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Tottenham Hotspur’s opening game of the 2024/25 season is coming up on Monday night, and pundit Mark Lawrenson reckons the Lilywhites will bag a fairly comfortable win against Leicester City.

Dominic Solanke is the key

The King Power Stadium will host the fixture between the two sides, as the newly-promoted Foxes deal with injury issues and a managerial change.

Spurs, meanwhile, have new players to bed in, but one of those new signings could be the key to their success, according to Lawrenson.

In his regular column for Paddy Power, Lawrenson said: “I’m going to go for a big 3-0 win for Tottenham. I like the manager Ange Postecoglou, he’s a breath of fresh air, and I was shouting for him to go and manage Liverpool when Jurgen Klopp announced he was going.

“I love the way he plays and he takes no s**t. They’ve signed Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth… He’s a goal scorer and he’s from near London so I would think, looking at Tottenham now, they’re a much better bet to finish higher up the league than this time last year.

“Ange is a players’ manager. He is what he is, if he’s made a mistake he says so. I know one or two people at the club and they say the players absolutely love him. He’s like their mate, but he’s not their best mate which is a really good way of running things. Solanke will get enough chances to be a success.

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As for Leicester, Lawrenson added: “Leicester are struggling for strikers and defensively they were ordinary in the Championship, which you can be and still get promoted.”

Leicester will want a repeat result

Leicester may be the underdogs for the upcoming tie, but they did demolish Spurs the last time the two sides met. A 4-1 home win came for the Foxes in February 2023, just months before they were relegated.

The proposition is far different now, though, with Postecoglou in a strong position and Leicester needing to settle in the Premier League again.

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I think we can get a 3-0 win, too, to be honest. We might concede a goal, given our propensity for attacking football that can leave us exposed, but Leicester are missing some key forwards that could really give us an extra advantage.

Tottenham have taken a youth-focused approach to the transfer market this summer with Archie Gray being one of the brightest recruits. Reports from inside the club suggest that the teenager has taken little time to impress.

Spurs forked out £40m for Gray this summer

Following his debut season in charge of Tottenham Hotspur, Ange Postecoglou has utilised this summer to implement his own style upon his squad, chopping many fringe players out of his side and introducing many exciting young talents.

One of the most exciting is 18-year-old versatile midfielder, Archie Gray, who Tottenham paid £30 million plus Joe Rodon to sign from Leeds United, beating off widespread interest in the star who lit up the Championship whilst still a teenager. (BBC Sport)

Gray appears to have immediately found himself at home in North London, featuring heavily in the club’s media as well as being handed plenty of minutes in pre-season by Ange Postecoglou.

People at Spurs have ‘gushed’ over Gray’s talent

The former Leeds United midfielder appears to have taken very little time to make an impact at his new club, with Charlie Eccleshare relaying that fact to the Last Word On Spurs podcast.

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Eccleshare said: “It makes the club a more attractive place to go to for young players, Archie Gray, the last year or so, everyone I have spoken to about him has just gushed about how good he is and how good he could be. He’s definitely a really exciting one.”

Yves Bissouma’s recent shock suspension by the Australian manager may well have opened the door for Gray too.

The Malian midfielder was removed from selection by Postecoglou after a video emerged of the midfielder inhaling laughing gas, increasing Gray’s chances of starting Spurs’ Premier League opener against Leicester on Monday. (Evening Standard)

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Archie Gray is one of the talents within the Spurs squad that I am most desperate to see given a chance. Having kept a keen eye on the teenager whilst he was playing with Leeds United in the Championship, I was consistently impressed by his maturity and composure on the ball at such a tender age.

Although the Bissouma situation is aggravating for all parties involved, it can offer Gray the perfect opportunity that he may have, under typical circumstances, had to wait a lot longer to receive.

But, if Gray’s attitude and performances with Leeds United were anything to go by last year, the teenager will thrive under the pressure. Gray is no stranger to pressure, the midfielder/ defender was involved in one of the tensest Championship promotion fights in living memory last season and displayed experience and an attitude way beyond his years.

Tottenham Hotspur start their 2024/25 Premier League campaign with a trip to Leicester City on Monday night as they look to make another fast start under Ange Postecoglou.

Who will start for Tottenham vs Leicester?

We believe that Guglielmo Vicario will take up his normal position between the sticks, although Brandon Austin may be needed on the bench as Fraser Forster is not yet at full fitness.

Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie both start in the inverted full-back roles, with the latter only having around 45 minutes under his belt in pre-season.

Micky Van de Ven and Cristian Romero arrived back late from international duty at the European Championships and Copa America respectively but are ready to start the opening match.

With Yves Bissouma suspended, Rodrigo Bentancur comes into the pivot role, with Pape Matar Sarr and James Maddison on either side of him.

Up front, Dominic Solanke makes his Tottenham debut, with Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski on the wings. Brennan Johnson drops down to the bench for the first game of the season.

Tottenham predicted XI against Leicester

According to HITC, Tottenham Hotspur are among a host of Premier League clubs exploring a move for Norwegian midfield starlet Jens Hjerto-Dahl.

Tottenham are investing in youth

Spurs have added a number of talented young players to their squad this summer, with Archie Gray, Yang Min-hyuk and most recently, Wilson Odobert, arriving through the door.

In addition, Lucas Bergvall, who Tottenham completed a deal for back in January, has also linked up with Ange Postecoglou’s squad.

It now turns out that Spurs are eyeing yet another talented 18-year-old, with Hjerto-Dahl alleged to be on the Lilywhites’ radar.

Tottenham are interested in Hjerto-Dahl

HITC make it clear, however, that the Lilywhites are far from the only club interested in the Tromso star, who is also thought to be wanted by Liverpool, Aston Villa, Everton, and Fulham.

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The report adds that several of these clubs have sent scouts to Norway over recent months to watch the 6ft 4 midfielder in action, with an exit drawing closer for the youngster.

The publication reveals that the interest in the teenager is now mounting, with Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Stuttgart, Sevilla, Valencia and Monaco also checking in on the player.

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With Tottenham having settled for a relatively cheap winger option in Wilson Odobert, one would expect the Lilywhites to be willing to shell out a decent amount on a Premier League-proven, top-class number eight, instead of signing another young prospect.

However, you never know, Tottenham may look to sign young and loan them back out for a season again.

Football Insider claim that Celtic starlet Daniel Kelly has rejected Tottenham’s advances and has decided to join Millwall instead ahead of the new season.

Tottenham have been busy in the transfer market

Spurs have secured a number of talented young players recently, with Lucas Bergvall, Yang Min-hyuk and Archie Gray arriving through the door at Hotspur Way.

According to Football Insider, the Lilywhites also tried to poach another talented young 18-year-old from Scotland but their efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful.

Kelly, who enjoyed a breakout season at Celtic last term, making 28 appearances for Brendan Rodgers’ men, was allegedly sought-after by both Spurs and German champions Bayer Leverkusen.

Daniel Kelly chooses Millwall over Tottenham

However, the report says that the teenager has snubbed the Premier League side as well as the Bundesliga outfit, deciding to sign with Millwall instead.

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The report explains that the central midfielder did this to ensure a quicker pathway to the first-team, with the Scotland Under-19 international hoping to make a mark in the Championship this season.

Kelly will link up with former Tottenham defender, Japhet Tanganga, this season after the centre-back left Spurs on a free to join Millwall.

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Postecoglou will have likely had some input on Tottenham’s pursuit of Kelly as the Australian would have been aware of the young midfielder from his time at Celtic.

Spurs will likely keep a close eye on the 18-year-old’s progress over the next 12 months ahead of a potential move next summer.

Tottenham Hotspur may yet be able to pull off one of the biggest shocks of the summer, if they manage to sign a player who had already technically joined another club just last week.

Conor Gallagher rumours resurface

Somehow, despite posing for photos in an Atletico Madrid kit, having a medical, and signing a contract with the Spanish club, Conor Gallagher is still a Chelsea player. And, there’s still a chance he could join Spurs after all.

That’s according to journalist James Olley, who claims Spurs chairman Daniel Levy could be playing the ultimate long game, and may yet pull off a mastermind move in the transfer market.

Speaking to ESPN about Gallagher’s situation, Olley said: “The Conor Gallagher thing is interesting, they have been linked and they have been looking at him for a long time. Every time a club has gone in, Aston Villa have gone in and Atletico Madrid are in now, Tottenham haven’t tried to seriously challenge them.

“Whether Daniel Levy is playing the ultimate game of brinkmanship here and waiting for it to really go down to the wire to get him for a cut price, that could be a masterstroke, I’d say it’s odds against at the moment, but with Daniel Levy, you can never rule anything out.”

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Gallagher saga continues

Due to complications in the Joao Felix to Chelsea deal, the Blues have pulled the plug on Gallagher’s move to Madrid. As such, it is thought Premier League clubs are now being offered the chance to sign the midfielder (CaughtOffside relayed by Football Transfers).

Apparently, Spurs never even made a formal offer for Gallagher throughout this summer (Telegraph). It is thought the Lilywhites were hoping to wait a year and sign the England international on a free transfer instead (Fabrizio Romano).

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I don’t think anyone could have predicted what has happened with Gallagher’s move to Atletico Madrid, but we can certainly try to benefit from it in some way. Of course, he could still very much end up at Atletico, with talks still progressing.

I still don’t think he’s the right player for what we need to be honest, but he’s still a quality midfielder who we might be able to get for a heavily reduced fee.

Ouest-France have claimed that Tottenham Hotspur are continuing to consider a late move for Lille striker Jonathan David, whose future at Lille is up in the air.

Tottenham already have Solanke and Richarlison

Spurs have added more firepower to their frontline with the addition of Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth, with the striker arriving in a club-record £65m deal last week.

Ange Posteocglou subsequently confirmed that the club have no plans to offload Richarlison, adding that he sees the Brazilian as an important member of the squad (Football.London).

However, this has not stopped speculation linking other strikers with a move to Spurs, with Ouest-France now stating that David remains on the Lilywhites’ radar.

Tottenham still want Jonathan David

In fact, the report asserts that Tottenham remain ‘very interested’ in signing the Canadian international, who is down to the final year of his contract at Lille.

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However, with time running out the window, the report asserts that the Premier League side would have to ‘work hard’ to get the deal for the former Gent man over the line.

Tottenham kick off their Premier League season against Leicester City on Monday.

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Barring a surprise late sale of Richarlision, there is no chance of Tottenham moving for another number nine this window.

Links with Jonathan David also seem to happen every single window without any actual bid.

Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer activity is not over yet, it seems, and they may end up trying to sign a right-back before the window closes later this month.

Vanderson is still a target for Spurs

It emerged this week that Djed Spence would be retained by Spurs as competition and cover for Pedro Porro, but it appears there is still a degree of doubt over the young full-back.

That’s according to GiveMeSport, who claim the Lilywhites are still closely monitoring Monaco’s Vanderson with a view to making a move for the Brazilian this month.

Apparently, Spurs are not ruling out attempting to sign another right-back, as they still have some concerns over whether Spence can deliver what they need from a deputy to Porro.

Tottenham have played down the idea of any interest in Vanderson, but it is thought Ange Postecoglou is still very much considering pushing for the club to swoop for the Monaco man later in the transfer window.

It seems Spurs may want to test Monaco’s resolve with a late bid, and they regard Vanderson as the ideal candidate to replace Emerson Royal, who joined AC Milan this week.

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Djed Spence given a second chance

This is all contrary to a report from Football.London this week that suggested any rumours linking Spurs with another right-back were ‘wide of the mark’ and that Postecoglou was happy with his options in that area.

That report also revealed Spence had been given a chance to prove himself this season and would be given opportunities to get minutes in the first-team as backup to Porro, after impressing during pre-season.

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The only reason I can think of to explain us signing Vanderson this summer would be that Postecoglou views Spence as more of a left-back now, and Vanderson would then become the new second-choice right-back.

The new Premier League season is upon us, and with it comes a slew of predictions from fans and pundits alike. Now, we know where Jamie Carragher believes Tottenham will finish in the 2024/25 campaign, and it’s an improvement on last year.

Spurs can push on this season

Tottenham finished fifth in Ange Postecoglou‘s first season in charge. Considering the dismal performances from the season previous, and the fact Harry Kane had moved on, it wasn’t a bad first year for the new Spurs boss.

Now, with the squad more accustomed to his style of play, new players brought in, and a number of fringe players moving on, the Tottenham squad is in a better place all around.

So, it figures then that Jamie Carragher has got Spurs down to improve this season, albeit by just one spot.

The Sky Sports pundit revealed his predictions for the top six in the Premier League this season, and put Manchester City top, with Arsenal second, Liverpool third, and Tottenham in fourth. Manchester United and Aston Villa round out the European places.

While Carragher reeled off the top three pretty quickly, he deliberated for a second or two on naming Spurs in fourth, which suggests the race for Champions League football will be close again this season.

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Postecoglou has one target

That fourth-placed finish may not be enough for Postecoglou’s high standards, though. He told Men In Blazers recently that he was not happy that Spurs finished 20 points behind City and Arsenal last season and that his main objective this year is to close that gap.

Postecoglou also reiterated that winning trophies is the ultimate goal with Tottenham.

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I think you’d have to be fairly happy with a top-four finish this season as it would represent good progress.

For me, there’s no reason why we can’t finish above Liverpool, too, as they are in a period of transition now under a new manager. However, the key is, we need to win a trophy somewhere this year.

The Telegraph have revealed that Archie Gray was initially not considered a priority signing by Tottenham for this summer, but the club changed their mind.

Tottenham are excited about Archie Gray

There is certainly a lot of excitement at Spurs about Gray’s potential, with the youngster arriving at the North London club with a big reputation.

The 18-year-old caught the eye with his versatility, composure, technical quality and athleticism during his breakthrough season at Leeds.

Spurs fans will be hoping that Ange Postecoglou is the man to bring the best out of the youngster, who some view as a generational talent.

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Brentford pushed Spurs into a Gray deal

It has now been revealed by The Telegraph that while the Lilywhites were fans of Gray, they had initially not identified him as one of their top targets for this window.

However, Tottenham then allegedly caught a whiff of the fact that the teenager was going to join Brentford and quickly made their move to secure the midfielder’s services.

So, Spurs fans may have Brentford to thank if Gray has a superb season under Postecoglou.

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Transfer targets have to be a little fluid based on market dynamics.

Spurs might have initially not expected Gray to be on the market this summer, but they clearly did not want to see another Premier League club picking up such an exciting talent over them.