch and established himself as one of the best wingers in Europe, let alone the Premier League.

In his final campaign with the Lilywhites, before he moved to Real Madrid for a world record £85m, he scored 26 goals and provided ten assists in 44 appearances, equating to an unreal average of a goal involvement once every 1.22 games from left midfield and left wing.

There is no denying that at his peak, he was one of the greatest attackers in the world, and while this latest start touted for a move to Tottenham shouldn't be held up to that standard, he shares some characteristics with the icon.

The player in question is Club Brugge gem Andreas Skov Olsen, who caught the North Londoners' attention back in March, per a report from Voetbalkrant, and while there was no mention of a concrete price for the winger then, more recent reports touting other sides for the star claim that offers of around £25m would be enough to get the deal done.

Now, the similarities between the Danish international and the former Real star stem from their style of play, with data analyst Ben Mattinson claiming that the 24-year-old loves "cutting in on his left foot" and "shooting from distance", which sounds a lot like the player the Welshman was during his final campaign in England.

Moreover, Mattinson describes the Brugge ace as a "quality goal-scoring, physical winger" who possesses a "deadly left-foot", and like the Welshman, he's also over 6 foot, coming in at a strong 6 foot 2, which would only help him keep Premier League defenders at bay.

Lastly, the former Bologna gem has also proven himself to be a real goal threat in recent seasons, and this last similarity he shares with Bale could also be why he'd offer Johnson so much competition at Tottenham.

How Skov Olsen compares to Johnson

Okay, so if Skov Olsen was to come in as some extra competition for Johnson out on the right, it's worth comparing their output from last season, and unfortunately for the former Nottingham Forest ace, it's not a comparison that goes well for him.

For example, in his 38 appearances across both teams last season, the Welshman scored five goals and provided ten assists, and while that means he maintained an impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.53 games, it pales in comparison to the Dane.

In his 50 appearances for Brugge last season, the left-footed dynamo scored a whopping 26 goals and provided eight assists for good measure.

This means that he averaged a goal involvement once every 1.47 games, and while you have to take into account the weaker league, that is still an outrageously impressive level of output and should certainly encourage Spurs to pursue the exciting talent.

Ultimately, Tottenham are not going to find the next Bale in Skov Olsen, but he shares some similarities with the iconic winger, and from his incredible form last season, he looks like an ideal candidate to help get even more out of Postecoglou's attacking style of football.

Therefore, Levy and Co should do what they can to bring him to N17 this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur will have a finalised and settled squad by the time they kick off at St. James' Park against Newcastle United in the Premier League on Sunday.

The summer transfer window officially slams shut on Friday night and that means that Ange Postecoglou and Daniel Levy still have a few days left to get business done.

Spurs have picked up four points from their first two matches of the top-flight season. They were held to a 1-1 by Leicester City and thumped Everton 4-0.

Heung-min Son scored twice, with goals from Yves Bissouma and Cristian Romero, in the hammering of the Toffees on Saturday, in what was a performance that will, hopefully, be built on in the weeks and months to come.

Despite scoring five goals in their first two Premier League games, there is still room for improvement in the attacking third for the Lilywhites - particularly in the wide areas.

Tottenham could still make further additions to their squad in that area of the pitch and could land an upgrade on one of their lesser performers.

One player whose performances on the pitch in the last 12 months or so have left a bit to be desired is former Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson.

Brennan Johnson's struggles with Spurs

Tottenham swooped to sign the Wales international from the Tricky Trees for a reported fee of £47.5m in the summer of 2023, after he had produced eight goals and three assists in 38 Premier League games in the 2022/23 campaign.

Johnson did not endure a terrible first year in London with the Lilywhites but it is fair to say that he has had his share of struggles on the pitch, particularly with his end product in the final third from a right wing position.

The 23-year-old attacker's finishing was certainly questionable as he did not make the most of the opportunities that were created for him in the Premier League.

In 35 appearances in the top-flight for Spurs, Johnson only found the back of the net five times. He missed a staggering 17 'big chances' and racked up 10.61 xG, which means that the forward underperformed his expected tally by almost six goals.

Meanwhile, the former Forest star racked up an eye-catching return of ten assists in those 35 outings, despite only creating 4.5 xA worth of chances for his teammates.

These statistics show that the winger let the team down badly with his wasteful finishing whilst his own assist numbers were inflated by high-quality finishing from his fellow attackers.

As you can see in the table above, Johnson has also endured a difficult start to the current campaign, with zero goals, assists, or 'big chances' created in two matches.

The Welshman has started both games and did not contribute directly to any of the five goals scored, whilst he also failed with both of his attempted dribbles and made just one key pass.

This means that the speedster has produced five goals and missed 18 'big chances' in the Premier League since the start of last season, and Postecoglou could unearth an upgrade on him by dipping into the market to secure one of the club's reported targets.

Tottenham's interest in Turkish wizard

Earlier this summer, Turkish outlet Haber3 reported that Tottenham Hotspur are one of a number of English teams interested in signing Baris Yilmaz from Galatasaray.

The outlet claimed that Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion are also keen on the young forward to bolster their respective squads.

This means that there could be strong competition to secure his services if the race or his signature heats up between now and Friday's deadline.

It was revealed that the Super Lig giants would demand a fee within the region of €30m (£25m) to part ways with the Turkey international before the end of the window.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not Spurs will make a move for him, particularly after the signing of Odobert from Burnley, Yilmaz has the potential to be an excellent addition to the squad as a possible upgrade on Johnson out wide.

Why Spurs should sign Baris Yilmaz

The Lilywhites should make a late swoop to sign the 24-year-old attacker, who can play on the right or the left flank, because he could offer more than the Welshman in the final third.

Yilmaz, who was once lauded as a "very special" player by Gaziantep manager Selcuk Inan, has started the current campaign with one goal and five chances created in two Super Lig games.

He has completed 2.5 dribbles per game and created one 'big chance' to go along with that. This shows that the forward is a direct player who wants to take defenders on and create chances for his teammates at the top end of the pitch.

The right-footed sensation also showed plenty of promise in the 2023/24 campaign for the Turkish side, with 12 direct goal contributions in 37 appearances.

He produced six goals and six assists for his team from a wide position, which shows that the young whiz offers quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

As you can see in the table above, the underlying numbers suggest that Yilmaz's return was more impressive than Johnson's, despite being involved in three fewer goals.

The Galatasaray star created more high-quality chances, as shown by his xA, for his side than the Spurs man did, yet registered four fewer assists due to his teammates not being as clinical as Tottenham's.

He also outperformed his xG by almost two goals and this suggests that Yilmaz's goal return would be significantly higher if he was provided with the quality of chances that Johnson had in the Premier League, which is why Postecoglou could unearth an upgrade on his current winger by signing the £25m star.

Tottenham Hotspur have less than a week to go to complete the rest of the business they want to do before the summer transfer window officially slams shut.

One of their summer signings made his debut in the 4-0 win over Everton in London on Saturday, as Wilson Odobert was handed a start on the flank.

Dominic Solanke and Archie Gray have also been brought in and made their debuts in the 1-1 draw with Leicester City in the first match of the Premier League campaign.

There could be more to come, in terms of incoming, before Friday's deadline and they have been linked with one player who could avenge the howler they had with Clement Lenglet.

Tottenham's howler with Clement Lenglet

Daniel Levy swooped to sign the France international on a season-long loan from Spanish giants Barcelona in the summer of 2022 in an attempt to bolster Antonio Conte's squad.

The experienced defender came in to provide competition across the backline for the Italian head coach but endured a difficult season in England.

As you can see in the table above, he made two errors that directly led to a shot or a goal for the opposition and was dribbled past 18 times.

This suggests that he was prone to mistakes, in giving the ball away in dangerous areas and allowing players to dribble past him, at the heart of the defence, which is why the loan move did not work out in the end and they did not bring him back permanently.

Spurs could now avenge their Lenglet blunder

Levy could now avenge his blunder with Lenglet, who was far from an impressive performer for Spurs, by going back to Barcelona to sign another centre-back - Andreas Christensen.

Spanish outlet Sport recently reported that Tottenham are one of the sides interested in the Denmark international, who is available for £21m, and he could come in as a solid addition to the defensive unit.

In the 2023/24 campaign, Christensen made 30 appearances in LaLiga for Barcelona and caught the eye with his work in and out of possession.

The Danish colossus, who was once dubbed "extraordinary" by Xavi, completed 94% of his attempted passes in the league, compared to Lenglet's 87% with Spurs in the Premier League.

Christensen was also only dribbled past 12 times and did not make a single error that led to a shot or goal for the opposition, which suggests that he is far more reliable defensively than the Frenchman.

The former Chelsea ace would also bring aerial dominance to the team, as he won 71% of his duels in the air last season, and that could help Ange Postecoglou from set-pieces and when it comes to defending crosses, which was an issue for Jamie Vardy's goal against Leicester.

Overall, Christensen's form for Barcelona and his relatively cheap price tag at £21m suggests that he would be a shrewd signing to provide back-up to Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, whilst avenging the Lenglet howler by coming in as an impressive defender from Barcelona.

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a promising start to the campaign, drawing away to Leicester City on the opening week before coolly dispatching Everton in north London.

Ange Postecoglou will be well aware that his squad made a blistering start to the 2023/24 season, however, and has strengthened throughout the summer to put Spurs in a better place to restore a spot in the Champions League and challenge for silverware.

The likes of Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, elite teenage talents both, will hope to stake claims at No. 6 after arriving down north London, especially with something of an air of uncertainty surrounding Yves Bissouma.

What's going on with Yves Bissouma

He might have scored as Tottenham claimed their first victory of the season, but Bissouma has got plenty to prove if he is to establish himself as one of Postecoglou's instrumental players this season.

An immense, technically proficient player, the Malian ranks among the top 2% of central midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 6% for passes attempted, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 4% for tackles and the top 10% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

But last season he suffered a string of on-field disciplinary issues, receiving three separate suspensions in the Premier League, lacking composure and control.

As such, he cannot be trusted to thrive at the heart of the Spurs side throughout the duration of the campaign - especially with the return of Europa League football now looming.

As such, Tottenham are mulling over concluding their summer spending spree with one final piece to complete the engine room.

Spurs eyeing new midfielder

According to GIVEMESPORT earlier this week, Tottenham are keeping tabs on Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough, who is valued at about £25m.

The Championship side are unwilling to part with their prized midfielder before next week's deadline, but Spurs are persisting in their interest and are even willing to play the long game, should Boro's resolve prove unwavering.

However, with multiple top-flight outfits keen on a move, Tottenham might want to consider launching a move, especially given the need to strengthen the base of the midfield.

What Hayden Hackney would bring to Spurs

Last season, Hackney scored the winning goal as Middlesbrough defeated Chelsea 1-0 in the Carabao Cup. Sure, the Blues breezed into the final after confidently overturning the semi-final deficit in the second leg, but the Englishman's quality was illuminated.

It was the 22-year-old's first showcase of his talents against Premier League opposition, with his manager, Michael Carrick, hailing him for the "immense" performance.

Last season, in the Championship, Hackney played a key role in helping the Riversiders push toward the upper end of the table, ultimately falling short but coming on leaps and bounds and finishing eighth, four points off a promotion spot.

The fast-flowing style of football saw Boro rank fourth for progressive passes made throughout the campaign (2050), behind only the three sides relegated from the Premier League. Hackney, anchored at the base of the midfield, was essential to the success.

Indeed, as per FBref, he ranked among the top 13% of midfielders in England's second tier last year for pass completion, the top 2% for passes attempted, the top 1% for progressive passes and the top 13% for shot-creating actions per 90, emphasising the level of his ball-playing ability.

He'd be a wonderful addition and one who could be integrated into a strong mix of players, allowing him to get to grips with life down N17 without feeling overburdened.

After all, Spurs know all about landing an exciting talent from the EFL and nurturing them to the fore - just ask Dele Alli.

Hayden Hackney could be Ange's own Dele Alli

Postecoglou could repeat Tottenham's Alli masterstroke by securing this deal, having welcomed the former wonderkid to the club in 2015, signing him from MK Dons for £5m and beating off fierce competition from clubs such as Liverpool.

The 28-year-old had posted 16 goals and 11 assists across all competitions during his final campaign in League One before making the leap right to the top of the pyramid, aged only 18.

He scored 67 goals and supplied 61 assists across 269 appearances for Tottenham, and though his output declined toward the end as he headed toward dark days, the England international performed at an obscene level at the start, notching 97 goal contributions over his opening three top-flight campaigns alone.

Jose Mourinho claimed that he would become "one of the world's best", and while external factors have led to a demise for the current Everton player, who has not played for the Toffees since the start of the 2022/23 season, there is hope that he will one day grace the Premier League pitch again.

He was crowned the PFA Premier League Young Player of the Year across both of his opening terms, very much highlighting the reward that can be found in plucking one of the finest talents from below England's topmost division.

Hackney might not be the potent attacking superstar that Alli proved to be throughout several blistering years of success as a Lilywhite, but he could be a most impactful signing from a lower division to replicate Mauricio Pochettino's success in the past.

Slotting him into the base of the midfield, Tottenham could well and truly hit the jackpot, replicating their masterful signing from nine years ago.

Okay, okay, it wasn't the perfect start to the season, but Tottenham Hotspur also drew their curtain-raiser in the Premier League last year, away to Brentford, before charging toward a streak of nine victories and one draw (at the Emirates) across ten fixtures.

Then the setbacks came, stabbing down at the team like erratic lashes of lightning, and therein lies the problem that Ange Postecoglou is hoping to bed away, with some exciting signings brought in to go one step further this year.

Tottenham lost control against Leicester City after the break, wasting a catalogue of chances and paying the price upon the evergreen Jamie Vardy's strike, his ninth goal against Spurs, who failed to rally and had to make do with shared spoils.

Now, Everton await as Tottenham play host for the first time this term, and after being thrashed 3-0 against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend, an air of expectation has hung in north London.

Spurs team news vs Everton

The major sticking point heading into this afternoon's affair is undoubtedly the ankle injury that Dominic Solanke sustained in training this week, ruling him out of contention.

Solanke completed a move from Bournemouth for about £65m earlier in August after a remarkable campaign on the South Coast, and despite featuring in every top-flight fixture for the Cherries last term, he has been ruled out one game into the 2024/25 campaign.

Yves Bissouma is in contention to feature after missing the trip to Leicester due to a club-imposed ban for disciplinary reasons, though Archie Gray could start in the sitting midfield position, with Rodrigo Bentancur ruled out due to the league's concussion protocols.

Wilson Odobert is in line for a debut, while Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison will be eyeing their first starting berths of the season. Ange has a lot on his plate, though his most pressing concern will surely be determining who to stick at the front of the ship.

Who Ange could replace Solanke with

Richarlison is one of the most obvious options to replace Solanke with, for the Brazilian is fully fit and featured prominently at centre-forward last season.

He rid himself of the woes of the previous year, scoring just once over 27 games in the Premier League after transferring from Everton for some £60m in 2022, but there's still much to be desired.

Indeed, Richarlison enjoyed a brilliant purple patch last year, scoring nine goals across eight wintry matches in the top flight, but then suffered an injury-hit end to the season.

The Athletic's Charlie Eccleshare commented on how much Tottenham had "missed his physical presence" toward the end of the campaign, and that quality could be an interesting thing to throw into the mix against his former outfit, having bagged twice against them in an emphatic display last year.

However, Richarlison's cameo last weekend proved that he has much to do before he is polished and effective to the degree that Postecoglou demands to provide him with regular appearances from the opening whistle, introduced before eight crucial minutes of injury time and missing a glorious chance to get his side off to a winning start.

Despite only being on the field for a few moments, he produced a wayward header, unmarked, after a wonderful free-kick from Lucas Bergvall.

Starting Richarlison simply might not be the answer this time, not when Heung-min Son is ready to continue his emphatic form as Tottenham's central striker.

Why Heung-min Son must return to no. 9

Skipper Son featured in his natural left-flanking role against Leicester, but he was outfoxed by a dogged defence, unleashing just the one blocked shot and creating one key pass for his teammates, fading after a delightful whipped delivery for the sidelined Solanke early on.

Look, Son's brilliant, and any notion that his ship has sailed must be laughed out of the room. Last term, he bagged 17 goals and ten assists in the Premier League, alternating between the left and a centre-forward deployment, and indeed his "world-class" quality, as praised by Postecoglou, and leadership presence emphasise the importance of playing him.

After all, he's hardly one dimensional, able to mix his goalscoring his elite-level creativity, and ranks among the top 7% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year and the top 10% for shot-creating actions per 90 anyway, as per FBref.

He also created 17 big chances in the division last year, with Dejan Kulusevski the next-most creative Lilywhite on that list with 14 big chances created.

He might not have clicked right into gear straight away but the South Korea international will be desperate to influence proceedings today and might find that he can make the best impact in front of a dynamic supporting cast.

James Maddison claimed an assist against Leicester and will hope to recapture that imperious pre-injury form from last year. The Englishman's vision and defence-splitting ballwork is something that no other player in the squad can replicate to the same degree.

Moreover, Kulusevski could make a difference if provided with a starting role, bringing the energy and intensity to effectively supplement Son, pushing forward and stretching the lines.

All told, there's nothing to worry about regarding Solanke's injury, with the 27-year-old expected back shortly and Postecoglou not exactly starved of alternative ways to piece his team together.

But starting Richarlison would be a mistake, for Son must return to the spearhead.

Sean Dyche’s Everton will be looking to make amends for last weekend’s 3-0 defeat against Brighton and Hove Albion as they travel to face Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon.

His side will be without numerous key first-team members for the trip to the capital, with Ashley Young suspended after his red card last time out, with regular centre-backs Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski both nursing injuries.

It will likely be a makeshift backline, a scary thought when coming up against the likes of Heung-min Son, Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski, as Ange Postecoglou's side look to claim all three points in their first league game of the season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Alongside the injuries, Dyche has numerous dilemmas across the pitch, as he tries to secure the Toffees’ first win of the new Premier League campaign.

He could look to drop one player who failed to impress during the season opener, despite producing some impressive numbers during the 2023/24 season.

Abdoulaye Doucoure’s stats against Brighton

Despite finishing the season prior as the club’s joint-top scorer, midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure produced a performance to forget on the opening day of the new season last weekend.

The 31-year-old started in a similar role to last season, in a more advanced berth just behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but he was unable to make a positive impact on the game or the result.

In his 63 minutes on the pitch, the Malian only managed 23 touches - just one touch nearly every three minutes - giving possession away eight times, as he failed to make the most of his time on the ball.

Doucoure was also caught offside four times, with all of his offences coming within the first 45 minutes, putting an end to any momentum the Toffees had within the final third.

As a result, he could be replaced by one Everton talent who is more than deserving of a start after his cameo off the bench during the defeat.

The man to replace Doucoure against Spurs

After joining the Toffees in a £15m deal from Marseille during the off-season, attacker Iliman Ndiaye was restricted to a place on the bench during last weekend’s loss to the Seagulls.

However, he was brought on for Doucoure with just 27 minutes remaining, making more of an impact on the encounter than the former Watford ace despite featuring for 36 minutes fewer.

The "outrageous" talent, as previously described by ex-teammate Chris Basham, only had 13 fewer touches, but managed to achieve a higher success rate of duels won - putting himself about in the hope of changing the game for Dyche’s side.

Despite being brought on for his attacking abilities, Ndiaye managed to win three tackles - an average of one every nine minutes - as he worked tirelessly to make an immediate impression on the fanbase.

In what was a disappointing day for the entire side, he was unable to provide that spark that could change the game for the Toffees, but did demonstrate moments of quality which could earn him a start in North London this afternoon.

Out of the new additions this summer, the 24-year-old was arguably the most exciting after his previous stint in England for Sheffield United, where registered 36 goals and assists in just 88 games in total.

However, he’s yet to be handed that opportunity from the start to showcase what he’s capable of, with Dyche needing to hand him a first start over Doucoure if his side are to have the best opportunity of claiming anything from the meeting.