The Spurs Web

The wait is nearly over as the Premier League gets back underway for the 2024/25 campaign this weekend. Tottenham Hotspur take on newly-promoted Leicester City, and we’ve got all the details you need to stay abreast of the action.

After a respectable fifth-place finish in the Premier League last year, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou will be hoping to improve in his sophomore season with the Lilywhites.

Meanwhile, Leicester City are back in the top flight after bouncing back from relegation in the 2022/23 campaign to win the Championship title last term.

Here’s all you need to know about the upcoming fixture.

When and where is the game?

Spurs travel to the King Power Stadium to start the season, and the game is being played on Monday night with an 8 pm kick-off.

That means you’ll have to sit tight and watch the rest of the Premier League fixtures unfold over the opening weekend before seeing how Postecoglou’s men fare in their opening game.

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How to watch Leicester vs Spurs

The game will be part of Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football programme, and will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.

You’ll need to be a Sky Sports customer to watch the game live. Tune in from 7 pm for pre-match build-up and discussion.

Team news

Spurs should have very few injury issues to worry about on Monday night, with Richarlison the only key player facing a fitness test ahead of the game.

The Brazilian striker has been out of action since May with a hamstring issue, and it is currently 50/50 whether he will be involved at all.

That may not be a problem for Spurs, though, as new signing Dominic Solanke could very well go straight into the starting lineup after making the switch from Bournemouth last weekend.

Fraser Forster is the only other injury on Tottenham’s list and it is still unknown when he will be back from his ankle issue.

We should not expect to see Sergio Reguilon or Giovani Lo Celso involved either, as the pair appear to be searching for moves away from Tottenham.

Leicester City will be without Jamie Vardy, Patson Daka, and Conor Coady who are all injured.

The Spurs Web prediction

We have to beat Leicester if we mean business this season, and it’ll be a good game to make a statement early on.

With the Foxes missing some key players and Spurs looking to be in decent form, I fancy us to win this one relatively comfortably, so I’ll go for a 3-0 Tottenham win.

With Spurs’ season kicking off in less than a week, fans and pundits alike will be pouring in their season expectations for their clubs. With plenty of outgoings and fresh faces to join Tottenham, the mentality and goal for silverware stays the same.

Each year, I have given friends and family a hashtag called the #DaleBookItGuarantee that works 100% of the time, 50% of the time. And while this year will be no different, I would like to bring it to the masses so we can follow along together.

Here are my 10 #DaleBookItGuarantees for the 2024-2025 Tottenham Hotspur season that you can take to the bank.#

Top Ten Tottenham Predictions

#1. Spurs will challenge for the league title and finish no worse than third

If you saw the past 2 preseason games against Bayern Munich, this one might have you rolling your eyes and moving on to the next article. But the style of play was only 50% of its full potential and Ange still doesn’t have all the players he wants. With another year of experience and more additions to the team (Gray, Bergvall, and Solanke), I think the club leaps last year’s result to put pressure on City and Arsenal for the top 3 spots.

#2. Spurs end the streak and finally bring home silverware

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With a stronger club with more depth that fits the style that Ange Postecoglou desires, he can create more lineups and more stylistic approaches to more meaningful games. From the Europa League to the EFL Cup, to the FA Cup, and even the Premier League, the Spurs will play more games. While the PL might be the largest stretch, I believe the others are definitely within grasp.

#3. Bergvall displaces James Maddison as the starting #10

This one has the highest probability of happening the fastest. Maddison’s form has fallen off a cliff since his mid-season injury and he has failed to reclaim that form. While Ange may give the senior player more leeway with starting minutes, I believe Bergvall’s fearless play and vision eventually takes control of the spot and never looks back.

#4. Heung-Min Son finishes the year with more goals and more assists than last year

Last year was a return to form for Sonny, with 17 goals and 10 assists in the first year of Ange ball (TransferMarkt). With the addition of Solanke and hopefully a fully fit Richarlison, there will be more chances to cross with success and with more dangerous targets in front of him, there should be more open lanes for him to take advantage of.

#5. Richarlison finishes with more G/As than Solanke.

While Solanke is the most high-profile signing of the transfer market for the Spurs, I think most people forget how good Richarlison was when he was healthy. In 30 games, Richy finished the year with 11 goals and 4 assists with not much service from the wingers or attacking midfielders. I believe with the confidence issue behind him, yes, he will have more competition, but I believe this will fuel him to his best season ever. Expect 20 goals from Brazil’s #9.

#6. WHEN Tottenham get a new right winger, we will increase our point total per game by .5

This one will take a bit of forecasting, but I fully believe the Spurs will bring in a winger either this transfer window or by January. We finished the year with 74 goals in 38 Premier League games. That places us with 1.97 goals per game. An additional .8 per game gives us 2.47 goals per game or 93.86 total goals. Compare that to last year, we would finish second to City’s 96.

#7. Mickey Van de Ven and Cristian Romero take their defence to another level and become the best centre-back duo in the league

Hands down, Arsenal had the best centre-back duo with Gabriel and Saliba. Together, they allowed a league-best 29 goals total in the Premier League. Van de Ven and Romero can be up next. Because of the style of play, I believe we will give up more goals than the previous pairing. But just using the eye test, I believe it will be obvious and no longer just an afterthought.

#8. Bentancur or Bissouma will leave before the season concludes

This one seems inevitable. With 2 spots and possibly 5 heads who can fill the position, there will be constant competition and I believe there will be an odd man out. And with both in the prime of their careers, I believe one of them will take their career into their own hands for more playing time.

#9. Vicario will have competition for the #1 goalkeeper position

Preseason showed that Vicario is prone to mistakes when playing out with his feet in tight places. If more teams start pressing higher, causing Vicario to make more accurate decisions or long passes to counter the press, we could be in a heap of trouble. A goalkeeper who can stay cool under pressure and play with the ball at his feet will be a need at some point.

#10. Big Ange wins 2 Manager of the Month awards

Richard Keys is not too positive about Tottenham’s chances during the upcoming season, insisting that the Lilywhites are not good enough to secure a top-four finish.

Tottenham finished fifth last season

Tottenham made a brilliant start to last season but the wheels did come off a bit towards the end as they were pipped to Champions League qualification by Aston Villa.

While last campaign was a bit of a free-hit for Ange Postecoglou, a top-four finishing will be the minimum expectation this time out, and the Australian is certainly not one to shy away from those expectations.

In fact, he even told the Men in Blazers YouTube channel this week that he has his eyes firmly set on catching the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal, remarking that he wants to bring silverware to N17.

Maddison is good but not great

However, Keys believes the season could end in disappointment for Tottenham once again, opining that James Maddison alone cannot be expected to provide the creativity in the middle of the park.

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The pundit wrote on his personal website: “I’ve no idea who finishes third and fourth. It’s a real lottery. I hope Spurs do. I like big Ange, but I’m not convinced they can be good enough across a whole season.

“Solanke is a really good piece of business, but it’s not enough. Maddison is good – no more – and flimsy. He needs help in that midfield.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Given the young squad that Tottenham have, there are a lot of unknowns going into the new season.

It remains to see if Archie Gray is able to make the step up to the Premier League while it is also unclear how steep a learning curve Lucas Bergvall will have in England.

However, it certainly promises to be an exciting season, with the current Spurs squad undoubtedly having a high ceiling.

The Telegraph have revealed that even though Ange Postecoglou wanted Tottenham to sign Nico Williams, the sums of money involved made the Athletic Club Bilbao star an unrealistic target for Spurs.

Tottenham wanted Nico Williams

Earlier this summer, a number of outlets reported that Tottenham were one of the clubs at the front of the queue for Williams’ signature (Football Insider).

However, the speculation has since died down, with a number of outlets suggesting over recent days that Barcelona are now closing in on a deal to sign the 22-year-old (Sport).

The Telegraph have now confirmed that Willaims was indeed on Postecoglou and Spurs’ radar at the start of the summer.

Why Spurs missed out on Nico Williams

In fact, the report says that the Lilywhites enquired about the conditions of the deal to take the Spain international to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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The North London club were then allegedly informed that they would have to trigger the winger’s £50m release clause, with the whole amount needing to be paid upfront in one lumpsum

The publication adds that Postecoglou was understanding about the fact that this would not be realistic for Spurs.

Spurs Web Opinion

I do not think any club in Europe would consider paying £50m in one lump sum, especially in the current PSR climate.

It will be interesting to see which winger Spurs prioritise as we head into the final weeks of the transfer window.

The Independent have claimed that Tottenham Hotspur still have an outside chance of winning the race for Ivan Toney before the transfer window closes, despite already signing Dominic Solanke.

Tottenham could sign Solanke and Toney?

Despite paying a club-record £65m to land Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth, Spurs are still mentioned as a potential destination for Toney, who is thought to be keen on exiting Brentford.

The report explains that even though the England international is down to the final year of his contract at the Gtech Stadium and has no intention of signing a new deal, the Bees are still not ready to let him leave on the cheap.

In fact, it is asserted that the West London club are still hoping to get £60m from the centre-forward’s sale.

Spurs are still outsiders for Toney

The outlet reveals that Arsenal initially showed interest in Toney but have decided to move on to other options while Chelsea could potentially vie for the player if they miss out on Victor Osimhen.

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Man Utd are also thought to be watching the 28-year-old’s situation but it is revealed that the Red Devils are currently prioritising additions in midfield.

Spurs are named as outside contenders for Toney but the publication adds that it would ‘take exceptional circumstances’ for the Lilywhites to move for the Brentford man, given his age and price.

Spurs Web Opinion

Ange has made it clear that Richarlison is going to stay and compete with Solanke for the number nine role. That should put an end to all rumours linking Tottenham with other strikers.

Even if Richarlison did leave, I don’t think Ivan Toney would want to come to Spurs and not be guaranteed regular game time.

AC Milan’s senior adviser Zlatan Ibrahimovic is delighted with the arrival of Emerson Royal, insisting that the former Tottenham man perfectly fits the Rossoneri’s needs.

Spurs and AC Milan finally reached an agreement

The negotiations between Tottenham and Milan over Emerson dragged on for what seemed like an eternity and at various points, it did seem like the talks might not bear fruit.

However, in the end, the two sides were able to strike a deal worth a reported £13m (TNT Sports), with the right-back getting his wish of sealing the transfer to the Italian giants before the start of the new season.

The Brazilian will be looking to get his career back on track after a disappointing last 12 months at Spurs and Ibrahimovic revealed that the defender’s desire to come to the San Siro was crucial to the deal going through.

The Swedish superstar told Tuttomercatoweb: “With Emerson, we have an extra reinforcement for the team. Emerson was very keen to come. I want to welcome Emerson Royal. We have been following him for a long time but we brought him at the right time.

“Physical, offensive and defensive player; he plays with a lot of intensity and a lot of grit. With Emerson, we become even stronger. He was one of the objectives we set ourselves from the beginning of the transfer market and finally today he is here. We are happy.”

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Emerson is ‘perfect’ says Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Ibrahimovic insisted that Emerson was one of the very few options that possessed both the offensive and defensive qualities that Milan wanted.

The 42-year-old added: “What we want to build is a compact team. Offensively, we are compact and strong. (Now we also have the) defensive part with Emerson, Pavlovic. Then, we’ll see. Maybe there is room for something extra. We are working on it.

“The choice of Emerson was simple. He was the right profile. A balance between attack and defence. If you look at Fonseca and the identity (he wants), a profile like Emerson is perfect.

“If I have to choose, in my world, I like (my full-backs to be) more offensive. But the important thing is that he can do both phases.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Emerson has the attributes to do very well do very well in a conventional back four in Paulo Fonseca’s system and I think the 25-year-old will quite enjoy the pace of the Serie A.

Southampton boss Russel Martin has admitted that the Saints are trying their best to keep rumoured Tottenham target Kyle Walker-Peters at the club but admitted that the right-back is not guaranteed to stay.

Tottenham may need a new right-back

With Emerson Royal having completed a move to AC Milan, there have been some suggestions over the last few days that Spurs could enter the market for a right-back.

This includes an update by GiveMeSport, who claimed a couple of days ago that Spurs could now explore a deal to re-sign Walker-Peters.

The Tottenham academy graduate, who swapped his boyhood club for Southampton in 2020, has just a year left on his deal with the South Coast side.

The report claimed that an exit is very much on the cards for the 27-year-old, who is allegedly valued by the Saints at £20m.

The publication added that Walker-Peters is not only an option that could boost Tottenham’s homegrown numbers but is also seen as a ‘perfect’ fit for Ange Postecoglou’s system.

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Southampton want Walker-Peters to stay

Martin has now shed some light on the right-back’s future, admitting that the newly promoted Premier League side are in discussions with the defender’s entourage.

When asked about Walker-Peters’ future, the Southampton boss told BBC Sport: “We’re in discussions with him and he will make a decision based on his career. It won’t be the fact that we don’t want to keep him or haven’t tried to.

“We are trying to keep him here for the longer term. Short term, I hope he’s here for the season, whatever happens. It’s not ideal for someone to be in the last year.”

Spurs Web Opinion

It would not make much sense for Tottenham to sign another right-back, with Djed Spence and Archie Gray both capable of covering for Pedro Porro.

One would think that Ange is likely to lean towards signing a left-back to cover for Destiny Udogie and use Ben Davies as a back for central defence.

The Athletic claim that Tottenham Hotspur will have to identify a new number eight after missing out on their top midfield targets this summer.

Tottenham are revamping the midfield

There has been plenty of change in the middle of the park for Spurs this summer, with Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray arriving through the door while Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has departed the club.

More exits could soon follow, with Giovani Lo Celso being widely tipped to depart (Football Insider) over the coming days and weeks.

Oliver Skipp is also said to be keen on leaving in search of regular game time (The Telegraph).

New arrival is expected in midfield

The Athletic have now stated that Spurs are not done reinforcing their midfield just yet, with another new face expected to arrive through the door.

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It is pointed out that the Lilywhites chased Conor Gallagher and Jacob Ramey for much of the summer window but look set to miss out on both, with the former potentially on his way to Atletico Madrid and the latter set to stay at Aston Villa.

The publication adds that Spurs’ recruitment department will have to pivot to a different target, with Ange Postecoglou keen on bringing an ‘all-action number eight’ through the door.

Spurs Web Opinion

It is anybody’s guess who Tottenham will now turn their attention to, with all of their top targets now seemingly out of their reach.

I wonder if the Lilywhites will re-consider a move for Morgan Gibbs-Whtie, who ticks plenty of boxes, being homegrown, young and having Premier League experience.

Football Insider claim that Ben Davies is likely to remain at Tottenham and see out the final year of his contract.

Ben Davies has been at Tottenham for a decade

Davies played a crucial role last season when Tottenham were dealing with an injury crisis at various points, not only covering for Destiny Udogie at left-back but also delivering impressive displays in central defence.

The Welshman is now into the final year of his deal and there have been no suggestions of a new contract being on the table, which might lead some to think that he is on his way out.

Spurs recently lost Ryan Sessegnon on a free transfer and Sergio Reguilon seems to be heading for the exit door, leaving Davies as one of just two left-backs in North London.

Tottenham will keep Ben Davies this summer

However, Football Insider have now claimed that Tottenham have no plans of offloading Davies, with Ange Postecoglou seeing the experienced defender as a valuable squad member.

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The report states that the 31-year-old is also quite keen on remaining at the North London club and is now likely to see out the final 12 months of his contract.

The publication adds that even though Spurs have prioritised trimming their wage bill by offloading several fringe players this summer, they are leaning towards hanging on to Davies.

Spurs Web Opinion

Tottenham would lose out on a transfer fee of around £5m by keeping Davies for one more season and allowing him to leave on a free.

However, Postecoglou would feel that the fee would be worth it as the Welshman’s versatility could come in quite handy this season as his side aims to compete on multiple fronts.

Young Argentine striker, Alejo Veliz, has been sent out on loan again by Tottenham this summer, with the hope that a spell with Espanyol will wield more minutes than the mere 31 he was handed in six months at Sevilla. (TransferMarkt)

Tottenham paid £13 million last summer for Veliz

Spurs paid £13 million for the then-teenager (Evening Standard), with a sell-on clause for Veliz’s boyhood club also believed to be part of a six-year deal.

Despite the Evening Standard’s report suggesting Veliz could depart Spurs on loan straight away, Postecoglou decided to keep the forward until January.

Veliz then departed for Sevilla on a six-month loan which turned out to be a nightmare move with the Spanish side hardly giving the striker a chance.

Veliz has gone out on loan again this summer to newly promoted side, Espanyol, with the club’s lower profile making game time more likely for Veliz who, according to Football.London, told his agents to push for a loan to the Spanish club when hearing of their interest.

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Espanyol president rules out a permanent switch

Things are already looking more promising than Sevilla for Veliz with Espanyol’s sporting director, Fran Garagarza, waxing lyrical about the forward.

He said: “I didn’t think we would have any chance (of signing Veliz), but it happened. We moved ahead of other clubs and Tottenham understood that we are going to give him significant coverage in terms of playing time (Mundo Deportivo).”

Veliz’s loan is a straight one with no buy option, with Garagarza explaining: “Signing forwards is very complicated. And, with the limitations we have, even more so.

“They are three players who come from three big clubs. [signing] each of them was hard. We must also thank those clubs because they have helped us a lot, even though the negotiations have been long. All three were objectives that we have been working hard on for several months.”

“All three have arrived on loan because we do not have the capacity to keep these players [permanently]. This season, they will be with us. And then we will see where we go in each case”.

Spurs Web opinion

It was widely an expectation that Veliz’s next loan move wouldn’t have a buy option included in it, regardless of whether or not the club can financially afford him due to the striker still having plenty of years left to develop and adapt to football in Europe’s top divisions.

What is most encouraging though is that Espanyol seem genuinely delighted to have signed Alejo Veliz, a phrase that couldn’t be applied to his previous loan club, Sevilla.

The 20-year-old has plenty of enthusiasm and desire up front, as displayed in his debut Spurs goal against Brighton, but needs more competitive minutes, which a loan to Espanyol can hopefully provide.