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William Gallas has advised Mikel Arteta to replace two Arsenal players this summer and believes new additions could help get the best out of Viktor Gyokeres.

Gyokeres has endured a mixed first season at the Emirates Stadium following last summer’s £64m move from Sporting, scoring 17 goals but receiving criticism for his general play.

A number of pundits have questioned if Gyokeres is good enough to lead the line for title-chasing Arsenal, with Jamie Carragher recently claiming Arsenal needed to sign an upgrade in the summer.

Gallas believes Gyokeres can be a success at his former club but only if Arsenal ‘change their style’ and start providing him with better and more regular service.

Arteta has Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke at his disposal on the right wing but Gallas fears both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard on the left are stagnating.

Gallas is surprised by Martinelli’s subdued season – the Brazilian has scored just once in the Premier League – and has described Trossard as a ‘squad player’.

‘Who would I sign for Arsenal? To be honest, I think they’ve got a good squad and they can do the same performance for next season,’ Gallas told BoyleSports.

‘Even up front they’ve got the wingers but the only thing is maybe they still need one world class striker or to change the style of the team.

‘When Arsenal play on the counter-attack, I think sometimes the midfielders have to look for Viktor Gyokeres to give him the ball at the first opportunity.

‘Gyokeres always asks for the ball in front, in the space, but he doesn’t get the ball, because the midfielder wants to keep the ball. That is the style of Arsenal.

‘Gyokeres has scored goals but he hasn’t scored enough goals so he has to reach a minimum 20 goals next season and it will be difficult for him if Arsenal are going to play the same way because he doesn’t really dominate the league physically like he did in Portugal.

‘Maybe you need a left winger because I don’t know what has happened to Gabriel Martinelli, he’s just not what he was, and Leandro Trossard is a good squad player but you need something else.

‘Would I prefer Khvicha Kvaratskhelia or Bradley Barcola for Arsenal? Barcola.

‘When you’ve got a striker like Gyokeres, you need players to give him the ball to score the goals, and that’s why maybe some of Arsenal’s style has to change, or Arsenal need to change their striker.’

Gyokeres failed to boost his goals tally in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City before the international break.

The Sweden international was on target in their FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton on Saturday but could not prevent Arsenal from slipping to a shock 2-1 defeat.

Arsenal face Gyokeres’ former club Sporting in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Tuesday night.

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Let’s start with the positives. It may be better to commit a head coach to Spurs for more than just the seven remaining games of the season. The players could benefit from having a plan to buy into, and confidence arising from knowing that the future has been considered. It is worth almost any managerial price to stay in the Premier League, given relegation costs £350million. Employing a manager with Premier League experience is vital.

But, for Tottenham, making Roberto De Zerbi reportedly the third-highest paid manager in the league – on a deal with no relegation clause – means the rubbernecking only intensifies. What is it about his career at Brighton and Marseille that tells you he is worth such an investment?

All I can glean from the announcement is that either he or his agent is a good negotiator, willing to strike at a time of peak vulnerability for his prospective employer. How do you get paid more? You either propose a larger salary, or you secure a longer deal. Or, if the client is really desperate, you do both. The Tottenham board can spin the decision as an investment in the club’s future. It does not convince.

And let’s not forget the discomfort with which some fans view the appointment of De Zerbi in the first place. Three fan groups issued joint statements reminding the board that ‘De Zerbi has publicly defended Mason Greenwood in a way that downplays the seriousness of male violence against women and girls. That raises serious questions about judgement and leadership.’

Greenwood was charged in 2022 with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault. The charges were dropped in 2023. In November when De Zerbi was Marseille boss, he described Greenwood as a ‘good guy’.

The point these fans are making is this doesn’t just raise questions about De Zerbi’s judgement, but also of the senior figures at Tottenham who have made the decision.

Executives at the club have been understandably praised for very little this season, but conversations about improving the ‘culture’ of the organisation, led by former Arsenal exec Vinai Venkatesham, have been greeted with optimism internally. De Zerbi’s appointment seems only to undermine them.

His combustible personal style is also a cause for concern. Before we even get into how the ragged collection of players available to the club might play anything approaching De Zerbi ball. Key to which will be crushed second-choice keeper Antonin Kinsky, who needs to start in the first game of the Italian’s reign against Sunderland in less than a fortnight.

Talking seriously about a first relegation since 1977 has been new experience for many Spurs fans, including me. The angst around the board’s recalcitrant sacking of Thomas Frank, the misguided – and brief – appointment of Igor Tudor, the continued slide towards serious trouble. These were all struggles we could deal with as a unit.

And so we did: the Cup Final atmosphere ahead of the recent Nottingham Forest game showed what a motivated, unified crowd could be. Feel free to continue to mock, but I will always feel proud of what we showed in Tottenham that day.

As the need for Tudor’s departure crystallised, the prospective candidate list was understandably sparse. Most fans at that stage considered a connection with the club to be key, the built-in respect that would flow in both directions vital.

De Zerbi has no connection. There is also no evidence from his career to indicate that he is the master of a quick turnaround. He’s been appointed in-season three times – from his first five games at Palermo, Benevento and Brighton in total he secured only a single win.

When Tudor was originally appointed, many hoped he would secure survival and keep Mauricio Pochettino’s seat warm until after the World Cup. Though De Zerbi’s track record means that his lasting more than a few months in north London seems unlikely, his five-year deal effectively kills that dream. The guardians of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club have therefore traded the ultimate fan unity candidate for… this guy. They’d better have seen something I haven’t.

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Tottenham fans have been eager for the relegation-threatened club to bring in a replacement as quickly as possible after Igor Tudor was axed just 44 days into his spell as head coach.

But Spurs’ decision to narrow down their search to Roberto De Zerbi has not been well received by some corners of the fanbase – and it’s the Italian’s previous comments about Mason Greenwood which have caused such friction.

Official confirmation of De Zerbi’s appointment arrived this evening, with the ex-Brighton boss putting pen to paper on a five-year deal in north London – his first job since leaving Marseille by mutual consent last month.

Throughout his near two-year-long spell in charge of Marseille, De Zerbi threw his support behind Greenwood, a player once lauded as a potential superstar of English football.

However, Greenwood’s move to Marseille was filled with controversy given it came two-and-a-half years after he had been arrested on suspicion of rape and assault (on January 31, 2022) while still a Manchester United player. He was further arrested on February 1, 2022 on suspicion of sexual assault and making threats to kill.

The young forward was subsequently charged on October 2022 with one count of attempted rape, one count of controlling and coercive behaviour and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Greenwood denied the charges.

The Manchester United academy product had been due to stand trial in November 2023, only for the charges to be dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service [CPS] in February 2023.

‘A combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction,’ the CPS said in a statement.

What comments did Roberto De Zerbi make about Mason Greenwood?

Marseille received heavy criticism over their decision to sign Greenwood back in 2024, with the city’s mayor, Benoit Payan, even urging the club not to bring in the player at the time.

But De Zerbi, who was appointed just 19 days before the transfer was agreed, suggested he was supportive of the idea as Marseille closed in on a deal for the England international.

‘Mason is a world-class player, but we have not recruited him yet,’ De Zerbi told reporters when asked about a proposed agreement for Greenwood.

‘I don’t know what happened, but I am not used to get involved in my players’ private life.

‘But if he comes here, you have to know that I treat all my players like my sons. I can tell them off in private, but I would never attack them in public.’

Once Greenwood was through the doors, De Zerbi insisted the former Manchester United attacker – who has been capped once by the England national team – was a ‘good guy’.

He also suggested he was ‘saddened’ by how Greenwood had been represented by the press in his native England.

‘He’s a good guy, he paid a heavy price for what happened, a very heavy price,’ De Zerbi said in the media when asked about Greenwood last November.

‘He has found the right environment for him. We have lent him a hand and given him affection. He’s a little bit introverted but I know him and his family.

‘It saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a totally different person than the one who was described in England.’

Several supporter groups – and high-profile fans such as Rachel Riley – pushed for Manchester United to terminate Greenwood’s contract after the allegations came to light in 2022.

And there have been several groups opposed to the appointment of De Zerbi on the basis of his past remarks about Greenwood.

THFC Flags, a fan-led group ‘committed to promoting and amplifying this culture’ at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, were among those to join the ‘No to De Zerbi’ campaign before the Italian touched down in the capital.

A statement from the group read: ‘Tottenham Hotspur claims to be a club that prides itself on being inclusive, supportive and safe.

‘As a group committed to promoting and amplifying this culture, in the belief this will create the best environment and atmosphere to enjoy football, we’re extremely disappointed and dismayed by the publicised pursuit of Roberto De Zerbi…

‘De Zerbi is not the kind of person we want associated with our club or representing us. No to De Zerbi.’

Proud Lilywhites, Spurs’ official LGBTQ+ fans’ group, said: ‘When someone in that position publicly defends a player like Mason Greenwood, it matters, not just in isolation but in what it signals.’

Meanwhile, Women of the Lane, whose aim is to remove sexism and misogyny in football, argued that De Zerbi’s comments raised ‘serious questions about judgement and leadership’ within the club.

Shortly after De Zerbi’s appointment, a statement from the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust read: ‘We note the club’s announcement of the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi to the manager role.

‘While we recognise the limited pool of managers with recent Premier League experience, and the need to act with urgency as Spurs face the prospect of relegation, this appointment raises serious and far-reaching concerns, and many fans have been in touch with us to urge us to communicate the strength of feeling. We raised these concerns directly with the club prior to its announcement.

‘The club has previously committed to challenging instances of violence against women and girls and acting with integrity and upholding its values when faced with any incidents.

‘De Zerbi’s comments about Mason Greenwood were unnecessary, ill-judged, and deeply offensive to a significant number of supporters and, without doubt, will have left victims of male violence alarmed.

‘We believe these statements, left unchecked, will create a divide among supporters at a time when we all need to be pulling together to back the team.

‘It is concerning that the club would put us in this position right when the team needs fans the most. Fans are rallying behind the “All Together, Always” initiative, and this appointment places heavy strain on that unity. If those remarks reflect his genuine views, they cast a troubling shadow over the values of the club we love.

‘The club must reassert its commitment to the values that fans hold dear – chief among them equality, respect, and integrity. Any perceived sympathy toward alleged perpetrators of physical or sexual violence against women fundamentally undermines trust in the custodianship of this club.

‘With this appointment, communications from the club and from Mr De Zerbi must clearly and unequivocally reaffirm these values. Furthermore, those words must be backed by meaningful action, including visible and sustained support for women’s charities and organisations working to combat violence against women.

‘Our preference would have been for a short-term appointment of an individual or individuals who understand the club and can lead the players in the seven battles to come. There would then have been an opportunity in the summer to attract a wide range of potential applicants with a track record of success in inspiring fans and players: candidates who could lead and develop sustained success for the team, for seasons to come.

‘The club has chosen otherwise. We will continue to support efforts to get behind the team and play our part in preserving the club’s Premier League status but it is understandable that many fans will do so with a heavy heart.’

Roberto De Zerbi’s first words as Tottenham boss

In his opening statement as Tottenham head coach, a ‘delighted’ De Zerbi said he was committed to steering the club back towards the right end of the table again.

The north Londoners are currently hovering just one point above the relegation zone after slumping to a wretched 3-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest in Tudor’s final match at the helm.

‘I am delighted to be joining this fantastic football club, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world,’ De Zerbi told Spurs’ official website.

‘In all my discussions with the club’s leadership, their ambition for the future has been clear – to build a team capable of reaching great achievements, and to do that playing a style of football that excites and inspires our supporters.

‘I am here because I believe in that ambition and have signed a long-term contract to give everything to deliver it.

‘Our short-term priority is to climb the Premier League table, which will be the complete focus until the final whistle of the last game of the season.

‘I’m looking forward to getting out on the training pitch and working with these players to achieve that.’

Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange added: ‘Roberto was our number one target for the summer and we are very pleased to be able to bring him in now.

‘He is one of the most creative and forward-thinking coaches in world football, and brings with him a wealth of experience at the highest level, including in the Premier League.’

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Chris Waddle is ‘really concerned’ Tottenham will be relegated from the Premier League and says it was foolish to expect a £35m January signing to turn the tide.

Spurs finished just 17th in the Premier League last season – 13 points above the relegation zone – and have slipped even further this term, sitting one point above the drop zone with seven games remaining.

Tottenham’s underwhelming form cost Thomas Frank his job last month but his replacement, Igor Tudor, lasted just seven games and 44 days before also losing his job.

Spurs are yet to appoint their third manager of the season but are expected to hire ex-Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, who left Ligue 1 side Marseille earlier in the year.

Waddle doubts a new manager will ‘change a single thing’, however, and has questioned if the Tottenham players ‘have the stomach’ to avoid relegation to the Championship.

The Spurs hero has also slammed the club’s business in the transfer market and says ‘alarm bells were ringing’ when Tottenham signed Conor Gallagher.

Gallagher was linked with Manchester United in January but Spurs spent £35m to sign the former Chelsea star from Atletico Madrid.

‘Where do Tottenham go from here? It’s looking like the Championship,’ Waddle told 10bet. ‘I’m really concerned and worried about what is happening at the football club.

‘I cannot believe a club of that size are in the position that they’re in. After the result against Forest, Tottenham are basically the favourites for that third relegation spot.

‘Hopefully three or four players will come back [after the international break], but are they good enough? Will it be enough?

‘That’s the big question for Tottenham: Are the players good enough and do they have the bottle for a relegation fight? Can they roll up their sleeves?

‘I’m not convinced that this group of players have got enough about them to stop the rot. Tottenham are miles off the pace.

‘The players need to take some responsibility, but the main culprit are the board and leadership of the club. They haven’t invested money in players; they’re always buying for the future, but Tottenham need better players for the now.

Ex-England winger Waddle added: ‘I don’t think a new manager at Tottenham changes a thing. The players aren’t good enough and that isn’t going to change if a new manager comes in.

‘I’m looking at the squad, looking at individuals that don’t look like they’ve got the stomach or the ability to pull the club out of the hole it’s in.

‘Tottenham have the best stadium in the country and the best training facilities. They don’t have the best players and until the board changes its recruitment policy, then the club will always struggle. They won’t ever be able to challenge at the top end of the table.

‘Look at the recruitment. £35m for Conor Gallagher in January. No disrespect to Gallagher, but if Atletico were happy to let him go after a season and a half, then alarm bells should be ringing.

‘Don’t blame the manager for Tottenham’s problems. It isn’t Igor Tudor’s fault. The people that run the club must take responsibility.

‘Tottenham are in a fight. They’ve got seven games to save their season. The only people that can save them now are the players.

‘Am I confident they will do it? Nothing I’ve seen from this group of players convinces me that Tottenham will be playing Premier League football next season.’

Tottenham face a huge match against Sunderland in their first game back following the international break on April 12.

Spurs’ final six games of the season are against Brighton, Wolves, Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton.

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Tottenham are contemplating turning to a club legend to save them from relegation even though he hasn’t coached for two decades.

The crisis-ridden north London club have begun their search for a fourth coach in less than a year following the decision on Sunday to part company withIgor Tudor.

Spurs made the surprise decision to turn to the Croatian after Thomas Frank was dismissed on February 11.

Tudor had never managed in the Premier League, but had experience of sparking an upturn in form after mid-season arrivals and yet suffered five defeats from seven games, including four in a row at the start of his reign.

A catastrophic 3-0 home defeat against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest prior to the international left Spurs just one point above the drop zone which effectively rendered Tudor’s position untenable.

Indeed, should West Ham beat Wolves at home on Friday evening, Spurs will face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light 24 hours later firmly in the bottom three and staring an unthinkable relegation full in the face.

The likes of Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange now face arguably the biggest decision in Tottenham’s modern history and one that will likely define whether or not they face the ultimate ignominy of dropping into the Championship.

According to the Daily Mail, Spurs are contemplating a variety of different options and are giving thought to turning to Glenn Hoddle, even though he hasn’t held a senior management position since he was the Molineux helm back in 2006, but did have a brief stint as part of Harry Redknapp’s coaching team at QPR.

Speaking earlier this month, arguably Tottenham’s greatest ever player made clear he was willing to help out as doubts over Tudor’s credentials quickly began to emerge.

Asked if he would be willing to step up if Tudor was axed, Hoddle told Could It Be Magic, the FA Cup podcast sponsored by Carling: ‘I think it would actually. Particularly with Tottenham, as that’s my club.

‘I’ve supported them since I was eight years of age. So they were a massive part of my life.’

Hoddle spent two-and-a-half years in charge of Spurs between 2001 and 2003.

He added: ‘I managed them probably at the wrong time, I’ve got to say. Let’s put it that way. Politically and financially, it wasn’t money there. Certainly, it wasn’t what they told me I was going into didn’t succumb.

‘But I think something like that, I would have done.’

Assistant Bruno Saltor will lead training for the players not away on international duty at the moment, with the club aiming to appoint a new head coach in the coming days, in time for the full squad being back together and a crucial 10-day preparation period ahead of the April 12 fixture at Sunderland.

Former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi and ex-Burnley and Everton manager Sean Dyche are among the bookmakers’ favourites to take over, or they could turn to Ryan Mason, boyhood Spurs fan and player who has twice been caretaker before.

Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust responded to the news of Tudor’s departure by urging the club to now make a “wise choice” regarding his replacement.

Its post on X read: ‘With thanks to Igor and his team for their efforts, and wishing him and his family time to come to terms with their loss.

‘In a season of bad calls, let’s hope we now see a wise choice for the remainder of the campaign.

‘Someone who understands the club and is up to the task in front of them: retaining our Premier League status. Someone we can all be proud of and who can bring some much needed success and enjoyment to our long suffering fanbase.’

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Tottenham are in search of their third manager of the season after interim boss Igor Tudor left the club on Sunday.

The Croatian lasted just 44 days and seven matches in charge of Spurs, in what has been a disastrous stint in north London.

Tudor won just one of his seven games, which came in the second leg of a Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid, which Tottenham lost on aggregate.

His six Premier League matches at the helm produced one draw and five defeats, most recently a 3-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest last weekend.

After 31 games of the top flight season, Spurs are 17th and just one point above the drop zone, with West Ham a place below them.

The possibility of being relegated from the Premier League for the first time is very real and a third boss of the season will try to avoid that, after Thomas Frank and Tudor’s reigns left them in the mire.

With seven games to go, who will ride to the rescue and try to keep Spurs afloat?

The betting market is for the next permanent Tottenham manager, so bookmakers will not pay out on anyone the club appoints as an interim or caretaker for the final few games of the season only.

It may be that Spurs are forced to bring in a permanent manager earlier than planned, though, to get in the calibre of manager they want now.

The joint favourites to be the next permanent Tottenham boss are Roberto De Zerbi and Sean Dyche.

Both are out of work, with De Zerbi leaving Marseille in February and Dyche axed by Nottingham Forest in the same month.

Dyche was asked if he was in talks with Spurs earlier this week, saying on TalkSPORT: ‘Ah, it’s brilliant, honestly. I was in the pub just up the way near my place, I’ve got down here and this guy goes: “Ah, you’re meant to be in talks with Spurs tonight?” And I say: “I’m sat next to you having a pint of Guinness, so it’s unlikely – unless you work for Spurs!”

‘I’m there in The Seven Stars pub having a pint of Guinness, so I said: “It’s highly unlikely”. No, I’m not [in talks].’

Fulham manager Marco Silva is thought to be in contention, as is former Monaco boss Adi Hutter, who left the Ligue 1 side in October last year.

Former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino had been favourite to return and be the next permanent manager, but that is now far less likely.

Tottenham may now move to make an appointment sooner than waiting for Pochettino to be available after the World Cup, where he will manager USA.

A club statement on Tudor’s exit on Sunday read: ‘We can confirm that it has been mutually agreed for Head Coach Igor Tudor to leave the Club with immediate effect.

‘Tomislav Rogic and Riccardo Ragnacci have also left their respective roles of Goalkeeping Coach and Physical Coach. We thank Igor, Tomislav and Riccardo for their efforts during the past six weeks, in which they worked tirelessly.

‘We also acknowledge the bereavement that Igor has recently suffered and send our support to him and his family at this difficult time.

‘An update on a new Head Coach will be provided in due course.’

If Spurs go down the path of another interim manager, a string of former players and managers of the club have been linked, including Harry Redknapp, Tim Sherwood, Robbie Keane and Ryan Mason.

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Tottenham manager Martin Ho hailed Arsenal as the ‘best team in the world’ after a one-sided north London derby in the Women’s Super League.

The Gunners secured north London bragging rights and moved up to second in the WSL with an emphatic 5-2 win over Spurs on Saturday.

Alessia Russo scored twice in the opening seven minutes at the Emirates Stadium on her way to a brilliant first-half hat-trick.

Tottenham still had hope at half time after Arsenal’s Frida Maanum headed into her own net but Caitlin Foord put the result beyond doubt with the hosts’ fourth on the hour mark.

Beth England scored a consolation goal for Spurs before Arsenal netted a fifth in injury-time through Stina Blackstenius.

The derby win sends Arsenal above Manchester United and Chelsea and into second in the Women’s Super League table, though they remain 11 points behind champions-elect Manchester City.

Arsenal also missed out on the WSL title last season – finishing 12 points behind Chelsea – but Spurs boss Ho nevertheless views the Gunners as the ‘best in the world’.

Renee Slegers’ Arsenal have one foot in the semi-finals of the Champions League after beating Chelsea 3-1 in the first leg last week.

Arsenal are the defending champions having beaten Barcelona in last season’s Women’s Champions League final to win the competition for the second time.

‘You come to the best in the world if we’re honest about the team, who they are and what they’ve achieved over the last six to twelve months, and we pushed them back for large moments,’ Ho said after Tottenham’s 5-2 defeat.

‘[In the] first half, we conceded two quick goals and that dented us. By doing that, it makes it difficult for you to get back into the game and with small individual passes, we have to be better at that as players.

‘For the Lize [Kop] one, I ask her to play a certain way and look for certain passes. When they happen, that’s my accountability and my responsibility.

‘I thought we then got back into the game, we got a goal, and then it goes into the second half where we conceded a really cheap goal again, which makes it 4-1.

‘We push back, Bethany gets a goal, really good finish, that’s 4-2. Then we were pushing the game, we make another individual error and we get punished.

‘I feel like every time we make one at the moment, the ball’s going in the net.’

Asked if the opening ten minutes of the game proved to be the decisive moment in the match, Ho added: ‘Yes, when you give two goals away like we have in those moments, you’re going to get punished for them.

‘They have world-class players and then it gives you a bit of a mountain to climb at times. I thought we came back into at 2-1, the game was in the balance and the third goes and that kind of then turns it back in their favour.

‘Small moments maybe change games and give you momentum. We just have to look at it, assess it, put it behind us and then focus on the Chelsea game going forward.

‘We can take lots from it in terms of with the ball and large parts of the press without the ball. Our performance, if we take out some of the individual parts, the game would change.

‘We have to make sure we do that because we don’t want to be a team and I don’t want to be a coach who concedes five goals a game. We’re not going to be doing that moving forward.’

Arsenal boss Slegers, meanwhile, singles out hat-trick hero Russo for praise after the north London derby win.

‘In training, she is communicating more and instructing more, driving the team more by being more vocal,’ she told Sky Sports. ‘You can see that she’s stepping up.

‘She is also part of the leadership group at Arsenal now. She is always herself, wanting to bring her best version, and she is very humble. She’s definitely developing that and we love to see it.’

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Liverpool have reportedly held internal discussions over a possible move for Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic ahead of the summer transfer window.

Tottenham reached a £12million agreement with Croatian outfit Hajduk Split for Vuskovic back in 2023, a deal that saw the youngster join up with Spurs last summer.

The 19-year-old hit the ground running in a Spurs shirt, scoring and providing an assist in his unofficial debut during a pre-season friendly with Reading.

And while Tottenham were keen to keep hold of Vuskovic this season, the player himself requested a loan move in order to secure regular first-team minutes so as not to hamper his development.

This saw Vuskovic complete a temporary switch to Hamburg, where he joined his brother Mario, and the teenager has been nothing short of a revelation at the heart of Merlin Polzin’s defence in recent months.

Vuskovic has started all but three of Hamburg’s games in the Bundesliga this term, earning rave reviews in Germany with his assured performances alongside Jordan Torunarigha.

This month, he was rewarded with a place amongst the nominees for the Rookie of the Month award in the Bundesliga.

However, off the pitch, Vuskovic’s future appears uncertain and there is mounting speculation that the Croatia international could be set to leave Tottenham without playing a senior competitive game for the north London club.

According to Bild, Barcelona have Vuskovic ‘in their sights’ as they scour the market for a tall, ball-playing defender. His agent Pini Zahavi is said to have a good relationship with Barca president Joan Laporta and both Hansi Flick and Robert Lewandowski have spoken with the centre-back.

Real Madrid are another European giant circling for Vuskovic having previously explored a bid for the 6 ft 4 in centre-half when he was a youth player, before his move to Spurs.

But with Ibrahima Konate believed to be Madrid’s top target, Vuskovic has been identified a potential long-term replacement for the France international at Liverpool.

The report stresses that Liverpool are serious about Vuskovic and the teen’s name is ‘being discussed’ internally by the key decision-makers on Merseyside.

The Reds aren’t the only Premier League team mulling over a move for Vuskovic, though, with Chelsea also credited with a strong interest and waiting in the wings.

Vuskovic is said to have a market value of around €60million (£52m) which could rise further should he enjoy a strong campaign with Croatia at this year’s World Cup.

Whether or not Tottenham manage to avoid relegation is likely to be a significant determining factor when the time comes for Vuskovic to make a decision on his next steps at the end of the season.

In an interview with Tportal last month, Vuskovic admitted he was in the dark about his future – but talked up the possibility of extending his stay with Hamburg beyond the summer.

‘I don’t know what will happen, we’ll talk about that in the summer,’ he told the Croatian outlet.

‘Tottenham is also being talked about because I’m their player until 2030.

‘So, after the World Cup, we’ll see what will happen and how to proceed. As for me, I wouldn’t mind staying at Hamburg, in fact.

‘Mario (his brother, who is currently sidelined due to a doping suspension) should start playing in the autumn, so I’d get the chance to play with him, which is my biggest wish at the moment.

‘You know how football is, you never know what will happen.’

Vuskovic has maintained close contact with various people at Spurs during his loan spell in Germany, explaining: ‘I talk to their scouting chief, nutritionist and physiotherapist a lot.

‘When I was there for two months, they saw that I was a professional and that they didn’t have to watch me every step of the way.

‘They trust me with my diet, training and everything, and that means a lot to me.

Asked if he felt ready to test himself in the Premier League next season, Vuskovic replied: ‘The Bundesliga is also a very difficult league.

‘It’s hard for me to say about the Premier League now, but I tell you, I’m not thinking too much about it or stressing myself out.

‘Let’s do this season properly, and then we’ll see in the summer what happens next.’

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Manchester United are considering a move for Tottenham captain Cristian Romero, according to reports in Spain.

The Argentina international appears on course to leave Spurs this summer after taking aim at the club’s hierarchy earlier this season.

Atletico Madrid made an attempt to sign Romero last year but refused to pay Spurs’ €55 million (£47m) asking price.

According to Marca, Atletico have retained their interest ahead of the summer transfer window and are considering a new move.

The report claims that Real Madrid are also considering a deal for Romero as they are looking to sign a new central defender, but Manchester United’s interest in the 27-year-old also represents a ‘major problem’ for Atletico.

Romero is said to have a special clause in his contract with Spurs which would allow him to join Atletico, Real Madrid or Barcelona this summer if a €60m (£51.9m) bid is submitted.

Speaking before Atletico knocked Spurs out of the Champions League this month, Diego Simeone made it clear that he was a huge admirer of the Tottenham captain.

‘I speak from a point of view as an Argentina fan. I admire his personality, his character, his defensive work and his football ability on the ball,’ Simeone said.

‘As a fan of Argentina, I have seen him play more games for the national team than I have for Spurs, but I’m a big fan of him, for sure.’

When asked about his future after Spurs’ Champions League exit, Romero said: ‘The truth is that I’m focused on the situation we’re in.

‘I have a lot of respect and affection for the club and I want to finish the season in the best way possible. We’ll see later but the most important thing now is to recover energy.’

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Tottenham’s interim manager Igor Tudor did not attend the post-match press conference following defeat to Nottingham Forest on Sunday as he was informed of a family bereavement.

Spurs were beaten 3-0 by Forest in north London, with goals from Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi.

The result sees Nottingham Forest climb above Tottenham, leaving Spurs in 17th, just one point and one place above West Ham, who lost at Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.

While it was a disappointing result, football will seem insignificant for the Tottenham boss after the sad news he received about an immediate family member.

Posting on X shortly after the game, football.london’s Alasdair Gold wrote: ‘Igor Tudor will not be undertaking post-match media duties as he has just been informed of an immediate family bereavement.’

Bruno Saltor, Spurs’ assistant coach, handled media duties in Tudor’s absence, explaining: ‘It’s a personal family issue and obviously it’s a difficult moment for him and we’re just trying to support the best way we can.’

Asked when Tudor learned of the situation, he said: ‘I’m going to leave it there. As I said, it’s a personal matter.’

On the contest and crushing defeat, Saltor told the BBC: ‘If we focus on the result today, it’s a tough one to take. It’s a really difficult one.

‘If you focus on the last two games and the performance in the first half today, we were much better. But small details are going against us right now. The key is how we can be consistent with our performances throughout the 90 minutes.

‘The players care and they get affected. We need to be stronger than that. We need to be focussed on what we want to do. We need to keep improving and getting better.

‘We are in a relegation battle. Everyone knows. We are conscious of it. The players, they know. The most important thing is to be together. The fans showed they were next to us. From the start to the finish, they were outstanding. We felt the support. For us, we need to be stay connected.

‘We need to get even closer when there are problems like a family. That’s the message.

‘Still 21 points to play for. We have shown we can compete against any team. We need to keep improving and getting better to get those points.’

After a huge three points for his side, Forest boss Vitor Pereira told the BBC: ‘We started with a good level. But after 15-20 minutes, we started to lose a lot of possession, second balls and duels. We conceded a lot of set-pieces. We suffered until half-time.

‘In the second half, I asked them to be themselves and play at our level. I asked them to play the same way we started the game and told them something will happen. And I am happy that they played with personality and organisation. It was an important win.

‘I have a team that have the quality to play with the ball. But it’s difficult to play in our way if you lose the ball often. Tottenham were very aggressive in the duels. It was not our intention to defend but they pushed us.’

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