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Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has confirmed that rumoured Tottenham target Wilfried Zaha is in talks over a return to England, which is why he was left out of the matchday squad for the club’s most recent game.

Wilfried Zaha could return to the Premier League

Zaha has been backed to complete a return to the Premier League, just a year on from swapping Crystal Palace for Galatasaray.

This was reported by HITC a few days ago, with the publication naming Tottenham as one of the clubs interested in offering the winger a route back to England.

It was revealed that Palace also want to take the 31-year-old back to Selhurst Park while Newcastle United and Aston Villa are keeping an eye on the player’s situation as well.

Zaha wants to return to England

Zaha has now seemingly moved one step closer to a return to the Premier League after being left out of the matchday squad for Galatasara’s 2-1 win over Hatayspor on Friday.

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When asked about the reason for the Ivory Coast international’s omission, Buruk confessed that it has to do with the player’s rumoured return to England.

The Gala boss told Sporx: “There were transfer talks with Wilfried Zaha recently. He is a player who wants to return to the Premier League.

“The player does not want to risk himself. We talked with him and decided he would not be in the squad.”

Spurs Web Opinion

I would be surprised if Zaha is on Tottenham’s wishlist as not only does he not fit the age profile that Spurs are likely to go for but he is also not a great fit for Ange’s system, tending to take too many touches on the ball and slowing down attacks.

Tottenham Hotspur fans are pretty excited about the prospect of seeing Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall in action for the club this season, and Ledley King believes the two teenagers have what it takes to be a success at Spurs.

Championship experience key for Gray

Gray signed for Spurs on the back of a breakthrough campaign in the Championship for Leeds United, where the youngster played nearly every game for his boyhood club.

Speaking to Football.London, King highlighted this as the main reason Gray can step up and perform at the top level for Spurs this season: “He’s played in the Championship, which is a tough, tough league. When you’ve had a good solid season and played many games [there], you are kind of battle-ready.

“You can see that because he’s a mature young player and he’s one that we’ve got high hopes of. He’s one that can play in multiple positions as well, which is always important. I think he’s a fantastic addition to the club.”

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Bergvall can settle quickly at Spurs

Meanwhile, Bergvall had to wait six months to join up with Spurs, but has already settled in well with his new teammates, and has made a positive impact in pre-season.

King thinks the environment at Tottenham is just right for the young Swedish star to adapt and excel, adding: “I think it’s important to have a good group… We have many young players, so I think that’ll help. It’s very difficult when you come in and you’re a young player and there are not many other young faces in the squad.

“I think the fact that we have so many other young players will definitely help him, straight away. But it’s never easy when you come in from a different country as a young player to adapt to a different style of football, to a different lifestyle, but I think it’s always good when you come on tour.

“It helps you to settle. It’s a time where you get to know your teammates a lot quicker than you would, if you join in the middle of the season, where it’s just training and then you’re home.

“On tour, you get to spend almost the whole day with your team-mates, and I think that helps you bond quicker. And I think when you go back to London, we’ll see the benefits of being on tour and spending two weeks away with each other, especially for the new players.”

Spurs Web Opinion

As great as it is that we’ve signed a new striker, I really am most excited by the prospect of these two young stars that we’ve got. I think they can have an instant impact at Spurs this season and really flourish in the Premier League despite their age.

Son Heung-min has warned new Tottenham signing Yang Min-hyuk that he will have a steep learning curve in the Premier League and that he must be physically and mentally ready for the challenge when he makes the move to London in January.

Tottenham sign Yang Min-hyuk from Gangwon FC

Tottenham have secured a number of talented young players over the last 12 months and the latest to arrive through the door was Yang, who has been turning a lot of heads with his performances in the K-League.

The 18-year-old has had an outstanding debut season for Gangwon FC, netting eight goals and providing four assists in 25 league appearances (Transfermarkt).

The pacy winger will spend the rest of the year at his boyhood club and will link up with the Tottenham squad in January of 2025.

Spurs fans will be hoping that Yang, who is considered by many to be the best young talent to come out of Korea in recent years, will be able to emulate Son’s success at Tottenham.

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Heung-min Son sends warning to Yang Min-hyuk

However, the Spurs captain has warned his compatriot that the Premier League is a whole different kettle of fish compared to the K-League.

The 32-year-old told Men In Blazers about Yang’s arrival: “It’s going to be hard. I’ve got to just tell him that being in the Premier League is not easy at all. Be prepared, the language, the culture, the physicality.

“Moving away from your family, everything has to be perfect to be a top player. I don’t want him to be scared about this, but I want to give him a warning, a realistic warning and this will help him.

“You feel you are doing good in the K-League, but there are young players here every day who want to take your chances and take your position.”

Spurs Web Opinion

It will be of immense benefit for Yang to have someone like Sonny around as the Tottenham captain will undoubtedly help the youngster understand the culture in the UK and help him settle into his new surroundings.

Journalist Steve Kay has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur are looking at Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman this summer.

Tottenham want another new signing

Following the big-money acquisition of Dominic Solanke, Ange Postecoglou confirmed on Saturday that he expects more new faces to arrive through the door before the transfer window shuts (Football.London).

It has been widely reported over the last week that signing another top-class winger is next on the North London club’s agenda (The Times).

Now that Pedro Neto has completed a switch to London rivals Chelsea, it remains to be seen which wide player the Lilywhites will prioritise over the coming weeks.

Kay believes that Tottenham could pursue a player they have come up against twice over the last week in pre-season friendlies, Bayern winger Coman.

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Tottenham are looking at Kingsley Coman

The journalist explained that the France international might leave Allianz Arena in search of regular game time and the fact that he is represented by CAA Base might give Spurs an advantage in the race for his signature.

Kay said on KS1 TV about Coman: “A good player, he’s struggling for game time at Bayern at the moment, a lot of good players there. There are going to be a lot of clubs after him.

“I know Spurs are a team looking at him. Interestingly there he’s a part of CAA Base, which a lot of Spurs players are linked to as is Ange Postecoglou.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Coman would be a decent squad addition but Ange will likely want a winger who would strengthen our starting eleven.

Besides, the Bayern star also does not fit the age profile that Tottenham would prefer.

Graeme Souness is not convinced about Tottenham’s signing of Dominic Solanke, insisting that the North London club have taken a major gamble by paying such a big fee for the striker.

Dominic Solanke scored 21 goals last season

Solanke arrives at Spurs on the back of an outstanding season, with the 26-year-old finding the back of the 21 times for a Bournemouth side which finished in the bottom half of the table.

That is one of the reasons Tottenham decided to break their transfer record on the Englishman, with the Lilywhites parting ways with £65m to bring the player to the club.

Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Solanke was the striker he was desperate to bring on board, remarking that the former Cherries star would be a good fit for Spurs’ system (Football.London).

Is Solanke a gamble for Spurs?

However, Souness has pointed out that the centre-forward’s goal record prior to last season is far from impressive, insisting that the new Tottenham signing is not a player who can be relied upon to score consistently.

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The pundit told talkSPORT: “Hell of a lot money for him, I think. £65 million? He has played, I think, 112 games and has got 28 goals. Was it 19 last year?

“He is not consistently scoring goals in the Premier League. I think it’s a bit of a gamble.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The stat that Souness mentioned is quite unfair on Solanke as the overwhelming majority of his appearances for Liverpool and Chelsea were cameos off the bench. He was also previously part of a Bournemouth side which struggled to create chances.

The 26-year-old showed last season after the arrival of Andoni Iraola just how effective he can be for a high-pressing side which wins the ball back high up the pitch and attacks with pace.

Danny Murphy has predicted that Dominic Solanke will get around 15 goals in his first season at Tottenham Hotspur.

Tottenham break club record to sign Solanke

Since Spurs completed the signing of Solanke from Bournemouth for a club-record £65m deal, debate has been raging in the media about whether this is a good deal or not.

Some pundits, such as Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer, are quite impressed by the signing, backing the Englishman to do well at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (The Rest Is Football).

However, others such as Darren Bent feel that Tottenham have made a mistake by shelling out such a big fee on the 26-year-old, arguing that Ivan Toney would have been a better option for Ange Postecoglou’s team (talkSPORT).

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Murphy falls in the middle in this debate, suggesting that Solanke will do well at Spurs but suggesting that he will fall short of the goal tally he got at the Vitality Stadium last season.

The former Tottenham midfielder told talkSPORT (12/08/24) about the striker: “I hope he does really well. I think it’s a lot of money to risk on someone who has only proven himself for one season, but I hope he does really well.

“He has had some bad spells. He had disappointments after Liverpool, Chelsea, he has been at big clubs and failed. I hope he continues it, and if he stays fit and healthy, in that Tottenham side, he will get chances. I think he will get 15 (goals).”

Spurs Web Opinion

I think Solanke will surprise a lot of people with how well he does at Tottenham.

Postecoglou’s system suits the striker to a tee and he will get plenty of goals getting on the end of the low crosses that the likes of Son and Johnson provide.

Emerson Royal’s agent, Stefano Castagna, has revealed that his client was extremely keen to complete a move to AC Milan and pushed Tottenham to finalise the agreement.

Emerson Royal finally leaves Spurs for AC Milan

Many would have expected Emerson to seal an exit from Spurs quite early in the transfer window but the negotiations between Tottenham and Milan dragged on for much longer than anticipated.

The Brazilian ended up travelling with the Spurs squad on their pre-season tour to Asia, featuring in all the warmup games up until the match against Bayern Munich at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Saturday.

However, the 25-year-old did get his wish in the end, with the two clubs striking a deal before the new campaign gets underway.

Emerson pushed hard for his AC Milan move

The former Real Betis man will hope to get his career back on track at the San Siro, having fallen out of favour at Spurs under Ange Postecoglou last season, and his agent admitted that the defender had his heart set on the Rossoneri right from the start.

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Castagna told Calciomercato about the transfer: “The negotiation was long but, in the end, the white smoke arrived to everyone’s satisfaction. Emerson absolutely wanted the Milan shirt, and he worked a lot, he pushed to come here.

“Yes, it was long, but we did it. The negotiation lasted a long time because there are two important clubs in the middle and therefore, they have to do their job.”

The right-back has signed a four-year contract with Serie A giants, with the deal also containing an option for an additional year, with Castagna admitting that his client wants to leave his mark at the club.

He added: “First feelings? Well, you sign for one of the biggest clubs in the world and when you enter the trophy room you see everything there, and you realise where you are. However, it is something great. Long contract because this is a serious, long-term project.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Whatever one thinks of Emerson’s ability as a player, he always gave his all for the shirt, which is why every Tottenham fan should be rooting for him to succeed at Milan.

I am fairly confident that he will thrive in the Serie A as the pace of the game in Italy will suit him.

Things are looking up for Djed Spence, who appears to have salvaged his Tottenham career this summer, and we now know what Ange Postecoglou has in mind for the full-back this season.

Djed Spence redemption arc continues

Over the last two years, Spence has spent more time out on loan at other clubs than he has at Tottenham. He failed to impress Antonio Conte upon his arrival, and was sent away last summer by Postecoglou, too.

The young defender even managed to get his loan spell at Leeds cut short last season, with suggestions his attitude wasn’t right. But, he turned things around at Genoa in the second half of the campaign, and has returned to North London this summer revitalised.

A report from Football.London now sheds some light on Spence’s squad status ahead of the upcoming campaign, and it looks like good news for the 24-year-old.

It is said Postecoglou does indeed want Spence to stick around, and sees him as a useful member of his squad for the 2024/25 season.

Apparently, Spence has impressed everyone at the club this summer thanks to his “application and ability in both training sessions and in matches.”

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Now, the manager has communicated to the full-back that he has a future at Spurs once more, and that he expects him to continue to improve on his current path.

Future in his own hands

Postecoglou has been very open about his thoughts on Spence of late, telling Football.London that there is an opportunity for the player to contribute to the squad.

According to Football Insider, Spence will be given minutes this season after stepping up to effectively replace Emerson Royal, who has joined AC Milan.

Spurs Web Opinion

I am delighted to see this comeback from Spence, and having him back in the squad really is like a new signing. He has a chance now to properly get his career on track and become an important player for us this season.

As Club Ambassador, Ledley King has plenty of responsibilities at Tottenham Hotspur still, but the former Spurs skipper reveals he has one very specific task on his to-do list at the moment, and it involves Ashley Phillips.

King wants to see Phillips progress

Phillips was signed from Blackburn Rovers just over a year ago, and while he’s not made his senior debut for the Lilywhites yet, he has been on the bench a number of times.

The young defender goes into the new campaign on the back of a successful loan spell with Plymouth Argyle last season, and is currently poised to be a part of Ange Postecoglou‘s squad for the upcoming season.

Speaking to Football.London, club legend King explained that he wants to have a chat with Phillips: “I’ve not sat down and had the real opportunity [to speak to them], but I’d like to go into the training centre throughout the season just to speak to some of the youngsters, especially defenders… people like Ashley Phillips.”

“I do like him. I think he’s got a lot of qualities. I spoke to him the other day and said we definitely need to sit down and speak about your game, and how we can progress it. That’s something that I definitely enjoy, especially with centre-backs.”

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What does King see in Phillips?

Continuing to discuss the Spurs youngster, King outlined the strong points in Phillips’ game: “There’s always going to be some traits, he’s tall, he’s quick, he’s good on the ball.

“There’s definitely some good traits, but when you’re young, it’s good when you just have a wiser head that can give you a few pointers, things just to make your game a little bit easier, because when you’re young, you play the game the hard way, you don’t know all the tricks.

“I think that the earlier you know a few tricks and you’re putting yourself in the right positions, it really makes your game a lot easier. So we’ll sit down, we will go through his game and see how we can improve it.”

Spurs Web Opinion

I really would like to see Phillips retained as part of the first-team squad this season rather than going out on loan.

He should really be pushing on to become our fourth-choice centre half now ahead of Ben Davies as we look to develop him for the future.

Tottenham Hotspur may well be looking to add another one or two players to their squad this summer, but there is one position they will not be trying to reinforce, despite reports to the contrary.

Right-back is not a priority

So far this summer, Spurs have signed Archie Gray and Dominic Solanke, with Timo Werner rejoining on loan, and Lucas Bergvall finally arriving from Djurgardens after signing in January.

It is thought the Lilywhites are still hoping to make more acquisitions before the transfer window closes at the end of the month, and reports have emerged this week that Spurs might be looking to bring in a new right-back now that Emerson Royal has moved on to AC Milan.

UOL Esporte journalist Bruno Andrade reported yesterday that Spurs had opened talks with Monaco over a potential summer deal for Vanderson.

But, a report from Football.London‘s Alasdair Gold has debunked this theory and suggests Ange Postecoglou is happy with the options he currently has in that area.

The report claims any speculation linking Tottenham with a new right-back is “wide of the mark” and that players such as Vanderson from Monaco, or Manchester City’s Issa Kabore, are not currently priority targets for Spurs.

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Postecoglou is happy with his options

It is said Postecoglou views Pedro Porro as his first-choice right-back and, “barring a late change in his circumstances,” Djed Spence will be the alternative to the Spaniard. Meanwhile, new signing Gray can also operate in that position if needed.

Elsewhere in the article, it is explained that Spence has been given a fresh chance to show what he can do at Spurs and will be looking to contribute to the squad in the coming season.

Spurs Web Opinion

We really do not need to be signing a right-back any time soon. A left-back, I could understand, as I think we need a valid alternative to Destiny Udogie on that side.

But we should really be looking at wingers and central midfielders now.