Football Insider

Tottenham’s first hopes of winning a trophy this season have evaporated after Newcastle knocked Thomas Frank’s side out of the Carabao Cup.

Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade scored as the Carabao Cup holders, Newcastle, progressed to the next round of the competition.

Spurs won the Europa League in May to lift their first silverware in 17 years, but they will not be adding a fifth League Cup triumph to their trophy cabinet.

Frank has made a positive impact at the club with Spurs’ 3-0 win over Everton lifting them up to third in the Premier League table.

Richarlison slammed by Spurs support

Frank rotated his starting XI for the trip to Newcastle, with Richarlison handed a start over Randal Kolo Muani.

However, fans were left unimpressed by the Brazilian’s performance, with many believing he should be sold in the next transfer window.

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“Think there are some serious question marks over senior players like Richarlison and Bentancur. Maybe injuries have got to them but neither seem to have the ability to consistently show up,” one fan commented.

A supporter said: “Richarlison should have been sold that first season the fact that he’s still here is disgraceful.”

“Why would Everton want Richarlison back?,” one fan asked.

Brennan Johnson also failed to impress the Spurs fanbase: “Richarlison and Johnson should not be playing for Tottenham.”

“Richarlison is dreadful,” said one angry supporter.

Whilst another commented: “That HAS to be Richarlison’s last start for spurs. He’s never been that guy and cannot be the one we rely on.”

Richarlison could be handed Spurs exit route

Everton want to re-sign Richarlison in January to resolve their goal scoring problems, with Beto and Thierno Barry both struggling to score.

The 28-year-old enjoyed four seasons on Merseyside, scoring 53 goals before earning his move to Spurs.

A move away from Spurs could reignite Richarlison’s form in a crucial World Cup year with a spot as Brazil’s number nine still up for grabs.

Howard Webb should be in attendance to oversee the referee’s performance when Tottenham and Chelsea clash in the Premier League.

That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that the game on Saturday, 1 November, has the potential for flashpoints between the rivals.

Jarred Gillett has been chosen to referee the game between Spurs and the Blues at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a game which is known for its drama, goals, and fiery atmospheres.

Enzo Fernandez scored the only goal in the last meeting at Stamford Bridge, and with Cole Palmer still sidelined for Chelsea, the Argentine will be needed more than ever by Enzo Maresca.

Tottenham vs Chelsea set to be a Premier League cracker

The scene is set for an exciting clash between Thomas Frank and Maresca’s sides in North London. While no red cards have been shown in the last three meetings, the games have been full of drama.

Previously, Webb has been told to visit Chelsea’s training ground due to their build-up of sending-offs this season, with Malo Gusto the most recent figure to join the list for the Blues.

Maresca was dismissed for celebrating against Liverpool, with Estevao scoring a very late winner, and should any controversial incidents emerge this time around, Webb has been told to watch the game from the stands.

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Keith Hackett tells Howard Webb to attend Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former head of PGMOL said: “I think he should be [at the game]. Where you have potential flashpoints or games that can flare, he should be there. Way back, I was at Old Trafford in the director’s box when they played Tottenham.

“Roy Carroll dropped the ball over the line, and I could see the ball was way over. [Mark] Clattenburg was in the other half, and the assistant referee was by the halfway line.

“Neither had an opportunity to see the incident, but from above, I could see it clearly. When I examined it, that was the start of me going to the Premier League about goal line technology.

“He can be present in case there is a blow-up. Be prepared to go into the dressing room at half-time and full-time, and if there is a controversial decision, he can ask to be talked through the decision.“

‘I’m not being disrespectful here…’ – Ex-PGMOL chief reacts to Tottenham vs Chelsea refs announcement

Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor were both suitable appointments for the huge Premier League clash between Tottenham and Chelsea.

That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that Howard Webb needs to make the right calls before the “golden game” on Saturday, 1 November.

Battle of the Bridge is always a game that comes to mind for supporters in the lead-up to a clash between Spurs and the Blues, and this clash will be absolutely no different in the Premier League this season.

The Premier League have announced that Jarred Gillett, who recently sent off Wolves boss Vitor Pereira, has been appointed as the referee, with Samuel Barrott as the fourth official, and Craig Pawson on VAR.

Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor snubbed for Tottenham vs Chelsea

Oliver was in the spotlight as Man United beat Liverpool, while most recently, Taylor was also involved in a Man United win, having overseen their 4-2 victory against Brighton on

Both are regarded as two of the most experienced referees in the English game, but Webb clearly feels that Gillett is the better figure to take control at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Despite Oliver and Taylor both being snubbed for what could be a massive game, a former head of the PGMOL understands the decision to go with another experienced official instead.

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Jarred Gillett is a fine appointment for a huge Premier League clash

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former referee said: “I’m not being disrespectful to any clubs here, but you know what your golden games are. This comes under the label of a ‘golden game’.

“Tough hits, big crowds, and everything else that goes with it. I’m certain that I would not expose Anthony Taylor or Michael Oliver to those two clubs, so either of them could be in charge.

“But you can’t just rely on two. Jarred Gillett is a very experienced match official and must rank highly in the PGMOL merit table. Since arriving in England, he has demonstrated his capability in the Championship and quickly became a Premier League referee.

“He was also promoted to the FIFA International Panel. So, I am supportive of this appointment. He is a tough, no-nonsense official, and will keep a firm grip on proceedings.”

Tottenham managed to overcome a frenetic Everton side to win 3-0 in the Premier League and end a poor recent run.

Tottenham were dismal against Monaco in the Champions League in midweek but bounced back to claim a win on Merseyside that catapults them to third in the Premier League.

The Lilywhites took on a tough to beat Everton side away from home as Thomas Frank capitalised on his side’s strength from set-pieces.

Football Insider looks at how Spurs performed as they picked up a hard-earned victory following a turbulent run of form.

Van de Ven wondrous for Tottenham

Guglielmo Vicario – 7

The Italian came up with a couple of vital saves to keep the Lilywhites in the clash amid intense pressure from the Toffees.

Pedro Porro – 8

Notching the assist for Spurs’ second goal from a corner, the Spaniard was proactive on the ball moving forward.

Pedro Porro delivered two key passes and created one big chance with the Danish manager relying heavily on him as a creative outlet.

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Kevin Danso – 9

Filling in once again for the injured Cristian Romero at centre-back, the Austrian was flawless in his defensive tasks against the Toffees.

Kevin Danso completed 17 clearances and won all of his six duels, ensuring Spurs retained their clean sheet in a sensational display.

Micky van de Ven – 10

The Dutchman came up with two crucial goals to break Everton’s flawless set-piece goals conceded record this season.

Micky van de Ven continues to be one of Frank’s most dependable players as he put in another stupendous performance.

Djed Spence – 6

A quiet game from the England international who has careful with the ball yet faced little threat down the right-hand side with most attacking output coming from Jack Grealish on the other flank.

Xavi Simons disappoints once again

Rodrigo Bentancur – 7

The Uruguayan provided the pivotal header to tee up Van de Ven for his first headed goal as he marauded round the pitch with bundles of energy, breaking up attacks.

Joao Palhinha – 7

Joao Palhinha is one of the toughest duellers in the Premier League and he had to be on top form to cope with the intensity of David Moyes’ midfield.

Xavi Simons – 4

Football Insider had tipped Tottenham to drop Xavi Simons given his recent struggles since joining the club, a worrying theme that continued against Everton.

The Dutchman did very little with the ball, often marked out of the game as Frank grows concerned by his stuttering performances for the Lilywhites.

Randal Kolo Muani fails to take advantage of rare start for Tottenham

Brennan Johnson – 3

The Welshman has struggled this season to hold down a starting spot under Frank and his display against the Toffees reinforced his usual absence from the side.

Brennan Johnson was toothless in front of goal, failing to have single attempt on goal as he was often seen dropping back to defend.

Mohammed Kudus – 5

The Ghanaian was wasteful with the ball as he gave up possession on 22 occasions.

Indeed, his corner taking was pinpoint, but Frank will be wanting his summer signing to look after the ball better in future matches, especially when opponents are capitalising on the loose balls.

Randal Kolo Muani – 2

Given a rare start ahead of Richarlison, the Frenchman did little to impact proceedings as he looked an isolated man up top.

Randal Kolo Muani had no shots during the game, highlighting Spurs’ continued struggles from open play this season.

Tottenham Substitutions:

Richarlison – 5

Brought on in the second half, the Brazilian missed a massive opportunity to increase Tottenham’s advantage to three.

Richarlison was tasked with chasing the ball frantically to preserve Spurs’ lead, but did provide an unselfish assist to Pape Matar Sarr late on.

Lucas Bergvall – 4

Came on in the second half but did little to have his say on the match.

Pape Matar Sarr – 7

Despite limited minutes, the Senegal international notched a vital third goal to put the match beyond doubt.

Mathys Tel – 4

Brought on in the dying moments of the game.

Stefan Borson drops ‘extraordinary’ Tottenham verdict after Super Bowl whispers emerge

Tottenham are continuing to cash in on commercial opportunities following their partnership with the NFL.

American football has grown in popularity across Europe over the past two decades, with the first NFL regular season game played outside of North America taking place at Wembley Stadium in 2007.

That saw the New York Giants beat the Miami Dolphins 13-10 in London, where games have now been played for 18 years and will continue for at least the next five years.

Tottenham hosted their first NFL game just months after their 62,850-capacity stadium opened in 2019 when the Oakland Raiders secured a 24-21 victory over the Chicago Bears.

Now, there’s talk over whether the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could be in line to host the Super Bowl in the next few years.

Tottenham could bank significant windfall from hosting the Super Bowl

Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider Tottenham could bank a significant amount of money from hosting the Super Bowl due to the “extraordinary” ticket prices.

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Forbes estimated Super Bowl LVIII generated an economic impact for Las Vegas of $1billion (£740m), with the Kansas City Chiefs beating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in February 2024.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider about Tottenham potentially hosting the Super Bowl, Borson said: “You would think it would be worth a lot of money.

“I don’t know how the arrangement works and what the financials look like, whether effectively the NFL are paying a rental fee for the stadium or whether there’s some kind of revenue share.

“If there’s some kind of revenue share, then you’re really into a very substantial upside for Tottenham. I suspect there isn’t a revenue share model, but that’s going to be the big differentiator because clearly the ticket prices for a Super Bowl are extraordinary.

“If you compare it to any European event, the ticket prices are just off the scale, and look where the Champions League final is rapidly approaching crazy money. I mean, there are numerous tickets that are €500 (£434) per ticket without any hospitality in these things, but you can pay 10 times or more at the Super Bowl.”

Former Everton CEO Keith Wyness told Football Insider Tottenham could earn £1bn from hosting the Super Bowl.

Tottenham could face issue hosting the Super Bowl

However, Reach plc’s NFL reporter Charlie Wilson told Football Insider Tottenham are unlikely to host the Super Bowl in the next few years due to its importance in the US.

That is something Borson agrees with.

“I still think it would be a surprise to have a London Super Bowl,” said Borson.

“It’s one thing the teams agreeing to push the game via effectively league games. It’s quite something else to take the largest and most significant live event in America to a different country.

“That feels like something that would get a lot of push back.”

The latest Super Bowl showdown in February drew in a crowd of more than 120 million television viewers in the US alone when the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in New Orleans.

Tottenham’s deal with the NFL has exposed the club to wealthy investors across the US.

A US consortium led by tech entrepreneur Brooklyn Earick made an approach to buy Spurs last month.

Tottenham responded to the takeover approach after releasing a statement insisting they had “unequivocally rejected” an informal expression of interest from Earick, who has confirmed he will not be making a formal bid.

However, Football Insider revealed on 26 September Tottenham’s owners could be open to a deal that would see the owner of an NFL franchise invest in the club.

Spurs’ existing contract with the NFL is understood to be an important element for potential investors, with a minimum of two games played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium each year.

Could US investor pursue Tottenham takeover deal?

The first NFL game was held at Tottenham’s 62,850-capacity facility when the Chicago Bears took on the Oakland Raiders in October 2019 – just months after it opened.

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There has recently been speculation around whether Tottenham could host the Super Bowl in the future.

Spurs’ chances of bringing a Super Bowl Sunday to north London would no doubt be improved if a US-based investor were to pursue a takeover deal.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider Reach plc’s NFL reporter Charlie Wilson admitted he wouldn’t be surprised to see an NFL owner invest in Tottenham.

“Maybe they could be interested,” said Wilson.

“I mean, we’ve seen with the York family, who own San Francisco 49ers, now own Leeds United. The Boston Red Sox are owned by Fenway Sports Group, who own Liverpool as well.

“We see a lot of American owners dipping into the Premier League. That has been the case for 20 years now, but it’s definitely become more prevalent. We’ve got Tom Brady at Birmingham and obviously J.J. Watt at Burnley. The Glazers own Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“I think that’s more of a case of the Premier League growing in America as well. The Premier League has grown exponentially, and football in general has grown massively in America.”

Tottenham’s owners value the club at around £4.5billion following speculation around a potential takeover deal.

ENIC owns an 86.91 per cent stake in Spurs, while former executive chairman Daniel Levy and members of his family hold a 29.88 per cent share in the British investment company, and Joe Lewis’s family trust own the remaining 70.12 per cent.

Walmart heir could invest in Tottenham

Wilson believes American billionaires could look to invest in Tottenham if they fail in their bids to buy US sports franchises.

“I’ve not heard anything about the Tottenham ownership, but it wouldn’t surprise me,” said Wilson.

“There’s a lot of money over there. Whenever a team comes up recently, like an NBA team or an NFL team, there’s not a short list of American billionaires who are trying to buy these teams now.

“I would imagine if they fail in their bids for let’s say the Milwaukee Bucks, who were sold recently, these billionaires who have got this money burning a hole in their pocket could be like, ‘Well, we can have a look at Tottenham’, so it wouldn’t surprise me.

“The Denver Broncos, for example, their owners own Walmart, so we’re talking tens, if not hundreds of billions. They could easily be guys who could look at Tottenham and be like, ‘Yeah, we could do it. There are ties to the NFL, they’ve signed a multi-year deal to play games there, we could exploit that market’. I could definitely see that happening.”

The Denver Broncos were taken over in 2022 for £3.7bn by Walmart heir Rob Walton and his family, who have a net worth of around £94bn, according to Forbes.

The latest NFL game at Tottenham’s stadium saw the Broncos beat the New York Jets 13-11 on 12 October.

Tottenham have announced changes to their leadership team as the club looks to move in a new direction.

It comes after Tottenham confirmed Daniel Levy had stepped down as executive chairman on 4 September after spending 24 years in the role.

Spurs appointed Peter Charrington as non-executive chairman following Levy’s departure, while Vinai Venkatesham is leading the day-to-day operations after joining as CEO earlier this year.

It was confirmed on 15 October Fabio Paratici has returned to Tottenham as sporting director, with Johan Lange also promoted from technical director to sporting director.

Stefan Borson reveals how Tottenham roles could be split

Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider it’s “unusual” to have two senior people operating in the same role.

Paratici has been working with Tottenham over the past few months after serving a suspension for financial misconduct during his time at Juventus.

The Italian has been operating in a consultancy role since resigning as Spurs’ director of football in 2023 following his 30-month ban from the game.

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Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson said: “Well, it’s unusual, but I guess they would say that now football operations are so complex and big that you can easily have two sides of that sporting director role.

“Let’s say one looking at external recruitment and one looking at the operation of the club internally.

“I don’t know if that’s how they’re going to split it, but I don’t think it’s unworkable as long as they’ve got clear division of responsibility within the sporting director remit.”

The situation isn’t new to Tottenham boss Thomas Frank after he previously worked alongside co-sporting directors at his former club Brentford.

Vinai Venkatesham questions emerge after Tottenham hire

Borson believes there are questions around whether the two sporting directors’ roles could overlap with Venkatesham’s duties.

“I think there is some question as to what everybody does in that mix because you’ve also got a chief executive,” said Borson.

“So, how much involvement does Vinai have in let’s say transfers and signing off transfers? This is not a situation where if you look at a club like Manchester City, where there’s multiple clubs that the chief executive is responsible for. Tottenham’s chief executive is only responsible for Tottenham Hotspur.

“It does look like there are reporting lines, that’s fine. But he’s got an element of experience on transfers and those sorts of situations himself, so you would think there’s a bit of overlap, but we’ll see.”

Tottenham have slipped to sixth in the Premier League table after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday (19 October).

Tottenham’s state-of-the-art stadium has attracted a lot of attention over the last few years, and not just in terms of football.

The venue has hosted music concerts and boxing matches as well as regular NFL games since it was opened in 2019.

Now, there’s talk over whether the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could be in line to host the Super Bowl in the next few years.

The NFL’s showpiece event attracts millions of viewers every year, and Spurs would be financially rewarded if it were held in North London.

Tottenham could earn up to £1bn

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the Super Bowl could be coming to London in the next five or 10 years.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that if the event was held at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it could make the club up to £1billion.

Spurs earn around £1bn from their ground per year at the moment, so this would double their revenue.

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Wyness added that it would be great for London if it hosted the Super Bowl, and the prize for Tottenham is massive.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I can see the Super Bowl coming to London between the next five and 10 years, that’s very possible.

“When I looked at the potential economic impact around the Spurs Stadium, and if it were held there, we could be looking at somewhere between the £500m to £1bn mark just for that one game, which is a substantial situation.

“Now, if you look at that compared to Spurs, who’ve said that the whole stadium for the whole year has got an economic impact of £1bn, that’s saying that they’re almost doubling the impact of the stadium just on one game. So it’s a huge prize for London.

“The government will have to be involved in some way in helping support it because it’s such a big event. But that’s the size of the prize.

“It would be great for London. It would be great for Britain if that could happen. And I think we’d all be going crazy around Super Bowl time in February.

“That’s the size of the prize. It’s pretty big and I must admit, when I looked at it, I thought it was going to be big, but I didn’t realise it was going to be that big.”

Tottenham consider NFL investment

Meanwhile, Tottenham’s owners would be more open to a sale that would see the owner of an NFL franchise invest in the club, sources have told Football Insider.

The hierarchy at Spurs have maintained that the club is currently not for sale despite recent rumours.

There has been plenty of takeover speculation surrounding Tottenham in the past month following the departure of former executive chairman Daniel Levy.

Sources say Spurs’ majority owners ENIC would be more open to a deal with an NFL franchise owner that would see the club become part of a bigger combination of sporting assets, rather than an outright sale.

Tottenham could be the next Premier League club to be taken over despite a stern message that they are not for sale.

That is according to football finance expert Dan Plumley, who has exclusively told Football Insider what he thinks could happen at Spurs in the future.

£100million has been invested into Spurs which could herald in a new era at the club after the departure of Daniel Levy.

Levy left Spurs as Executive Chairman after nearly 25 years in the role seeing the club lift just two trophies, the 2025 Europa League and 2008 League Cup.

Cash injection reiterates no sale message

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Plumley thinks that such a heavy injection of cash means that a takeover is not immediately expected, but could happen in the future.

“It does [the cash injection] align with the owner’s comments that they’re not for sale. It would seem counter intuitive to put in £100million into something which you’re then going to sell,” Plumley stated.

“It would chime with what the owners have bene saying and it’s not openly for sale however they don’t have to be openly for sale.

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“If somebody comes in and a deal is there to be done, then sometimes that happens. Spurs would probably be the biggest club in English football at the minute that you would look at and go that’s where the next takeover is coming from.

“Possibly Man United, but Man City look well set, Arsenal don’t look like there’s a sale happening anytime soon and Liverpool so you’re looking at Spurs as a maybe.”

Tottenham could be open to NFL deal

Amanda Staveley was in talks with Spurs over a takeover and there is certain to be further interest in the club.

In an interesting development, Spurs are exploring an NFL deal that would see the owner of a franchise invest in the club.

Spurs created the fourth most revenue out of all Premier League club’s in their latest accounts, beating Chelsea but still behind north London rivals Arsenal.

Fresh investment may help Spurs close the gap further, as well as consistent qualification into the Champions League.

Tottenham are reportedly leading Chelsea and Manchester United in the race to sign a top European striker in the January transfer window.

Spurs currently sit third in the Premier League after seven games of the new campaign, only two points adrift of table toppers Arsenal.

Chelsea are back in seventh, while Man United are continuing to struggle under Ruben Amorim and find themselves six points behind the Gunners in tenth.

Despite their positive start to the season, Tottenham have been told they are lacking a striker, with the likes of Dominic Solanke and Richarlison hindered by fitness issues and poor form.

Dusan Vlahovic ‘leaning towards’ Tottenham move

At the end of last month, it was reported that Chelsea and Manchester United were locked in a battle for Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus.

However, Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that Tottenham are now leading the race for the centre-forward.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness revealed that, according to his sources, Vlahovic is leaning towards a move to Spurs in the January transfer window.

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Wyness added that Frank’s side need an experienced striker in their squad, so the Serbian international could be a good fit.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Spurs are the team that I’m hearing he’s leaning towards, and I think that could be something that makes sense.

“If you look at what Spurs have got right now, there’s still that sort of striker position where they are lacking real experience. I think he might be the right sort of fit for them.

“There’s a long time to go yet, but I think in terms of January, it could possibly get done. Vlahovic is edging towards Spurs, and that’s where I’m thinking he may just fit.”

Dusan Vlahovic to be available for a cut-price

At the start of this month (1 October), Football Insider revealed that Vlahovic should be available for a cut-price in the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old’s future at Juventus is uncertain, as his current contract with the club expires at the end of the season.

Sources say that the Italian giants are eager to sell Vlahovic in January, rather than lose him on a free transfer in the summer.

As it is their last chance to make any sort of financial gain from the striker’s exit, Juventus could be willing to accept a lowball offer when the window reopens.