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Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has said that Ange Postecoglou is not overly keen on selling Richarlison while the striker is also not pushing to leave the club this summer.

Richarlison has been linked with Saudi Arabia

While there had been a few murmurs earlier this summer about Richarlison potentially heading to Saudi Arabia in a £60m deal (HITC), those rumours have since gone quiet, with the forward appearing no closer to an exit from Hotspur Way.

In fact, just a couple of days ago, GiveMeSport claimed that Tottenham’s inability to find a buyer for the Brazilian may prevent the North London club from signing a marquee striker this summer.

It was explained that even though the Lilywhites were ready to cash in on the former Everton man, they had not received any offer for the player so far.

Postecoglou and Richarlison’s stance

Bridge has now suggested that Spurs are far from desperate to offload the 27-year-old and would only be willing to do so if they can recoup the full fee that they paid for him.

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The journalist pointed to the purple patch that Richarlison had during the turn of the year and suggested that the Spurs head coach could see him as a useful squad option ahead of the upcoming season.

When asked about the Brazil international’s future, Bridge has now told GiveMeSport: “There is interest from Saudi Arabia, but I don’t think he is pushing for a move.

“I think he did okay under Postecoglou last season. Injuries played a part in it being stop-start, but he went on a fantastic run over the Christmas period.

“I think it would have to take a decent bid for Spurs to consider selling Richarlison because it’s a long season ahead in the Europa League and Postecoglou has been happy with him. But that might be one to wait and see if a club comes in for him.

“The only interest has been from Saudi Arabia at the moment. I don’t think Tottenham would want to sell him for less than what they bought him for from Everton.”

Spurs Web Opinion

If Tottenham do receive a £50m-£60m offer for Richarlison late in the window, there is no doubt that they would be extremely tempted to accept it.

However, it is difficult to see anyone apart from Saudi clubs making such an offer and I do not think the striker is going to be too keen to move to the Middle East.

According to The Athletic, Southampton’s senior academy scout Danny Moody has now agreed to leave the South Coast club to join Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs are changing their scouting system

There have been some wholesale changes to Tottenham’s academy as well as first-team recruitment over the last 12 months, with the Scott Munn and Johan Lange era being characterised by an increased focus on signing the best young players around the globe.

We have seen an increased focus on signing teenagers like Pape Matar Sarr, Destiny Udogie, Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Luka Vuskovic, Yang Min-hyuk, and more.

There has been a turnover in personnel across all departments, with the club confirming earlier this week that David Pleat had stepped back from his scouting duties.

New face arrives through the door

According to The Athletic, Tottenham’s ranks have now been boosted by the arrival of a top scout in the form of Danny Moody.

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Moody has been with Southampton for the past three years, having been a senior academy scout, overseeing the club’s recruitment for the Under-16 to Under-18 age groups.

He had previously earned similar roles at both Fulham and Liverpool and will now arrive at N17 and help the Lilywhites in their quest to bring the best young talent into their academy at Hotspur Way.

Spurs Web Opinion

The amount of turnover we have seen in the scouting and coaching department does not come as a surprise, with Scott Munn (and subsequently Lange) being brought into the club to oversee structural changes.

Hopefully, we will see the fruits of these changes in the next few years at Hotspur Way.

Tottenham Hotspur have been flying in pre-season, but they now face their sternest test of the summer with a game against Bayern Munich. Here’s how to catch the action, and which players will be available.

It is now five wins from five games for Spurs in pre-season. Wins against Cambridge United, Hearts, and QPR preceded a brilliant start to the tour of Asia, where Ange Postecoglou‘s men have defeated Japan’s Vissel Kobe, and a K-League all-stars team.

Now, the Lilywhites have two games against German giants, Bayern Munich — one in South Korea, and one back at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Here’s everything you need to know about the first of those games.

When and where is the game?

Tottenham and Bayern Munich will play in the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Saturday, August 3, 2024. The game is scheduled to kick off at 12 noon BST.

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How to watch Spurs vs Bayern Munich

As with all Tottenham’s friendlies, the only way to watch live is through the SpursPlay service.

You must be signed up to the platform to access the game.

Team news

There are no new injury worries for Spurs, and they may even have Destiny Udogie back for the next game, too.

Postecoglou told SpursPlay after the win over the K-League XI that Udogie is set to be back in the “next few days.”

Richarlison is still a doubt, but the fact he was taken on the tour at all suggests he could be fit enough to get at least some minutes under his belt.

Fraser Forster is the only player definitely unavailable through injury.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Emerson Royal will have played his last game for Spurs. The Brazilian is thought to be one step away from a move to AC Milan, but he did play against the K-League XI on Wednesday.

The big news for Bayern is that Harry Kane will not feature against his former club. Manager Vincent Kompany confirmed (via ESPN) that Kane, Alphonso Davies, Dayot Upamecano, and Kingsley Coman “won’t be there.”

In addition, new signing Hiroki Ito is out with a metatarsal injury, youngster Arijon Ibrahimović is out with a muscle issue, and goalkeeper Daniel Peretz is also struggling with a tendon injury.

The Spurs Web prediction

This is a massive step up from the teams we’ve been playing so far this summer, and will be a real test of how far the side have come since the end of last season. We’re in good form, though, and Bayern might have some teething issues with a new manager. I’ll go for a 2-2 draw.

According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham now run the risk of not being able to sign a striker this summer as Richarlison is no closer to departing the club.

Postecoglou wants a new Spurs striker

The report says that Ange Postecoglou wants to add a new number nine to his squad but the Australian may be disappointed as there are now serious doubts at Hotspur Way over whether Richarlison will depart before the transfer deadline.

The report explains that Spurs, who forked out £60m to sign the Brazilian from Everton two years ago, have been ready to sanction his departure since the start of the summer.

Richarlison is allegedly not thought to feature in Postecoglou’s long-term plans but it is explained that Tottenham are not in a position to acquire another frontman without cashing in on the 27-year-old first.

Richarlison is no closer to leaving Spurs

The former Toffees star is one of the highest earners in the club’s books, which is why they need to offload him in order to free up space in their wage bill for a new marquee striker.

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However, as things stand, Spurs are said to be no closer to knowing whether Richarlison will leave and thus are having to contend with the possibility of going into the new season without a new number nine.

The publication adds that while Saudi side Al-Hilal did show interest in the Spurs forward earlier this summer, no formal offer has arrived for the player so far.

Spurs Web Opinion

Richarlison was never going to accept a move to Saudi Arabia and only Saudi clubs were going to pay anywhere near £50m-£60m for the striker.

The possibility of a summer exit for the Brazilian thus always looked bleak.

Journalist Dean Jones has said that Mikey Moore has already agreed his first professional contract with Tottenham, which is seen as a huge development by those at Hotspur Way.

Mikey Moore is approaching his birthday

Spurs will only be able to officially announce Moore’s first professional contract when he turns 17 on August 11 but there has been plenty of noises about the youngster’s future over recent months.

Just a couple of days ago, Football Insider revealed that the teenager is wanted by several big clubs across Europe, including Man Utd, Man City, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, but the report claimed that Spurs are confident that he will commit his future to the club.

The outlet further added that Ange Postecoglou’s men had made it clear that they had no intention of sending the youngster out on loan to the EFL or the Championship ahead of the upcoming season.

Spurs have already agreed Mikey Moore contract

Jones has now claimed that Moore’s first professional contract has been finalised and that there is plenty of excitement among those who work at the club as well as among the supporters about the 16-year-old’s potential.

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He said on Ranks FC Ultras Podcast about the winger: “He signed a new deal at Tottenham and I spoke to someone who has a very good grip at the club and he said ‘this is big’. The club were desperate to get Mikey Moore to commit and it won’t be long before you see him feature in the squad.

“There’s a few like this, Jamie Donley is one I was told who had first-team potential and I was told he could make a breakthrough, but Moore is the one who has really raised the eyebrows of the fanbase.”

Spurs Web Opinion

I am sure those at Tottenham would be counting down the days until August 11 as they will be desperate to tie Moore down for the long term.

The winger would know that in Ange, he has a manager who is willing to trust young players and give them the platform to shine at the highest level.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that there is a lot of excitement at Tottenham about Lucas Bergvall, with the club’s technical staff being left impressed with what they have seen from the 18-year-old during pre-season.

Lucas Bergvall is impressing at Spurs

Although Bergvall arrived with a big reputation from Sweden, many at Spurs might have expected him to face a steep learning curve at the North London side, given the significant step up that he is making.

However, that has not been the case at all so far, with the 18-year-old looking completely at home since arriving at Hotspur Way.

In fact, one can argue that the teenager has been among Tottenham’s best players in pre-season so far, impressing most recently in the club’s win over K-League All-Stars side on Wednesday.

The midfielder is certainly aiming high, telling Football.London of his intention to break into the starting eleven and to help Spurs compete for the Premier League title.

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Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall are future superstars

Romano has now revealed that the youngster, along with fellow summer signing Archie Gray, are both seen as potential superstars by those at the club.

The journalist said on the Men in Blazers podcast: “I think they can already be happy about a player they signed in January, Lucas Bergvall. I can guarantee you that the technical staff, the management, all of them are super excited with this boy.

“He’s doing very well in pre-season, in training, fantastic. They believe that between Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall they have signed two potential superstars.”

Spurs Web Opinion

As impressive as Bergvall has been in pre-season, the Premier League is a whole different ball game, with the youngster not likely to get anywhere near as much time or space in possession.

While there is no doubt about the 18-year-old’s immense talent, Spurs fans should be wary of expecting too much too soon from him.

Football Finance expert Kieran Maguire believes that Tottenham Hotspur would be valued at a higher price than Chelsea, given the infrastructure that is now in place at the North London club.

Are Tottenham Hotspur for sale?

There has been a lot said and written recently about a potential takeover at Tottenham but nothing has come to fruition so far.

The Daily Mail were one of several outlets to claim over recent months that multiple US-based investment groups had shown interest in buying a minority stake in the North London club.

One of those was thought to be MSP Sports Capital, with The Financial Times revealing last year that the consortium had even taken ‘formal steps’ to buy a stake in the Lilywhites.

Earlier this week, The Times claimed that Daniel Levy was actively looking for investors in the club, with the Spurs chairman thought to want to sell 10 per cent of the club.

The outlet alleged that Levy and co had told potential investors that they valued the club at £3.75bn.

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Spurs are more attractive than Chelsea

Maguire is not surprised by this valuation, insisting that Tottenham would be quite attractive to potential investors at that price.

He told TBR Football: “Chelsea was £2.5bn and they were a distressed asset. If you are looking at Chelsea and Spurs, it’s a bit like if you’re buying a house.

“If I’m looking at two houses side by side and one needs a new kitchen, the windows done etc., whereas the other one has been fully refurbished by the owner, that second property looks more attractive.

“For Spurs, the infrastructure commitment has already been undertaken by the owners, both in terms of the stadium and the training facilities. With Chelsea, there is still a question about that. They can’t stand still if they want to be competitive in the Premier League. They either need to move to a new site or do a very substantial rebuild of Stamford Bridge.

“The problem is that at Chelsea, the location of the ground means that you are going to be dealing with millionaire property owners who wouldn’t like the idea of construction work for two or three years. That would be a very litigious and complicated arrangement. All of that makes Spurs look very attractive.”

Spurs Web Opinion

I suspect the figures being thrown around in the press lately are nothing but educated guesses.

Any negotiations over a takeover would be quite protracted, given the sums involved, and is not going to happen in a matter of weeks.

Spurs academy duo, Jamie Donley and Mikey Moore have been featuring together in Tottenham’s pre-season campaign, even combining against Vissel Kobe for the winner – and Donley hasn’t been short of praise for his 16-year-old teammate.

Moore and Donley have been youth teammates

Jamie Donley and Mikey Moore have been two standout youth stars from Spurs’ pre-season campaign so far, although the latter has perhaps caught the eye more due to his two goals and one assist in four games, all at just sixteen years of age.

Donley is one of the members of the squad who would have been aware of Moore’s talent from a very young age, playing alongside him in 2022/23 with the Tottenham U18 team as Moore recorded seven goals and assists in ten appearances at just 15. (TransferMarkt)

The duo briefly crossed paths before pre-season playing for the club’s U21 side. Their connection was evident against Vissel Kobe in Japan when Mikey Moore met Donley’s low cross in order to hand Tottenham a late lead.

Donley predicts Moore will go on to become a ‘special player’

When quizzed on his young teammate in an interview with Football.London, Donley stated: “He’s a special player. He’s obviously just got to keep his head down and keep working, but if he keeps going the way he’s going, he’ll be a special player.”

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Donley concluded that the fact he has played alongside so many of the pre-season squad in the club’s youth teams has helped, explaining: “I think last year the way the U21s played and obviously we won a couple of trophies, I think that that helped a lot with the confidence and I think the first team know that we’re a good group of players, and I think it makes the young players feel more comfortable having more young players around them.

“You can bond with each other, and I think we’ve all done well. We’ve all impressed, so we don’t feel or look out of place.”

Spurs Web opinion

Donley’s closing statement on the youth players who have been part of the squad is exactly right, not one has looked out of place. It is likely due to the fact that there is such a high volume of young players, even for pre-season, which creates an easier environment to play and be comfortable in.

Regarding Mikey Moore, everyone can see from this pre-season that even though he is still so young, Moore will likely have a big part to play for Tottenham next season.

Donley does deserve praise too though as he has shone in an understated manner, adapting quickly and performing impressively as a left-back, despite being an attacking midfielder by trade.

According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur have made it clear that Mikey Moore will not be leaving on loan ahead of the new season.

Spurs want to keep Mikey Moore this season

Moore is not just viewed as one of the best young players in Tottenham’s academy but the 16-year-old is also thought of as one of the most talented players in his age group across the world.

The youngster, who made his senior bow for Spurs last season, has impressed in pre-season this summer, having found the back of the net twice so far.

Football Insider have backed up what we have already heard from various sources over recent months, revealing that there has been no shortage of interest in the winger across Europe.

Mikey Moore is attracting interest

The likes of Man City, Man Utd, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have all allegedly expressed a keen interest in securing the teenager’s services.

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However, Spurs are thought to be intent on offering Moore his first professional contract, which he can sign when he turns 17 on August 11.

The report adds that, unlike other youngsters in their academy, Ange Postecoglou’s men do not wish to send the England Under-17 international out on loan this summer.

Spurs Web Opinion

Moore is too young to be sent to fend for himself in the EFL.

He ideally needs a full season of Under-21 football under his belt along with potentially a few senior appearances in the Europa League, before a possible loan move to League One in the 2025-26 season.

Italian media are now making contradictory claims about the negotiations between Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan, with some reports suggesting that the Lilywhites are not in any sort of hurry to finalise the sale of Emerson Royal.

Tottenham and AC Milan talks continue

This claim is being made by Thursday’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport (as relayed by Sport Witness) who say that the parties met again on Wednesday to discuss a deal.

However, they make it clear that no agreement had been found between the two clubs yet, although they suggest that there is not a big difference between them.

The outlet states that ‘Daniel Levy is a tough nut to track’, and is in no hurry to sell the player, which complicates matters for the Serie A side.

Emerson Royal is getting closer to AC Milan

Meanwhile, journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has a far more promising update, claiming that Emerson is ‘getting closer and closer’ to the San Siro.

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He also discusses the meeting held on Wednesday, revealing that the right-back’s agent, Stefano Castagna, got involved to discuss the final details of the player’s contract.

He adds that Milan have made progress and hope to finalise an operation worth around €15m plus bonuses over the next two to three days.

Spurs Web Opinion

The fact that Emerson featured in Tottenham’s clash against Team K-League on Wednesday suggests that the transfer has not been agreed just yet.

However, by the sounds of it, the two parties are now edging ever closer and could finalise the deal over the coming days.