The Spurs Web

Yves Bissouma is already attracting plenty of transfer interest ahead of the summer, with one Premier League side expected to join a few Ligue 1 clubs in the race for the Tottenham midfielder.

Bissouma has had a poor season and has struggled for game time of late, with Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Sarr preferred by Ange Postecoglou over the 28-year-old recently.

Yves Bissouma heads into the final year of his deal at Tottenham this summer and there is no sign yet that the North London club are planning to hold talks over a new deal.

In fact, it has been reported over recent weeks that Ange Postecoglou has become impatient with Bissouma’s lack of consistency, with Tottenham expected to listen to offers for him in the summer.

Crystal Palace are set to enquire about Yves Bissouma

GiveMeSport have now claimed that Bissouma will be allowed to leave Tottenham when the transfer window opens in June.

The report reveals that the former Brighton man is already attracting transfer interest, with Crystal Palace monitoring him closely.

The Eagles are expected to make an enquiry for Bissouma in the summer, and they could be joined in the race by Olympique Marseille and OGC Nice.

MORE SPURS STORIES

The Spurs man made a name for himself at Lille before his switch to the Seagulls, and it is claimed that the player is open to the idea of returning to France this summer.

Could Tottenham Hotspur plot an Eberechi Eze swap deal?

This report comes on the back of a lot of speculation over recent weeks suggesting that Tottenham are keen on making moves for Palace duo, Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze in the summer.

If Oliver Glasner’s men are fans of Bissouma, perhaps Spurs could make a part-exchange offer and use the midfielder as a sweetener to bring down the South London club’s asking price for one or both of their star duo.

Johnny Cardoso has been asked directly about swapping Real Betis for Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and the midfielder has provided an interesting response.

Tottenham have a £21m clause to buy Johnny Cardoso in the summer, which they acquired while negotiating Giovani Lo Celso’s return to Betis last summer.

Acquiring that clause seems like an inspired decision seven months on as the midfielder has been in a rich vein of form this season and looks ready to make the step up to an elite side.

However, Tottenham’s Cardoso clause is only valid between June 30 and July 10, which means that the Lilywhites will have to make a decision very early in the window about pushing ahead with a move for the 24-year-old.

Johnny Cardoso addresses Tottenham transfer rumours

Given how well the USA international has been performing this season, one would expect plenty of clubs to express interest in his services, but Tottenham are in the driving seat due to their option.

Reports in the British press over recent days have suggested that Tottenham do plan on activating the Johnny Cardoso clause and bringing the midfielder to North London.

However, Cardoso has refused to discuss specifics, insisting that his future will take care of itself as long as he keeps delivering for his side.

MORE SPURS STORIES

When asked about potentially joining Spurs in the summer, he told AS (as relayed by Sport Witness): “I don’t think about it; it’s in the hands of my father and my agent. I try to enjoy myself and to evolve. Things will happen if my performance in the team is good.”

Spurs need a top-class number six this summer

Yves Bissouma enters the final year of his contract at Tottenham this summer and his performances this season have left a lot to be desired.

Various reports over recent weeks have claimed that Spurs are ready to offload Bissouma as Postecoglou has grown impatient with his lack of consistency.

That means that singing another number six will be one of the club’s priorities in the summer, and Johnny Cardoso appears to have the attributes to thrive in Tottenham’s system.

Tottenham Hotspur have long admired Marc Guehi, but as the summer window approaches, there is a growing realisation within the club that signing the Crystal Palace defender may not be as straightforward as they had hoped.

The Lilywhites have been linked with several Crystal Palace players ahead of the summer transfer window, with the club keen to strengthen their squad under Ange Postecoglou.

Recently, reports have suggested that Spurs have emerged as frontrunners in the race to sign Eberechi Eze, a player they have long admired. However, their interest in Palace centre-back Marc Guehi has been ongoing for some time.

Back in January, Tottenham made a late bid for the England international, only for it to be swiftly rejected. Now, as the summer window approaches, Spurs’ stance on Guehi appears to be shifting.

Tottenham’s growing doubts over Marc Guehi pursuit

Fresh reports from GiveMeSport have now revealed that Tottenham are not overly confident about their chances of landing Guehi this summer.

While there is still an interest in the centre-back, there is a growing acceptance within the club that securing his signature may prove difficult.

According to the publication, Spurs acknowledge internally that a deal for Guehi is far from straightforward, with the player showing little enthusiasm for a move in January.

MORE SPURS STORIES

That reluctance has cast further doubt on whether he would be willing to make the switch this time around.

The report also states that Chelsea are still interested in their former academy graduate, and a move there could be more appealing to Guehi.

Of course, with competition from Stamford Bridge and Palace’s firm stance, Spurs may have to reassess their options in central defence.

Spurs must explore alternatives in defence this summer

There is no doubt that Tottenham need defensive reinforcements ahead of next season. This campaign has exposed just how vulnerable they are at the back, with injuries to key centre-backs leaving Postecoglou’s side stretched in critical moments.

Even now, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven remain sidelined after sustaining injuries in December. While van de Ven made a brief return in January and Romero has resumed Tottenham training, neither has played regularly since the turn of the year.

If Guehi is not fully convinced by a move to north London, Tottenham would be wise to look elsewhere rather than risk being used as leverage in negotiations.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to resume their Europa League campaign with a big round-of-16 clash against AZ Alkmaar this week, and the North London club have one big advantage over their opposition heading into the tie.

Tottenham’s form has improved over recent weeks since the return of key first-team players and the mood around the club is undeniably much more upbeat than it was two weeks ago.

The focus now shifts to the Europa League for Ange Postecoglou’s men, who know that they still have an opportunity to turn this campaign into a memorable one if they can lift the trophy in Bilbao in May.

They will first have to overcome Alkmaar to book a place in the final eight of the competition, and the Premier League side go into the game in much better shape.

Tottenham should be fresher than AZ Alkmaar

Spurs had to deal with an extremely crowded fixture schedule earlier in the season, with the problem being further compounded by their injury crisis.

However, the schedule has now significantly eased up, and they will have had a full week of rest ahead of their trip to the Netherlands for the first leg on Thursday.

On the other hand, Alkmaar have had two games in a matter of just three days. The Dutch side took on Heracles in the semifinals of the KNVB Cup, with the tie going to extra time and penalties, with AZ emerging as the winners in a shootout.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Then on Sunday, they had a tough Eredivisie away game against Heerenveen, which they lost 3-1.

That means that they have played 210 minutes of football (not counting injury time) since Tottenham last faced Manchester City, with the Premier League side thus going into the tie a lot fresher.

Spurs have no excuses in the Europa League this season

Apart from the fact that they go into the tie fresher, Tottenham also have the advantage of having the second leg at home. Even if they have a deficit in the first leg, they would be confident of turning that around at home against the Dutch side next week.

Spurs thus have no excuses not to overcome Alkmaar and their big names have to turn up for this game, given the time they have had to rest and recover.

Johnny Cardoso’s underlying stats against Real Madrid prove that Tottenham Hotspur need to act fast if they are to sign the young midfielder.

It has long been established that Tottenham Hotspur hold a £21 million option to sign Johnny Cardoso, a clause embedded in the deal that saw Giovani Lo Celso depart for Real Betis.

Despite Cardoso penning a fresh contract with Real Betis, tying him down until 2030, the option remains in Spurs’ hands.

If they choose to trigger it, Cardoso would be on his way to North London this summer. For now, he continues to impress in La Liga, making a strong case for a big transfer with every passing performance.

Cardoso shines in Real Betis win over Real Madrid

On Saturday evening, the 23-year-old put in a display of real quality in Real Betis’ 2-1 win over Spanish giants Real Madrid.

It was Cardoso’s goal that set the tone for Betis, as the American rose highest to nod home from a corner, a goal that made it 1-1 and got his side back in the game.

Beyond the goal, his overall performance was top-drawer, as he earned an impressive 8.3 rating from FotMob.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Statistically, his numbers told the story of a midfielder in control. He registered three shots, with two on target, completed 33 of his 38 passes, and posted an xG of 0.60.

His playmaking was evident, delivering four key passes into the final third, while his composure on the ball meant he was only dispossessed once throughout the game.

Tottenham will be keeping an eye on Johnny Cardoso

Cardoso was not just about attacking contributions. His defensive work was evident, but it was not flawless. He made three tackles, though none were successful, highlighting an area that still needs refinement.

However, he more than made up for it with his reading of the game, making five interceptions and five recoveries.

One concerning aspect of his display was his ground duels. Of the 16 he contested, he won just six, losing ten—a figure that shows he can still develop his physicality and tenacity. Even so, only Isco, who scored and assisted, posted a higher rating in the match.

Despite not having featured for Spurs for nearly four months, Tottenham Hotspur vice-captain, Cristian Romero, has been called up for Argentina international duty.

Cristian Romero last played in Tottenham’s home defeat to Chelsea at the start of November, but we have been hearing some positive updates about the centre-back over recent weeks.

The 26-year-old has been training with his teammates and Ange Postecoglou confirmed that Romero has a chance to feature in the first leg of Tottenham’s Europa League clash against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday and is almost certain to be back in time for the second leg next week.

Not too long after that game is a two-week international break, and Romero has now found out whether Argentina has called him up.

Argentina’s Cristian Romero selection raises eyebrows

Argentina kick off their World Cup qualification campaign with two difficult fixtures against Uruguay and Brazil later this month.

Lionel Scaloni has named Romero in the squad for those two fixtures, as his country hope to begin the defence of their title on a strong note.

It is a curious selection, to say the least, given that Spurs have managed the defender’s workload carefully through his recovery and have been hesitant to play him yet.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Argentina should be in talks with Tottenham and Romero

One would imagine that Scaloni and the Argentine medical team would have been in close contact with Romero to gauge his recovery.

The defender evidently feels that he is ready to play, which is not surprising as we know how much it means to him to represent his country.

Man United co-owners, INEOS, have been blasted by former Aston Villa and Everton CEO, Keith Wyness after reports emerged about their attempts to renege on an agreement that they had with Tottenham Hotspur.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS, who own 25 per cent of Manchester United, announced a multi-million-pound, five-year deal in December 2022 with Spurs to promote INEOS Grenadier car as the club’s ‘official 4×4 vehicle partner’.

However, it emerged a few days ago that talks are underway to end the sponsorship deal between Spurs and INEOS two years before it runs out, with the United owners being the ones to initiate conversations over an early termination.

It was explained in the report that Man Utd’s owners have taken this decision as they are having to undertake major cost-cutting measures due to financial pressures.

INEOS blasted for trying to walk away from Tottenham deal

It remains to be seen if Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co will get their wish and whether Daniel Levy agrees to terminate the sponsorship agreement, with reports suggesting that talks between Tottenham and INEOS have been cordial so far.

However, Kieth Wyness has blasted the petrochemicals company for trying to renege on their agreement and opined that it is a sign that things are going very wrong for the Man Utd owners.

The former Everton chief told Football Inside about INEOS: “Every sports partnership or sponsorship they’re in, it’s not a happy one. I think it’s embarrassing for them to walk away from the Tottenham deal. You’d have thought it has nothing to do with Man United, it’s meant to be that the INEOS Grenadier 4×4 has a separate budget and separate strategy.

MORE SPURS STORIES

“If it’s really the case that he’s having to rob money from other divisions to put into Man United, that’s a bad sign. It could be that they are just not getting the right results and now want to terminate the deal. We’ll have to get more detail. But INEOS aren’t thinking things through right now and there’s conflict around every corner – something is fundamentally wrong.”

Daniel Levy backed to demand compensation for Spurs

Speaking on the attempt by INEOS to prematurely end their agreement with Spurs, football finance expert, Stefan Borson, suggested a few days ago that Levy will want the company to compensate Spurs.

Borson explained that ending the agreement would not make a big difference to Tottenham’s bottom line as other brands would jump at the chance to fill the void.

He remarked: “Levy is in the driving seat, he’s got a contract. But, I doubt he likes having INEOS having plastered on the side of the pitch when they own 25% of United now. I doubt it’s ideal, but it’s cash. Unless Levy can find someone to replace INEOS, I doubt he will play ball.

“The most likely scenario is that Spurs have someone in mind to take on the asset, the sponsorship, and they will effectively replace INEOS with them having to pay some sort of termination fee.

“Spurs will probably want to get to a position where they make a bit of money, but I think it is possible that everyone can be happy with the scenario. There could be a termination fee paid which gives Tottenham a bit of upside early on, and they then go and find a replacement for INEOS.

“The bottom line is that Spurs won’t be out of pocket here. There’s no way they will let a company like INEOS walk away from a sponsorship agreement. Tottenham have done nothing wrong and have filled their part of the bargain.”

Bayern Munich have now set their sights on signing another senior Tottenham player after luring both Harry Kane and Eric Dier from the club over the last 18 months.

The Harry Kane transfer deal has proven to be money well spent for Bayern as the striker continues to break all sorts of records for the Bundesliga side.

Even their acquisition of Eric Dier, which was met with some cynicism by the general footballing world, has proven to be an astute decision, with the England international continuing to demonstrate his experience and nous in Bavaria this season.

It has now been suggested that the German club may come knocking in the summer for another revered Tottenham man, who now faces an uncertain future at Spurs.

Heung-min Son linked with Bayern Munich transfer

This report comes from Fichajes, who claim that Heung-min Son, who enters the final year of his deal at Tottenham after this summer, could make the decision to end his 10-year spell at the club.

The forward is thought to be on the radar of several top clubs around Europe, with Bayern now emerging as one of ‘the most attractive alternatives’.

The report says that the 32-year-old may want a change of scenery at the end of the campaign and could welcome the opportunity to compete for titles at the Allianz Arena.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Vincent Kompany’s side are thought to be keen on strengthening their attack in the summer, with the Tottenham captain’s profile said to ‘fit perfectly’ with the Belgian’s style of play.

Final decision will come down to Son

The outlet states that although Son is revered in Tottenham, the possibility of trying out a fresh challenge in the latter stage of his career might be very tempting for the player to end his time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It is asserted that the decision will ultimately come down to the South Korean himself as he enters the final year of his deal in North London.

The publication adds that the ‘next few weeks will be key’ in defining the future of the former Bayer Leverkusen man and whether he decides to call time on his Spurs spell.

Sebastien Bassong has shared some interesting anecdotes about playing alongside Gareth Bale and Luka Modric at Tottenham and revealed which of the two he would rather have in his side.

While Tottenham fans of a younger age might look at the Mauricio Pochettino era as the one that elevated the club into the elite of Premier League football, one can argue that the Harry Redknapp era was more significant in establishing the club as a part of the ‘big six’.

Tottenham qualified for the Champions League for the first time under Redknapp in 2010 and made it all the way to the quarterfinal of the competition in the first time of asking.

That side played some scintillating football, boasting of the likes of Bale, Modric, Aaron Lennon, Rafael Van der Vaart, Jermain Defoe, Kyle Walker, Ledley King who have all gone on to become Spurs legends such was their impact.

Sebastien Bassong makes an admission about Bale and Modric

Bassong had the opportunity to witness the magic of the likes of Gareth Bale and Modric first-hand during his three years at the club, and he revealed a funny anecdote of what happened during the Welshman’s coming-of-age performance against Inter Milan.

However, despite lavishing praise on the winger, the former Spurs centre-back insisted that he would pick Luka Modric over him in his side.

Bassong told talkSPORT: “When we played [Inter] Milan I was playing alongside him and Samuel Eto’o came to me and said, ‘Who’s that guy?’ I said, ‘You’re about to find out, he’s gonna retire Maicon’, and he put him in a grave.

MORE SPURS STORIES

“He could have played by himself on the left, left-back and left wing. He was an introvert, he didn’t talk much. But…I’ll still go for Luka [Modric]. Luka, we called him Mozart, he’s the best one because he won the Ballon d’Or, at Spurs I’d go for Luka – no doubt.”

Bassong on Modric’s leadership and confidence

Bassong revealed that the Croat was someone who led by example on the pitch and a player who had the respect of the whole dressing room.

The 38-year-old also told about an incident which happened during a game between him and the Real Madrid midfielder, which encapsulates the former Spurs man’s confidence.

Bassong added about the midfield maestro: “Luka isn’t a talker, he’s an introvert by nature, but when Luka spoke everyone listened. Luka doesn’t get angry, but if he does there’s a reason because he’s so good and efficient. That’s the kind of person you want to follow, when he says something, give the ball to Luka and he’s going to dictate the game.

“One day I had the ball and he came square to me and I didn’t give him the ball because there were two players on his back. He came to me and said, ‘Bass, give me the ball’. I said, ‘Yeah but…’ He said, ‘Just give me the ball!’

Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League journey continues as they prepare to face a familiar opponent in the last 16—AZ Alkmaar. With memories of their earlier meeting this season still fresh, Spurs will be hoping to secure a win once again.

Just last week, on Friday, February 21, Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League last-16 opponent was revealed as AZ Alkmaar. The draw also outlined Tottenham’s potential path all the way to the Europa League final.

With Ange Postecoglou’s men in the bottom half of the Premier League table and already out of both domestic cup competitions, lifting the Europa League trophy remains their only route back to the Champions League.

Tottenham’s previous encounter with AZ Alkmaar

However, before Tottenham Hotspur can dream about the final, they must first get past AZ Alkmaar in the Round of 16.

The two sides are no strangers to each other, having already met in the league phase of the competition. Their first encounter ended in a narrow 1-0 victory for Tottenham, with a penalty from Richarlison proving to be the difference.

Before the first clash, Ange Postecoglou made significant changes to his starting line-up. The Tottenham boss had Fraser Forster in goal, a centre-back partnership of Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin, Destiny Udogie at right-back, and Archie Gray at left-back.

In midfield, Rodrigo Bentancur, James Maddison, and Lucas Bergvall started, while Richarlison, Mikey Moore, and Timo Werner formed the attacking trio.

MORE SPURS STORIES

Despite fielding a rotated squad, Spurs still had a strong bench, with Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Dominic Solanke, and Dejan Kulusevski among the substitutes.

Underlying stats from the match showed that, even with several changes, the Lilywhites were in control. The fixture on 24 October 2024 remains the only time these two teams have faced each other in history.

AZ Alkmaar’s impressive form makes them a dangerous opponent

While Tottenham will be confident heading into this clash, bolstered by the return of key players from injury, AZ Alkmaar should not be underestimated.

At the time of writing, the Dutch side are unbeaten in their last five matches, winning four, keeping two clean sheets, and scoring 12 goals.

Perhaps their most impressive result came in the Europa League play-off round, where they dismantled Galatasaray 4-1 in the first leg at home.

Notably, this is the same Galatasaray side that defeated Spurs 3-2 on matchday four of the league phase, a result that serves as a reminder of AZ Alkmaar’s quality.

The clash between these two sides is expected to take place on March 6, 2025, eight days after Spurs’ clash against Manchester City and four days after AZ Alkmaar’s clash against SC Heerenveen.