Daily Mail

Tottenham may still bid for Eberechi Eze this summer despite also showing interest in Manchester City winger Savinho.

Eze has a release clause of about £68million in his contract although there have been suggestions that this agreement was due to expire at some time in August, leaving Crystal Palace free to set their own valuation.

The 27-year-old has two more years left on his contract at Selhurst Park but Palace anticipate offers before the window closes.

Eze has admirers at both Tottenham and Arsenal – and that creates a possible game of cat-and-mouse between the great north London rivals.

While both like Eze, neither would want to bid publicly for the player if there was a risk he could reject them in favour of joining the other. Both clubs will compete in the Champions League this season.

Mail Sport has already reported that Arsenal will have to make significant sales if they are to fund a move for Eze.

His £68m release clause is understood to expire two weeks before the window closes on September 1, leaving Palace free to demande even more money for him if they wish.

The Gunners have already signed Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Cristhian Mosquera for almost £200m in total.

Players such as Reiss Nelson, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fabio Vieira, and Albert Sambi Lokonga are all on the chopping block.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have shelled out around £126m on Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso, Luka Vuskovic, Kota Takai, and Joao Palhinha, the latter with a loan fee.

They are also looking to negotiate a shock move for Savinho but Manchester City would demand significantly more than £50m for the Brazilian winger to leave.

The two clubs have discussed a potential deal, although City are not set on selling a player who featured in 48 matches during his debut campaign in England.

Savinho joined City from sister club Troyes – via a loan deal at Girona – for £31m last summer, scoring three goals and recording 10 assists in all competitions.

Crystal Palace beat Liverpool on penalties on Sunday to lift the Community Shield and chairman Steve Parish whether he wanted Eze and Marc Guehi – another Spurs target – to stay.

Parish said: ‘Yeah of course, but listen, players come and go in football clubs. I mean it’s a life cycle isn’t it? Hopefully they’ll still be here, that’s what I’d like. But we’ll see.’

After Liverpool and Palace drew 2-2, the game was decided on spot-kicks for the third year running, and though Eze missed his, Palace went on to win thanks to a pair of saves from Dean Henderson.

Palace subsequently made their way up the 107 steps of the trophy presentation route to celebrate their success, but questions immediately turned to the future of their star man.

As the England international made his way down the stairs, a fan questioned him on the speculation surrounding a potential move to the Emirates.

Eze briefly made eye contact with the supporter in question before appearing to crack a smile at the remark as he walked away.

The apparent gesture led to some fans on social media insisting that Eze will be making his way to north London this summer to join Mikel Arteta's side.

Tottenham are believed to have began discussions with Manchester City over the recruitment of Savinho as the north London club plot their next move in the transfer window, according to reports.

The Europa League champions were quick to change their manager in the aftermath of a decidedly mixed season that saw them win European honours but finish 17th in the Premier League, trading Ange Postecoglou for Brentford head coach Thomas Frank.

But their transfer business has given some fans pause, with only a handful of deals done over the summer so far after securing standout forward target Mohammed Kudus from West Ham.

Spurs were thwarted in their pursuit of Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White, with the Tricky Trees threatening to report their rivals for an allegedly 'illegal' approach after Tottenham activated the attacking midfielder's £60million release clause.

Frank's side have also lost a number of key figures, with talismanic captain Son Heung-min moving to LAFC, and James Maddison suffering an ACL injury which will keep him out for much of the season.

But with just under a month left of the window, Tottenham appear to be primed to restart their bid to bolster their attacking ranks.

As per Fabrizio Romano, the two Premier League clubs are believed to be in negotiations over the winger, who arrived at the Etihad just one season ago.

Frank is thought to see Savinho as an ideal player for his vision for his new club, and the Brazil star is believed to be open to a move south should the opportunity arise.

The 21-year-old has been part of the City Football Group eco-system for over three years, with the attacked bought from Atletico Mineiro by City's sister club Troyes in 2022.

Savinho then cut his teeth at PSV Eindhoven before a formative loan move to fellow City Football Group club Girona, where he played a key role in their title-chasing 2023-24 season.

The player's move to jewel in the organisation's crown came amid a hail of fanfare last July, and Savinho ended the season having made 48 appearances under Pep Guardiola throughout the club's challenging 2024-25 season.

Before Tottenham's move for the star, there were few suggestions Man City were keen to offload Savinho, with the player featuring in their Club World Cup campaign - and scoring a goal and registering an additional assist in the United States.

In the wake of Maddison's ACL injury, Tottenham have also been keeping tabs on Como star Nico Paz.

New Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has wasted little time in putting his mark on the club's training ground.

Inside Sport understands that a new Padel court is currently being installed at the state-of-the-art facility in Enfield.

Frank is a keen Padel player and earlier this year dispatched Daily Mail Sport's Oliver Holt and a friend 6-0, 6-0 in a doubles match while he was at Brentford, where there was a similar set-up.

In 2019 it was revealed that Spurs had installed a putting green at the complex, with former striker Harry Kane among a group of keen golfers at the club.

FOREST LAWYER UP

Nottingham Forest sent five lawyers to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after Crystal Palace included both them and Lyon in their appeal against UEFA's decision to demote the Eagles from the Europa League to the Conference League.

Palace are attempting to replace either Forest, who were effectively promoted to take their spot, or Lyon.

The French side are owned by John Textor, whose company also held a 43 per cent stake in Palace which UEFA deemed was a breach of its rules on multi-club ownership.

They took the one slot on offer to MCOs because they finished higher in their domestic league than FA Cup winners Palace.

The Eagles have thrown the kitchen sink at overturning what they believe was an unjust decision, and both Forest and Lyon, who were also represented, could claim for legal expenses.

A verdict, following a gruelling 10-hour hearing on Friday is due on Monday.

RUSSIAN ATHLETICS BRACED FOR CHANGE

Russian Athletics is obviously anticipating big progress in the Trump and Putin peace talks.

The body has suddenly invited international media to their National Championships in Kazan and has talked optimistically about a return to international competition.

However, Lord Sebastian Coe and the council at World Athletics will not make a call during the World Championships in Tokyo next month.

Inside Sport understands that realistically only Russian youth and women athletes will be considered for immediate international athletics events - and that any such decision will only be made after a ceasefire in Ukraine. Next year is most likely.

APP TAKES RIO'S FANCY

Rio Ferdinand continues to spread his portfolio post-football.

The former Manchester United and England defender, who Daily Mail Sport revealed was to leave TNT Sports at the end of last season, is backing a new sports app called Koora Break, which has recently partnered with national Saudi Arabian airline Saudia and will provide in-flight content.

Ferdinand himself has appeared on the App, interviewing Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

UNITED CHIEF SPEEDS OFF TO NEW ROLE

Another off-field departure at Manchester United, where head of corporate comms Michael Gibson is off to a new sport.

Gibson has landed a role in MotoGP, the grand prix of motorcycling where he will lead their global comms strategy.

Before arriving at Old Trafford in 2022 he previously worked on the 2019 Cricket World Cup and Rugby League World Cup three years later.

Gibson's move follows the decision by Andrew Ward to leave as director of media relations and public affairs at the club, which continues to change rapidly on and off the field following the arrival Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos as co-owners.

SALMON IN HOT WATER

Choppy waters for Swim England chief executive Andy Salmon, who has made a number of redundancies and stated that more are on their way.

Staff have been left with a bitter taste, to say the least, after Salmon cancelled the annual team conference and Christmas Party - but failed to do the same to a three-day team building trip to Wales this month, for him and senior leadership.

When challenged on how he could justify what some see as a jolly on the back of such cuts, he is said to have claimed it was a vitally important trip and something which could not be done at HQ in Loughborough.

Morale among staff is said to be at ‘an all-time low’ according to an insider.

Tottenham have had a bid of £34.5million rejected for a talented Como youngster.

As reported by Sky Sport Italia, Thomas Frank's side made the offer for midfielder Nico Paz.

Como boss Cesc Fabregas is eager to keep hold of Paz, who has also been linked with a return to Real Madrid.

Paz progressed through the youth ranks at Real Madrid and the Spanish club have a 50 per cent sell-on clause as well as several buy-back options.

Como emphatically rejected Tottenham's offer for Paz and it is believed that they want a fee of closer to £60million for the 20-year-old.

Paz made eight senior appearances for Real Madrid and the Spanish club have the option to re-sign him for just £7.8million until June 30, 2026 and £8.6million the following year.

In addition, Real also have a 50 per cent sell-on clause for future deals involving Paz.

Real previously decided not to re-sign Paz this summer but a decision has yet to be made regarding a potential future purchase.

A talented creative player who mainly operates as an attacking midfielder, Paz is also capable of playing as a striker or a winger.

Last season Paz made 35 appearances for Como across all competitions and scored six goals, while he provided nine assists.

He has been capped by Argentina at senior level on three occasions.

Tottenham midfielder James Maddison is expected to miss the majority of the rest of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Maddison suffered a blow to the knee during the pre-season friendly against Newcastle last week.

James Maddison is expected to miss almost the entirety of the new Premier League season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The Spurs playmaker, who was forced off on a stretcher after suffering a nasty blow to the knee during Tottenham's pre-season clash with Newcastle last week, will now undergo surgery and begin his lengthy recovery.

Maddison, 28, suffered the injury during an innocuous challenge and Frank confirmed it was sustained to the same knee he had injured last season, a setback which saw him miss the Europa League final win against Manchester United.

He underwent several tests after arriving back in the UK, and the club's initial fears that he had damaged his cruciate ligament have been realised.

It presents a nightmare for new Spurs boss Thomas Frank, who will now be without the influential midfielder for large portions of the campaign.

A Spurs statement read: 'We can confirm that James Maddison will undergo surgery for a ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee.

'The 28-year-old midfielder suffered the injury during our pre-season friendly against Newcastle United on Sunday in Seoul.

'His surgery will take place in the coming days and, following that, James will then begin his rehabilitation with our medical team.

'Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur wishes James a full and speedy recovery. We will be supporting him every step of the way.'

Maddison collapsed to the pitch in agony after rupturing the ligament and his team-mates were visibly distressed while he received treatment from club physios. He was then taken away on a stretcher and had his head buried in his hands.

The England international is then said to have departed the stadium on crutches.

Recovery from the procedure will keep him on the treatment table for several months, but a definitive timeframe has not been confirmed by Spurs.

Frank revealed after the friendly draw with Newcastle that it was a 'bad injury', which cruelly came shortly after Maddison had returned to match fitness.

'I think sometimes life and football can be brutal, but also sometimes very beautiful,' said Frank. 'So I think it was brutal in what happened to Madders. It looks like a bad injury. Of course we don't know exactly the status on it. It didn't look good.'

The hammer blow could force Spurs to turn to the transfer market again, despite them already swooping for Mohammed Kudus from West Ham in a £55million deal.

Spurs also missed out on Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White despite seemingly triggering a release clause. Forest reacted furiously and threatened legal action - and a complaint to the Premier League - over an alleged illegal approach over the player.

Dejan Kulusevski has been ruled out for the start of the season, too, after undergoing knee surgery in May, leaving Frank desperate for creative options.

Maddison scored 12 goals in 45 appearances for Spurs last season, and a damning statistic has revealed just how much they struggle in his absence.

According to Opta, Spurs have won 51 per cent of their top-flight matches with Maddison in the side (24/47) over the past two seasons, compared to just 24 per cent (7/29) without him.

Son Heung-min openly admitted Los Angeles FC were not his first choice destination after deciding to bring his 10-year chapter at Tottenham to an emotional close.

The 33-year-old was officially unveiled by his new side on Wednesday after completing a move worth over £20million - a record fee paid by an MLS club.

It was no secret that he was on his way this summer, and he was spotted in the stands during LAFC's 2-1 win against Tigres the day before the announcement.

Speaking at his introductory press conference in Los Angeles, South Korean legend Son revealed he had to be persuaded to make the move to the United States, before a conversation led to him 'changing his heart' and signing an initial two-year deal.

'They've been absolutely working so hard to get me here to join LAFC,' Son said.

'If I'm honest, it was not my first choice but John [Thorrington, LAFC general manager] was the first call when the season finished and John changed my mind.

'He changed my heart.

'I'm so happy to see all the Korean fans, I was at the game and I saw you supporting like crazy and I wanted to run on the pitch and show my performance.

'I'm here to win and I will perform.

'I will definitely show you something exciting in… are we calling it football or soccer? I will definitely show you some exciting football, and we will have success.'

Son went on to describe the impact his decision to leave Spurs took, recalling feeling 'very empty' after walking away from the club for which he scored 173 goals.

'I felt like I gave it all, but I felt like I needed a new challenge and I chose LAFC,' he added. 'I'm old, but I still have good physicality and I still have good quality.'

Earlier, a teary Son had issued a heartfelt message to Tottenham supporters.

'How to find the right words for this? I don't know. I have been thinking for days. It's impossible. But here I go,' Son wrote.

'It's time for me to say goodbye to Tottenham. My home for the past decade. When I arrived in 2015, I didn't speak English, I didn't know London, but you welcomed me with open arms, believed in me, and stood by me through every high and low.

'I was just a boy from Korea with big dreams who was supposed to have no chance. And now, 10 years later, North London is in my heart forever.

'I've made friends for life here, had the honour of becoming a godfather here, and had the privilege of captaining our special club here. I've poured my heart and soul into this club, which makes this the hardest decision ever.

'I thought if I was ever going to leave, it would have to be on my terms, on the best terms, when our mission had been accomplished together.

'With pride and honour.'

Son will reunite with former Spurs team-mate Hugo Lloris at LAFC.

The Los Angeles side topped the Western Conference last season, but lost to Seattle Sounders in the playoffs before LA Galaxy won the MLS Cup.

Tottenham Hotspur officially confirmed the departure of club legend Son Heung-min on Wednesday evening by sharing a video of the 33-year-old saying goodbye.

The video — which was posted via social media and captioned: 'Dear Spurs fans... Sonny's letter to you' — was accompanied by sombre music.

It began with Son sitting down in front of a camera and saying: 'Dear Spurs fans, you're always in my pictures. Every time I celebrate I make a memory of you. It's our moment. I make the frame, so I don't forget.'

This was a reference to Son's trademark goal celebration, which sees him mime taking a photo. It is a celebration Tottenham supporters have seen a lot, considering Son has netted 173 goals since joining the club from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015.

Son continued: 'You welcomed me to north London, you watched me grow. Beautiful moments; the Golden Boot, the Puskas award... you were there. When I suffered you were still there. You stayed with me and I stayed with you.

'I never imagined captaining this team, but I always dreamed that I would win something for you. We won the Europa League, and you all deserve it. Thank you for these years. Keep every picture. You were always in the frame. Thank you so much, love Sonny.'

Moments after posting the video, Spurs uploaded a 419-word statement on their official club website.

It began: 'The Club can confirm the permanent transfer of Heung-Min Son to LAFC.

'Sonny, 33, arrived at Tottenham Hotspur a decade ago - in August, 2015 - and has since established himself as one of the Club's all-time greats. The South Korea international went on to make 454 appearances in Lilywhite, scoring 173 goals, the fifth-highest tally in our history.

'Appointed captain in 2023, there have been countless memorable moments for Sonny on the pitch during his decade at the Club. In April, 2019, he etched his name into the history books with the first official goal at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and later that same season was an integral member of the first Spurs side to reach a Champions League final, scoring important goals in the round of 16 and quarter-final.

'Sonny won the FIFA Puskas Award in 2020 for an extraordinary solo goal against Burnley, which saw him dribble the length of the pitch before finding the net. Both a scorer of great goals and a great goalscorer, he added to his personal accolades in 2021/22, receiving the Premier League Golden Boot for his 23-goal return in the division.

'During his time at the Club, Sonny also became the highest-scoring Asian player in Premier League history and, in addition to leading South Korea to Asian Games success in 2018, has been named 'Best Footballer in Asia' a record nine times.

'Sonny's greatest achievement in our colours came in May, 2025, as he led the Club to UEFA Europa League glory in Bilbao. By doing so, he wrote his name into Spurs folklore, becoming one of 13 captains in our history to lift a major trophy.'

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was quoted as saying: 'Sonny is one of the greatest players to ever wear the famous Lilywhite shirt and he has been a joy to watch over the past decade. Not only is he a wonderfully gifted footballer, but he's also an incredible human being who has touched hearts and inspired people throughout the Club and all over the world.

'The Europa League triumph in Bilbao was a truly magical moment in the Club's history and Sonny lifting the trophy is a perfect lasting memory from his fantastic decade at Tottenham Hotspur.

'Sonny has given so much to this Club, both on and off the pitch, and for that we are forever grateful. We wish him all the best for the future, and he will always be welcome back at the Club as a beloved and cherished member of our Spurs family.'

Spurs later posted a video of Son's final interview before his move to LAFC. In it he said: 'It's hard to talk because I don't know where to start...

'I grew up in tough places. I came here… one thing was clear, you know, I wanted to give my all. So, as a kid, when I started football, this was always in my head, because performance-wise, I think it could be ups and downs, ups and downs, but I give it my all. I think you can do it every single time. So, this is me and this is how I train, this is how I learned from my parents.

'I came to north London 10 years ago. I was very nervous, to be honest. Before I joined Spurs, I was very young, and having sessions with some teams in England, and it was quite difficult because I couldn't speak English and it felt like everybody just wasn't having me, so I didn't have really good memories in the UK, if I'm honest. But when I went to White Hart Lane - obviously it was still White Hart Lane when I joined - when I walked in, everybody just welcomed me to north London. I had a special feeling, but afterwards I had to do the English interview, so I was quite a bit nervous because I couldn't speak English! I still remember that I just said, 'I'm happy to be here', and I was just so excited.

'I made a brave decision because it was the Premier League and Spurs and (hoping) that everything would come together. Obviously, the fear was still there, but I just wanted to make my fear not exist. My dream was to play in the Premier League, you know, and do whatever I could, try to be the best player in the world. That decision was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Son's £20million-plus move to LAFC makes him the most expensive player in MLS history.

It was no secret that the 33-year-old was on his way this summer. Indeed, he had already been spotted in the stands during LAFC's 2-1 win over Tigres on Tuesday.

Speaking last week before his final appearance for Spurs in a pre-season friendly in his native South Korea, Son broke into tears at a press conference as he declared: 'I have decided to leave the club this summer. Respectfully the club is helping me with this decision.

'It was the most difficult decision I have made in my career. Such amazing memories. It was so hard to make the decision.

'I came to north London as a kid - a very young age, a young boy came to London who even didn't speak English. Leaving this club as a grown man is a very, very proud moment.'

Son will reunite with former Spurs team-mate Hugo Lloris at LAFC.

The Los Angeles side topped the Western Conference last season, but lost to Seattle Sounders in the playoffs before city rivals LA Galaxy won the MLS Cup.

Liverpool are set to successfully defend their Premier League title on the back of a summer of heavy spending.

That's according to Opta's supercomputer, who have given Arne Slot's side a 28.5 per cent chance of winning the title for a third time and a second consecutive season under the Dutchman.

The Reds have taken the opportunity of the summer transfer window to invest heavily in their squad, with the likes of Hugo Ekitike (£79m), Florian Wirtz (£116m) and Milos Kerkez (£40m) among the arrivals so far.

Elsewhere, Jeremie Frimpong (£29.5m) and Giorgi Mamardashvili (£29m) have also joined, while the champions maintain interest in Alexander Isak, who has told Newcastle he is interested in leaving but would again cost well north of £100m.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are expected to be their closest competitors. The Gunners are given a 24.2 per cent chance of finally winning their first title since 2004.

It would be a repeat of last season's table if the supercomputer predictions come to fruition, with Manchester City given an 18.8 per cent chance of returning to the top of the tree - the third most-likely side.

Interestingly, though, first place is the most likely finish for all three sides. While Liverpool are given 19.5 per cent chance of coming second and 14.2 per cent chance of finishing third, Arsenal have 18.7 per cent chance of repeating their second place finish again and 14.7 per cent chance of coming third.

City, who have also invested heavily this summer, are given 17.3 per cent chance of coming second and 14.1 per cent chance of finishing third.

Overall, the three top sides are adjudged to have 72.7 per cent, 68.5 per cent and 62 per cent chance respectively of qualifying for the Champions League, and that will increase by 7.6 per cent, 8.6 per cent and 9.2 per cent chance respectively if the Premier League secures a fifth qualifying spot again.

Predicted to finish fourth, meanwhile, is Chelsea. That again would be a repeat of last season, with Enzo Maresca's men given 8.4 per cent chance of winning the league, 10.4 per cent of coming second, 10.6 per cent of finishing third and 10.9 per cent of a fourth-place finish.

At the other end of the table, City are in fact given 0.2 per cent chance of getting relegated, but the three promoted teams are the favourites.

With Burnley backed to come 18th, they are given 45.9 per cent chance of going down - the lowest of the three sides. Leeds are adjudged to have 48 per cent chance of going down, while Sunderland claim 66.4 per cent and are heavily tipped to finish last at 34.1 per cent.

Two teams who struggled last season were Tottenham and Manchester United, with the Red Devils finishing 15th and Spurs 17th, but getting the better of Ruben Amorim's men in the Europa League final.

According to the supercomputer, that will happen again. United are backed to finish 12th, with Spurs coming 14th under new boss Thomas Frank.

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United are given a 10.7 per cent chance of finishing in the top five next term despite their apparent improvements in pre-season. That increases to 20.5 per cent for a top-seven finish, and 40.3 per cent for the top half.

They are also given 11.1 per cent chance of getting relegated.

Tottenham, meanwhile, are given 9.2 per cent chance of a top-five finish, and that rises to 18 per cent in terms of a top-seven finish. They are given a 35.9 per cent chance of ending up in the top half, and 13.7 per cent chance of being relegated.

Elsewhere, Aston Villa are the team backed to finish fifth with a 38.1 per cent chance of reaching the top five, ahead of Newcastle in sixth and Crystal Palace in seventh ahead of rivals Brighton.

Making up the top half would be Bournemouth and Brentford, with Nottingham Forest 11th ahead of United.

The come Everton in 13th, Fulham in 15th and West Ham in 16, with Wolves occupying the final survival spot.

The architects of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium regretfully informed Daniel Levy there was no way he could have the glass roof he wanted. Not doable. Can’t happen. Got to be plastic.

Looking chuffed with himself, the Spurs chairman told Gary Neville how he wasn’t having it. How he had too much respect for Mother Earth to do that to her environment. How plastic goes yellow after five years, don’tcha know. How he refused to take no for an answer.

And so the impossible was made possible, because that is the legend of Levy, who has long been renowned for his ruthlessness in the shadows.

But then the construction of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – magnificent as it is – was not why supporters tuned in to hear from the elusive chap in the dark green polo sitting next to Gary Neville in Harry Kane’s old box.

They did not want to watch 35 minutes of backslapping fit for the Architectural Digest YouTube channel as Neville asked whether the floor they recycled from their old White Hart Lane site was concrete or resin, or what transfer beams were used, or how he navigated those roof negotiations.

They wanted word on that other glass ceiling of theirs, and we got to the good stuff eventually, after wading through the football regulator chat between Levy and Neville. It is an important issue, as is the ongoing impasse over a deal between the Premier League and EFL.

But then that dry topic would hardly have been the talk of The Bricklayers Arms over a Monday afternoon tipple. It would have been on their own club’s ambitions, on why Ange Postecoglou was sacked after winning the Europa League, on the selection of Thomas Frank as head coach to take them forward, on whether they are willing to spend as big as their counterparts.

They wanted to know whether Levy was ready to break through that barrier, 25 years into his time with Tottenham. Instead what they found was a man speaking with more passion about the buildings than the football.

Indeed when it suited, Levy seemed to distance himself from the footballing side entirely.

The club executive who started the interview by saying he never gets a summer because he is too busy with the transfer window insisted he has no clue why they have not been more successful.

He insisted he is not the one who ‘motivates the team’ or ‘picks the players’, with that responsibility falling on the manager he hires. He added they will support Frank ‘to the best of our ability’, but that they need some ‘luck’ if they are to take this team to the very top.

He insisted the fans’ pain is his pain and that he had to ignore the emotions of their Europa League triumph when sacking Postecoglou and study the ‘data points’ instead. That may not make it into a chant. ‘Data points, you’ll never sing that,’ does not have much of a ring to it.

What may rankle most with supporters, however, is being told that they will appreciate his work when he is no longer in charge. There was little attempt from Levy at winning over his critics in the here and now. Rather it was they won’t realise what they have got ’til it’s gone, as if Levy had been listening to Counting Crows on his way in for this cosy tour.

Look, Neville is no Paxman. He was never going to give Levy the grilling that he could have had.

He has spoken positively about the Tottenham chairman in the past, even bringing up in this interview how he once described him as the ‘best operator in football’ on Sky Sports. It was a great get by The Overlap in association with Sky Bet but somewhat sycophantic, with Levy presumably aware of the topics that would crop up.

My colleague, Riath Al-Samarrai, wrote an excellent column on Levy and Spurs in January, noting how only once in the last five seasons have Tottenham committed upwards of 47 per cent of their revenue on wages and that it is someway short of their Premier League counterparts. Levy was not challenged on that nearly enough for Spurs supporters' liking.

The interview was believed to have been filmed back in June, given we could see that the stadium was being set up for the 50 Cent gig on July 3. The reason for the delay between the filming and release is unknown, but that will explain why there was no tribute to Heung-min Son after the club captain announced he will be leaving Tottenham.

Finishing with them staring at the Europa League trophy, Levy spoke of wanting to take Tottenham to the next level. Talk is cheap, and you suspect this interview will not stop Spurs supporters from maintaining that Levy is too.

Tottenham forward Mathys Tel squandered a golden one-on-one opportunity during Spurs’ preseason clash with Newcastle on Sunday.

Thomas Frank’s side were held to a 1-1 draw in the final game of their Far East tour - a match that may poetically mark Son Heung-Min’s farewell appearance for the club, following his announced departure on Saturday in his homeland of South Korea.

Brennan Johnson scored Spurs' only goal of the game, opening the scoring within seven minutes, before Harvey Barnes pulled one back for Newcastle late in the first half.

Before that, Tel had a huge chance to double Spurs’ lead after being played in behind by Pedro Porro.

The French forward collected the ball near the halfway line and charged unopposed toward the Newcastle box.

As he entered the penalty area, he attempted a stepover feint to wrong-foot Nick Pope - but the goalkeeper read it easily, and Tel’s tame finish was saved without fuss.

Tottenham fans took to social media to lay into their striker, with many fearing that Tel's miss may be a sign of struggles to come next season. One supporter wrote on X: 'It is a preseason friendly but that was pretty dreadful!'

A second commented: 'Should have chipped it or gone around the keeper. Terrible decision making.'

A third asked: 'How does he not finish that? Gives you little confidence he's going to get any numbers again.'

Another said: 'That's why he is nowhere close to the required Premier League level. Million miles away from a top player.'

With their draw against Newcastle, Spurs extended their unbeaten preseason run, having recently beaten rivals Arsenal 1-0. Their other games yielded two draws - against Luton and Wycombe - and a win against Reading.

Frank's men face Bayern Munich in a preseason friendly at the Allianz Arena next Thursday, before squaring off against Paris Saint-Germain in the Super Cup final on August 13.

Their Premier League season then begins at home to Burnley just three days later.